1. Changing the Conversation About Assessment The Promise of Assessment Literacy MASA Fall Conference 9/25/2014

2. Presenters Terri Portice Director of Teaching & Learning Reeths-Puffer Schools and MAC Board Member porticet@reeths-puffer.org Kathryn Dewsbury-White President/CEO MI Assessment Consortium kdwhite@michiganassessmentconsortium.org

3. Session Purpose & Outcomes  Explore power of assessment (done well) to help us meet New Mission of schools.  Understand role of assessment literacy in achieving balanced, comprehensive, quality assessment systems and practices  Identify resources, tools available now

4. Procedures Present some ideas for consideration Define balanced, comprehensive assessment system Provide ideas & strategies for assessing own district status related to balanced system Define assessment literacy, present MAC’s Assessment Literacy Standards Provide pieces of one district’s story or journey Examples of selected practices from Reeths-Puffer Schools Identify available resources Select/Current MAC resources keyed to ALSs

5. Guiding Question for our Session: How Do We Use Assessment Well?…What Would It Take? Achieving balanced, comprehensive, quality assessment systems, through Development of assessment literate … administrators educators policymakers parents and students

6. SETTING THE STAGE… OUR CONTEXT

7. 21 st Century School Mission! ALL students lifelong learners Narrow achievement gap among students Universal graduation for students All students ready for colleges or workplace training Raise achievement levels among ranks of all students excerpted Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

8. Assessment in all of this… Public accountability for test scores supposed to improve schools (local, state, national, international) Linking federal funding to test scores supposed to improve schools Writing tougher standards & tests—raising the bar supposed to improve schools Competing for federal $ -- RtT, NCLB, -- supposed to improve schools Evaluating teachers based on annual test scores is supposed to improve schools Adapted from Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

9. So, how are we doing so far? NAEP scores have flat-lined for decades Drop out rates remain stable and high; some are astronomical USA’s place in international rankings stable Excellent teachers and new teachers are leaving the profession in unprecedented numbers excerpted Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

10. How is this possible? No assessment training for teachers or admins Lack of assessment literacy among policy makers at local, state, and federal levels Little awareness throughout of how to link assessment to teaching and learning No norm for quality assessment in higher ed. Aggressive selling of test services to unqualified users Standards of quality ignore 99% of assessments Technical apps exacerbate quality problems excerpted Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

11. EVOLVING… Assessment Paradigm FROMTO SummativeSummative & Formative AccountabilityTeaching & Learning Tool AfterDuring & After Learning Condensed Results to Produce a ScoreDetailed Description Adults do the Assessment to StudentsAdult & Student Activity Notoriously Neglected Facet of Teacher Preparation Foundation of Effective Teacher Preparation Notoriously Neglected Facet of School Leadership Foundation of Effective Leadership

12. WHAT IS BALANCED ASSESSMENT?

13. A Balanced Assessment System State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness All students leave high school college and career ready Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning Interim assessments Flexible, open, used for actionable feedback Summative assessments Benchmarked to college and career readiness Teacher resources for formative assessment practices to improve instruction

14. Quality Classroom Assessments & Practices Premium on Formative Practices – Assessment for Learning How can we help students learn more? Interim/Benchmark Assessments Short-cycle Summative Are students in each school on track for proficiency? New MEAP /College Entrance & Work Skills/EOC/Unit Summative – Assessment of Learning Did the student learn what they should have? Comprehensive Balanced Assessment System Aligned to Content Standards

15. Where and when we assess, why, who uses the information … FORMATIVESUMMATIVE CLASSROOMContinuous, informs practice, talks about progress Periodic Accountability INTERIMPeriodic identify strugglers or problem standards for faculty/program Periodic document evidence throughout the year vs. 1 time ANNUAL1 time a year, help determine which standards need to change Public Accountability Only the cell highlighted in yellow has an empirical research base indicating - utilizing formative assessment practices appropriately can increase student achievement by effect sizes of.4-.7 standard deviations

16. Source: 7 Essential Actions for School Leaders Commodore, Chappuis, Stiggins – see Pearson Assessment Training Institute, copyright 2010

17. One Sample Assessment Calendar

18. Why an Inventory, Calendar? Eliminate ineffective/unnecessary assessments Achieve equitable/appropriate distribution – Grade level – Content Area – Assessment Type Be clear about purposes and uses that support student growth (develop commensurate PD plan).

19. Create Your Own Calendar/Inventory: Capture What, When, Where, How & Who

20. Create Your Own Calendar/Inventory: Capture the Professional Development

21. How to use Inventory, Calendar… Keep the inventory current & distribute it on a regular basis – review and update Do the same with the PD Plan – does it support the district Inventory/Calendar Encourage collaboration on effective use of all available data Create and organize data – School – Classroom – Team – Student

22. Balanced Assessment System With the other “elbow” partner, discuss the status of “assessment balance” within the classroom, building, and district you serve? Do you have a calendar/inventory? Do you have PD plan? 22

23. WHAT IS ASSESSMENT LITERACY & WHY SHOULD WE ASPIRE TO BE ASSESSMENT LITERATE?

24. HTTP://VIMEO.COM/97668950 Play couple portions of Rick Stiggins video maybe first and last question

25. Why Assessment Literacy Standards? Increased amount of assessment/data Stakes of assessment for students and educators continue to rise A lack of pre-service (in college) preparation for educators A lack of understanding about assessment by those who adopt policy and laws and govern our schools

26. Consider this… Research suggests that teachers spend from one-quarter to one-third of their professional time on assessment related activities. Almost all do so without the benefit of having learned the principles of sound assessment. – Rick Stiggins, 2007

27. ALS Development The MAC has developed assessment literacy standards These standards will describe the dispositions, knowledge and skills needed by all parties regarding student assessment The goal is to provide a common basis for work to help all become more assessment literate

28. ALS Development After internal review and revision, several external reviewers were asked to comment on the standards. These included: – Susan Brookhart – Carol Commodore – Margaret Heritage – Ken O’Connor – Jim Popham – Rick Stiggins – MASSP, MEMSPA and MASCD

29. Students and Parents Teachers Building Administrators District Administrators Local and State Policymakers Assessment Literacy Standards Pre-service teachers Administrator Certification

30. Assessment Literacy Standards I.Dispositions II.Knowledge III.Performance

31. Reflection on the Standards Look at the ________________ Standards Using 1 – 3 make a note next to each statement – in a self-survey manner. Marking 1, 2, or 3 3 -- you could teach to others, it’s a part of your current professional practice, 2 – you are working on deepening your understanding and practice 1 – you know the words, but little if any confidence related to your current understanding, not integrated into your current practice. Share Your Observations

32. Current Resources on MAC Website

37. Which portion(s) of these quotes resonate? Why? Share w/your Elbow Partner “We owe it to ourselves and our students to devote at least as much energy to ensuring that our assessment practices are worthwhile as we do to ensuring that we teach well” Dr. Sara Cushing Weigle, Georgia State University “A solid understanding of assessment issues should be part of every teachers’ knowledge base, and teachers should be encouraged to equip themselves with this knowledge as part of their ongoing professional development.” Dr. David Boud, University of Technology, Sydney

38. ONE DISTRICT’S JOURNEY: REETHS-PUFFER SCHOOLS SELECT PRACTICES THAT FEED THAT NEW MISSION FOR SCHOOLS, THAT RELY ON DEVELOPMENT OF ASSESSMENT LITERACY

39. The Assessment Challenge How do we get from here......to here? All students leave high school college and career ready State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness...and what can an assessment system do to help?

40. Feeding that New Mission for 21 st Century Schools… Assessments will evolve to be more rigorous and real world relevant, we must match our teaching to this same standard Assessment data must be used in the moment to inform “next steps” in the learning process Schools must have a balanced assessment system in place within their districts, buildings & classrooms All will be assessment literate

41. Reeths-Puffer Schools – The “WHY” of our story I have the opportunity to create a system of change and one with a focus on systems thinking, by creating consistency in instruction and assessment within the core K-12. Through this process we can help teachers differentiation instruction along the way based on the data. A big part of my job is helping teachers understand the “Why” so that we can work on “How” instruction must change and determine “What” teaching and balanced assessments needs to looks like.

42. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, An Action Guide for School Leaders, Copyright 2010

43. Balanced Assessment Systems Formative Assessment Practices (to improve instruction) Interim assessments Flexible, open, used for actionable feedback Summative assessments Benchmarked to CCR Running RecordsDIBELS (K-4); Daze 5 th GradeState Assessments Formative Assessment Tasks (Math) Scholastic Reading Inventory (Grades 3-10) End of Course/Unit Assessments Spelling InventoriesScholastic Math Inventory (Grades 3-8) CCR and Work Skills Assessments Specific Classroom Learning Tasks Common Formative Assessments for Reporting purposes **Plan / Explore (previously used) Exit SlipsFormative Assessment Tasks (Math) Observations: Documentation Checklists On Demand Writing Samples Journal Responses (lesson activity or reflection) Meaningful Performance Tasks Peer/Self Assessments Presentations or Demonstrations

44. Formative Assessment Samples Observation Checklist Documentation Log Formative Assessment Task

45. Formative Assessment Samples Cont.

46. Running Records – Inform instruction and independent reading levels.

47. Interim Assessment Samples 1 st Date: 9/18/13 2 nd Date – 1/16/14 1 st date: 9/19/2013 2 nd date: 1/21/2014

48. Interim Assessment Samples Cont. On Demand Writing Samples Collaboratively score in multiple ways.

49. Summative Assessment Samples

50. Summative Assessments Continued

51. Summative and Interim Assessment Calendar Google Calendar - Shared with all Staff

52. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, An Action Guide for School Leaders, Copyright 2010

53. 4 th Grade Math Unit Overview Document which outlined the order of lessons to be taught Task type listed to ensure a variety of instructional tasks, assessments, and a combination of individual, partner, or small group learning is taking place Standards are aligned to each lesson. Gray items are commonly scored and used for grade level conversations.

54. Refine Standards & Curriculum Development Yearly Updating of Curriculum Maps and instructional lessons.

55. May mean there is a curriculum or instructional concern Solid scoring / students consistently achieving the standard Student struggling in many areas Student finding success in all areas Standards Based Grading – Reports from Power School; evaluation of curriculum (for refinement of curriculum) and levels of learning (for interventions & extensions). Power school standards report

56. Staff Feedback/Recommendations Notice to Staff of Actual Changes

57. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, An Action Guide for School Leaders, Copyright 2010

60. Workshop with Carol Commodore The Role of Assessment in Unit Design (4 part series) Who: Brought whole MS and HS math teams; 5 th grade LA teachers (and building administrator) 25 participants. Focus: Assessment Literacy; Keys to Quality Assessments; Understanding Assessment Tasks and matching DOK levels to types of Assessment; Grading Practices; Formative Assessment Practices; and building quality assessments through unit design. Goal of the series is to assist teachers and administrators in understanding the role assessment plays in the development and implementation of quality units.

61. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, An Action Guide for School Leaders, Copyright 2010

62. Student Self Assessment tools

63. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, Copyright 2010

64. Standards Based Report Cards Providing Accurate and Specific Information regarding student growth.

65. 5 th Grade ELA Feedback Forms

66. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, An Action Guide for School Leaders, Copyright 2010

67. Mindset – The New Psychology of Success How We Can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential By Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D Test scores and measures of achievement tell you where a student is, but they don’t tell you where a student could end up. (pg. 66) Teachers need to tell students the truth and then give them the tools to close the gap. (pg. 199) Great teachers set high standards for all their students, not just the ones who are already achieving. (pg. 196) If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, enjoy effort, and keep on learning. (Pg. 177)

68. Growth Mindset Leaders Growth mindset leaders in action: promote a culture of growth and teamwork in place. They start with human potential and development – both their own and other people’s. Instead of using the company as a vehicle for their greatness, they use it as an engine of growth – for themselves, the employees, and the company as a whole. (pg. 125) Growth mindset leaders encourage full and open discussion of the information and to enhance decision making. (pg. 136) Growth mindset leaders will praise workers for taking initiative, for seeing a difficult task through, for struggling and learning something new, for being undaunted by a setback, or for being open to and acting on criticism. (pg. 137) As parents, teachers, and coaches, we are entrusted with people’s lives. They are our responsibility and our legacy. We now know that the growth mindset has a key role to play in helping us fulfill our mission and in helping children/students fill their potential. (pg. 211)

69. Local Leadership Assessment Actions: Balance assessments Continue to refine standards Assure assessment quality Turn learners into assessors Build communication systems to support and report learning Motivate with learner success Assure assessment literacy through professional development Pearson Assessment Training Institute, An Action Guide for School Leaders, Copyright 2010

70. Assuring that each and every staff member is: A confident, competent master themselves of the targets that they are responsible for teaching Sufficiently assessment literate to assess their assigned targets Proficient in using data to drive instruction Utilize consistent, timely, and specific feedback to move student learning forward Help Staff to understand the importance of student involvement in the Assessment Process and work to... Teach students how to self-assess and plan for improvement Students learn to track and use their own achievement data and related feedback to monitor, evaluate, and reflect on how to improve their own performance.

71. Professional Learnings is Key to change in Classroom Instruction and Assessment Practices. Samples of targeted professional learning experiences include: FAME (Formative Assessment for Michigan Educators) teams that continue to grow in numbers of teams within buildings and involving more buildings in developing teams. Teams at Intermediate School (3 teams) Middle School (4 teams) and High School (one team) E-Maths (improving mathematics Education) Training for Alg. I Science and Math Misconceptions Management – Misconceptions Training MS/HS Staff Add+Vantage Math (Math Recovery) Diagnostic Training: 3 team members trained in the full program. SBAC Pilot Test and Survey feedback reflections after assessments: 3 rd Grade (Math) 8 th Grade (Math and ELA) and 11 th Grade (Math and ELA) Summer Learning Institutes – collaborative PLC time for teams to continue work and learning Internal Professional Learning Committees; Leadership Teams (PLC): Development of leadership teams (K-2; 3-5; 6-8; 9-12) Every professional development day is used for district level curriculum, instruction, and assessment collaborative learning and work. Leadership teams then help drive/lead the district professional development day sessions.

72. ACHIEVING BALANCE, QUALITY, COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICE

73. Real learning success is at hand! 1.Rethink why we assess: it can cause learning too 2.Demand quality assessment in all contexts 3.Understand that assessment is not merely something adults do to students; students assess themselves…constantly… and make key decisions 4.Assess learning targets, not Detailed Description domains 5.Report immediately useable info, not just scores or data 6.Verify instructional efficacy of all applications of assessment at all levels 7.Factor impact of results on learning into evaluations of test quality Excerpt Rick Stiggins fall 2013 presentation

74. Thank You!