Common Core Update May 15, 2013
Understanding Assessments Ability or Summative Assessments (Thermometers) Understand Student Ability Usually a Scaled Score Growth Measure Benchmarks Diagnostic or Formative Assessments Diagnose Student Strengths & Weaknesses Must cover broad ability range Content Assessments Ensure Content Mastery Understand Content Review Needs November 16, 2018
Background Information Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia (SBAC) And Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for Colleges and Careers (PARCC) Providing some background information for them to consider as they review the problem sets
PARCC Priorities Next Generation of Assessments Determine whether students are college and career ready or on track Connect to the Common Core State Standards Measure the full range of student performance, including that of high- and low-achieving students Provide educators data throughout the year to inform instruction Create innovative 21st century, technology-based assessments Be affordable and sustainable
SBAC A Next Generation of Assessments Align to Common Core State Standards in mathematics and English language arts/literacy Rigorously assess progress toward “college and career readiness” Use common cut scores across the Consortium Provide achievement and growth information Tests that are valid, reliable, and fair for all students (except those with “significant cognitive disabilities”) Use multiple measures of student performance Use online technologies Be operational in the 2014-15 school year
PARCC Assessment Plan
PARCC Assessments ELA/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3-11 Overall Claim for Grade 11 (Policy ALD) followed by the Content Claims (which are the Content Claims found in the Content Specifications) – Remember that these are considered the Content ALDs (Policy ALDs include both the overall claim and the content ALDs)
PARCC Proposed Guidance on Selecting Accommodations for ELs When selecting accommodations for ELs, consider the student’s: . Level of English language proficiency (ELP) on the state ELP test Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced . Literacy development in the native language Native language literacy Interrupted schooling/literacy background . Background factors that impact effective accommodations use Grade/age Affective filter (i.e., level of student anxiety/ comfort with English) Time in U. S. schools
PARCC Proposed Mapping Accommodations to ELP WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® English Language Proficiency (ELP) Levels ELDA English Language Proficiency Levels Composite ELP Level (Acosta et al., 2008) Level 1 Entering Pre-Functional Beginning Level 2 Emerging Level 3 Developing Intermediate Level 4 Expanding Advanced Intermediate Level 5 Bridging Advanced Level 6 Reaching Full English Proficiency not exited Appropriate accommodations enable ELs to more effectively demonstrate their knowledge of the content. Because EL status itself is transitional in nature, there are accommodations specific to ELs that provide different degrees and types of linguistic support to ELs as they progress through beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of English language proficiency. Many States currently use WIDA ACCESS for ELLs and ELDA ELP assessments to determine English language proficiency. To meet U.S. Department of Education Flexibility Waiver requirements, many States are or will be implementing new ELP/ELD standards in the next two years. As a result, the ELP performance level descriptors in this chart will be updated to align with States' new ELP/ELD Standards. Proposed guidance for selecting EL accommodations on PARCC assessments will use a composite ELP level that aligns with current WIDA ACCESS and ELDA levels.
Proposed Accommodations for ELs Beginning Intermediate Advanced English/ Native Language Word-to-Word Dictionary (ELA/Literacy & Mathematics) ○ • Test Directions clarified by test administrator in student’s Native Language (ELA/Literacy & Mathematics) ○ Read Aloud or Text to Speech: Test items and response options read aloud in English (ELA/Literacy) ○ Scribe or Speech-to-Text: Responses Dictated for Mathematics assessment in English (Mathematics) Extended Time (ELA/Literacy and Mathematics) Frequent Breaks (ELA/Literacy and Mathematics)
Our Concerns Technical capabilities are not leveraged to maximize ELL participation, for example A word-to-word glossary will not be embedded in the assessment tool There is limited use of Native language in both reading of items and responding to items There is no indication that PARCC explored the technological feasibility of providing side-by-side translations of the directions and/or the assessment items even though such practices fall along the continuum of accommodations Operational Concerns A PNP (Personalized Needs Profile) will be established for each student. It is not clear how/when this will be done though it is stated that for ELs it should be done early in the year. Accommodations for ELLs would be determined for each EL, in their EL Plan. Few districts have an EL Plans and determining accommodations for each EL, particularly those with large percentage and/or numbers of ELLs, would be unrealistic.
Our Recommendations PARCC should focus on defining the eligibility criteria for linguistic accommodations and not broader definition of ELLs ELLs who score ‘below proficient’ on the state’s English Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) would be eligible for linguistic accommodations. This category would be determined by the state’s cutoff scores for deeming a student ‘proficient’ on their respective ELPA. ELLs who have been deemed ‘proficient’ on their state’s ELPA but have not been exited from the LEP status due to other exit criteria, would not be eligible for accommodations. For reporting purposes, the ELL subgroup (called LEP) is currently defined by federal law under NCLB. Former ELL Designation The “Former ELL Designation” should not be based on the regulatory fix that was meant for the accountability AYP calculations that is limited to only two- years after an ELL has exited LEP status or stopped receiving Title III services. We recommend maintaining the former ELL designation through high school graduation and using a 2-year marker to monitor the ELL performance under Title III and to include these scores in accountability measures under state waivers or NCLB.
SBAC Balanced Assessment System
Next Steps