What’s Next? Science Assessment Updates WERA CONFERENCE DECEMBER 11, 2014

Agenda Overview of science assessment system Resources Impact of new standards adoption Models

Presenters Kara Todd—Elementary Science Assessment Specialist Dawn Cope—Secondary Science Assessment Specialist

Quick poll Who is in the room with us today? ◦Teachers ◦Administrators ◦High school ◦Middle school ◦Elementary

Science Assessment System

State Science Assessments Measurements of Student Progress (MSP) ◦5 th and 8 th grade ◦State Law ◦Federal Accountability Biology End-of-Course Exam (EOC) ◦State Law ◦Federal Accountability ◦High School graduation requirement

Scenarios and Items Scenarios provide context for sets of items. ◦Three categories of scenarios: ◦Systems – overview of a specific system ◦Inquiry – a controlled experiment or field study ◦Application – the technological design process ◦Life Science for Biology EOC ◦Physical, Earth & Space, and Life Science for the MSP The items associated with a scenario cover a range of standards & range of cognitive complexity. Items not connected to a scenario are called “Stand Alone” items.

Operational Scoring Items available for Operational Testing Data Review Committee Pilot Scoring Pilot Range Finding Committee Scenario & Item Pilot Testing Science Assessment Development Cycle Content Review & Bias/Sensitivity Committees Reviewed for content by OSPI/contractor Scenario & Item Writing Committee Develop Test and Item Specifications Operational Range Finding

Item TypeGrade 5Grade 8Bio EOC Multiple Choice Completion Short Answer455 Total Items Total Points Pilot Items555 Number and Types of Items

5 th and 8 th grade Test Map EALR Percent of MSP 1: Systems (crossed with EALR 4 and alone) At least 20 2: Inquiry (crossed with EALR 4 and alone) 30 3: Application (crossed with EALR 4 and alone) 20 4: All domains of EALR 4 (alone) 30

Biology EOC Test Map EALR Percent of EOC 1: Systems (crossed with Life Science and alone) At least 15 2: Inquiry (crossed with Life Science and alone) 20 – 25 3: Application (crossed with Life Science and alone) 15 4: Life science domain of EALR 4 (alone) 45 – 50

Life Science Domain of EALR 4 Percent of EALR 4 Items Percent of total EOC Points Processes in cells (LS1) Maintenance and stability of populations (LS2) Mechanisms of Evolution (LS3) Biology EOC Test Map

Statewide Measurements of Student Progress Results

Statewide Biology EOC Results* * Percentages do not include “Previously Passed”

2015 testing windows Not part of the Smarter Balanced ELA or Mathematics assessments Winter Biology EOC: ◦Paper/Pencil, January 5 - February 6, 2015, during the last 3 weeks of semester Off-Grade Level Exams (DAPE) ◦ES and MS ◦Paper/pencil—March 10 – June 15 (Seniors should complete the exam by March 26) 5 th and 8 th grade MSP: ◦Paper/pencil—April 20 – May 19, 2015 ◦Online—April 20 – June 5, 2015 Spring Biology EOC: ◦Paper/pencil, May 11 – June 12, 2015, during the last 3 weeks of the school year

Online testing Science MSP and Smarter Balanced ELA/Mathematics assessments will use the same online test engine. The science MSP is not adaptive. The science items are still based on the 2009 K-12 Science Learning Standards we’ve been assessing since 2011.

WCAP Portal

Biology EOC Graduation Requirement Legislative intent regarding high school science assessment (2013 Engrossed House Bill 1450, section 4): Classes of 2015 and beyond must pass the state science exam to graduate Biology EOC—Until NGSS are adopted, implemented, and assessed Comprehensive NGSS Test—When NGSS are adopted, implemented, and assessed

Tentative Assessment Timeline

Biology EOC Graduation Requirement Recommendation to the Legislature by Superintendent of Public Instruction ◦The Superintendent recommends eliminating the graduation requirements associated with the state assessment program. This will reduce overall testing activities for students and districts. Based on the state’s adoption of new learning standards (Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards), implementation of assessments measuring college and career readiness, the adoption of new credit requirements for exiting high school, and the new Achievement Index used for school and district accountability, the Superintendent believes the increased rigor in Washington high schools makes current assessment graduation requirements unnecessary and that the associated resources should be repurposed to programs that reduce student dropouts Biennial Budget Summary: 17BudgetRequestSummaryFinal.pdfhttp:// 17BudgetRequestSummaryFinal.pdf

Biology EOC Graduation Requirement Recommendation to the Legislature by State Board of Education ◦The Washington State Board of Education will ask the Legislature to eliminate the biology end-of-course test as a high school graduation requirement. After hearing extensive public comment from parents and practitioners, the Board unanimously voted to make the recommendation at its meeting Friday (November 14) in Vancouver. ◦“It’s time to focus our work on implementing Next Generation Science Standards and giving students exposure to a broad array of science content,” said Isabel Munoz-Colon, Chair of the Board. “Focusing on biology often comes at the expense of a broad STEM- based science curriculum for our students.” ◦The Class of 2015 is the first class required to pass the biology test or an approved alternative to earn a high school diploma under Washington state law. SBE News release:

Who Takes the Biology EOC? Winter (January/February) 2015 Any student (class of 2015+) who took the EOC previously and did not meet standard Students completing a biology course mid-year Spring 2015 Any student (2015+) who took the EOC previously and did not meet standard Any student (2015+) enrolled in a high school level biology course All 10th graders who have not yet met standard Meets the high school science testing requirement of NCLB

If the graduation requirement is eliminated by the Legislature in 2015… …then who takes the Biology EOC? Winter and Spring of 2015: no change Winter (January/February) 2016: most likely not offered Spring 2016 All 10th graders who have not yet met standard Meets the high school science testing requirement of NCLB

Alternatives for ELL and Spec Ed Biology EOC (& Science MSP) available in 6 translation languages Spanish, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Somali IEP can designate Level 2 (Basic) to meet graduation requirement Developmentally Appropriate Proficiency Exam (DAPE) ES DAPE and MS DAPE available fall 2014, spring 2015 Locally Determined Assessment (12 th graders only) For more information: John Bresko Special Education Program Supervisor Lesley Siegel Alternate Assessment Coordinator

Certificate of Academic Achievement (CAA) Options Begins with students in the Class of 2015 Collection of Evidence (COE) Advanced Placement (AP) score of 3 or higher: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, or Environmental Sciences International Baccalaureate(IB) score of 4 or higher: Biology, Physics, Chemistry ACT Science score of 16 or higher Out of State Tests GPA comparison—draft Recent transfer Waiver For more information: GraduationAlternatives/default.aspx GraduationAlternatives/default.aspx

Resources MSP AND EOC

Recently Posted Resources… Lessons Learned 2014 October 2014 version of Test and Items Specifications October WSTA presentation Scorer Training Modules ◦COE, EOC, MSP ◦Videos with materials

Science Assessment Resources

Impact of new standards adoption WHAT ABOUT THE NGSS?

What happens to the MSP and EOC? NCLB and state law require a state science exam once each in elementary, middle, and high school. The state exams (based on 2009 standards) will continue until an exam based on the NGSS is developed.

Adopted: June 2009 Adopted: October 2013 Next Generation Science Standards First assessed: 2011 (MSP) 2012 (EOC) Possible first assessment: 2017 or 2018 (?) Washington State 2013 K-12 Science Standards

What are the steps to building a new assessment? Develop item specifications from the standards Determine the test map Develop test items (including a pilot test) Develop Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) from the standards (aka PLDs) Administer an operational test Set achievement level cut scores (aka Standard Setting) For the 2009 standards, this process took 25 months

Still to be determined: Will the science tests be developed by Washington or with a group of states? When and how will pilot and/or field testing occur? What year will be the first year of operational testing? If the high school test is comprehensive, will it be administered at grade 10 or grade 11? Will the elementary test cover just grade 5 standards or a broader grade band of standards?

SALT and PEPPER Teams PEPPER PreSALTers Enthusiastically Promoting Powerful Educational Resources Science educators throughout Washington interested in receiving Science Assessment updates. Receive invitations to participate in development events. SALT Science Assessment Leadership Team Have participated in (or have applied to) development events such as Scenario Writing, Content Review, Range Finding, and Data Review.

Distribution via GovDelivery SALT and PEPPER lists will be moved to GovDelivery ◦We will ask everyone to pick grade bands they want information about (can pick more than one). ◦This will help us customize the audience. New people will be able to sign up for science assessment updates directly in GovDelivery, as well as updates from other areas. s should be accepted by district fire-walls.

Building Bridges 2009  2013

WA State 2013 K-12 Science Standards Science and Engineering Practices 1.Ask questions (for science) and define problems (for engineering) 2.Develop and use models 3.Plan and carry out investigations 4.Analyze and interpret data 5.Use mathematics and computational thinking 6.Construct explanations (for science) and design solutions (for engineering) 7.Engage in argument from evidence 8.Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information Crosscutting Concepts 1.Patterns 2.Cause and effect 3.Scale, proportion and quality 4.Systems and system models 5.Energy and matter 6.Structure and function 7.Stability and change Core Ideas 1.Physical Sciences 2.Life Sciences 3.Earth and Space Sciences 4.Engineering, Technology and Applications of Science

“Model” Items BRIDGING THE GAP

4-5 INQF Models (WA 2009) Content Standard: o A scientific model is a simplified representation of an object, event, system, or process created to understand some aspect of the natural world. When learning from a model, it is important to realize that the model is not exactly the same as the thing being modeled. Item Specifications: o INQF(1) Tell what can be learned about an object, event, system, or process by using a given model. o INQF(2) Describe how a model is similar to or different from the object, event, system, or process being modeled.

6-8 INQE Models (WA 2009) Content Standard: o Models are used to represent objects, events, systems, and processes. Models can be used to test hypotheses and better understand phenomena, but they have limitations. Item Specifications: o INQE(1) Describe how a model can be used to explain the relationship between two variables. o INQE(2) Describe how a model or simulation is similar to and/or different from the actual object, event, system or process being modeled.

9-12 SYSC (WA 2009) Content Standard: o In complex systems, entirely new and unpredictable properties may emerge. Consequently, modeling a complex system in sufficient detail to make reliable predictions may not be possible. Item Specifications: o SYSC(1) Given a model of a complex system that is lacking sufficient detail to make reliable predictions about that system, describe inadequacies of the model. o SYSC(2) Predict the possible consequences of a change in a given complex system and/or describe why a simplified model may not be able to reliably predict those consequences.

Vague

Developing and Using Models (WA 2013) Include ◦Diagrams ◦Physical replicas ◦Mathematical representations ◦Analogies ◦Computer simulations Models in Science ◦Represent a system or parts of a system ◦Aid in the development of questions ◦Generate data used to make predictions ◦Communicate ideas to others ◦Evaluated and refined through comparing of model-based predictions with the real world ◦Based on evidence and modified as needed Models in Engineering ◦Used to analyze a system ◦Used to test solutions to a problem ◦Used to visualize and refine a design ◦Used to communicate design features ◦Uses as prototypes to test design performance NGSS—Appendix F, pages 52-53

MS Performance Expectation (WA 2013)

Things to remember: 1.We are just exploring possibilities. 2.This example could possibly serve as bridges between the 2009 and 2013 standards. 3.Item specifications have not been developed for the 2013 standards so the item presented is not an “example” based on item specifications. 4.We encourage you to play with these types of items and figure out what works best with kids.

MS-LS2-3 Model Pond ponderings…

Think time… Are you able to think of some student responses? What could be added to the scenario to make this item more accessible? How many score points do you think this could be worth? Does the rigor fit this grade level? What would you do at your grade level?

Share out

Thank you! Kara Todd—Elementary Science Assessment Specialist Dawn Cope—Secondary Science Assessment Specialist