Overview of Michigan’s Secondary Assessments of Science Edward Roeber Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability

Michigan’s Science Assessments Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) - Grades 5, 8, and 12 Michigan Merit Examination (MME) - Grade 11 Secondary Credit Assessments

MEAP Copies of the MEAP tests are available at Scoring rubrics and samples of student responses are also available MEAP results by school and district are available online

Current Science Design Science assessments are comprised of multiple-choice items and constructed-response items Some content standards are assessed year after year Other content standards are also focused on over a three-year cycle

MEAP Item Development MEAP items are developed by Michigan teachers - item development meetings occur each summer Also using Michigan’s professional subject- matter groups (e.g., MSTA) to assist in item development Assures that MEAP assessments are relevant to our schools Provides a valuable professional development opportunity for Michigan educators

Secondary Assessment in MEAP High School Assessment at grade 12 only (for students to qualify for the Merit Award) With Federal approval, implement the Michigan Merit Examination in the Spring of 2007

2007 Michigan Merit Examination MME Assessment Design Grade 10: College entrance readiness test (PLAN or PSAT - local school/student choice and cost)

2007 Michigan Merit Examination MME Assessment Design Grades 11 and 12: Michigan Merit Examination English Language Arts - ACT Reading, Writing, and ELA; WorkKeys Reading for Information; 1 Michigan Social Studies item Mathematics - ACT Mathematics; a few items from ACT Science; WorkKeys Applied Mathematics; 15 Michigan items Science - ACT Science; 53 Michigan items Social Studies - 59 Michigan items

2007 Michigan Merit Examination MME Assessment Design 2007 assessments based on old standards; science will transition in two years after standards approved

2007 Michigan Merit Examination Components and Score Contributions Assessments Administered Contributes to an English Language Arts Score Contributes to a Mathematics Score Contributes to a Science Score Contributes to a Social Studies Score ACT Plus Writing (Day 1) WorkKeys Applied Mathematics & Reading for Information plus Michigan Mathematics (Day 2) Michigan Science and Social Studies (Day 2, 3 or 4) Total ELA Score Reading ACT Reading (MC) WorkKeys Reading for Information items (MC) Writing ACT English (MC) ACT Writing (CR) Michigan Social Studies CR item - scored for writing MC: Multiple Choice CR: Critical response ACT Mathematics (MC) WorkKeys Applied Mathematics (MC) Selected ACT Science items (MC) Michigan items (Approximately 15 MC; will be 49 MC starting in 2008)) ACT Science (MC) Michigan Science (53 MC) Michigan Social Studies (58 MC and 1 CR - social studies score) Note: The number of Michigan items may increase in order to field-test new items to build new test forms for the future.

MME Assessment Administration Grade 10 - When scheduled locally

MME Assessment Administration Grades 11 and 12 - Spring and Fall Spring Administration (Mid-March) ACT administration (Day 1) WorkKeys assessments + Michigan Mathematics (Day 2) Michigan Science and Social Studies (Day 2, 3, or 4) Make-ups: two days exactly two weeks later

MME Assessment Administration Grades 11 and 12 - Spring and Fall Fall Administration (Nationally-administered Saturday in October) Saturday administration for ACT and WorkKeys Michigan components the following week

MME Assessment Schedule MME administered statewide March 13, ACT March 14, WorkKeys + Michigan Mathematics March 14-16, Michigan Science and Social Studies

MME Assessment Schedule Make-up testing scheduled two weeks later March 27, ACT Makeup March 28, WorkKeys + Michigan Mathematics Makeup March Michigan Science and Social Studies Makeup

MME Assessment Schedule Test centers offered for non-public students More information on MME is available at

Science Design - Future Focus on key student outcomes at the state level

Science Design - Future By looking at learning progressions, the goal is to create assessments that work together Formative assessments for classroom teacher use Benchmark assessments for district use Summative assessments for use at the state level

Science Design - Future Develop the assessment system (state, district, and classroom-based assessments) at the same time to assure that the pieces work together to support learning of the content expectations.

Science Design - Future Create a coherent, coordinated assessment system Different assessment types will be developed State: multiple-choice and written response District: multiple-choice and written response Classroom: multiple-choice, written response, performance assessments, projects, and portfolio-based activities

Science Design - Future Based on the same content standards and expectations Provide classroom and benchmark assessments to local districts for voluntary local district use

Science Design - Future Implement new state assessment 2-3 years after the revised state standards are approved by the SBE Grades 5 and 8 MEAP assessments Grade 11 MME assessment

Future Science Assessments Once content expectations are approved, three types of assessments will be created MEAP Science assessments MME Science component Secondary Credit Assessments - in Science

Future Science Assessments Science assessments will be created by Michigan teachers and will be field tested a year before they are implemented.

Science Design - Future Make sure the MEAP assessments at all levels are aligned with Michigan’s content standards and content expectations (NCLB requirement) Use Webb methodology to first determine what assessment augmentation is needed Select or develop and validate needed assessments Use Webb methodology to verify alignment

Science Design - Future Make sure the MEAP assessments at all levels are aligned with Michigan’s content standards and content expectations (NCLB requirement) Submit final information to the U.S. Department of Education (USED) Obtain USED approval of the changes to assessment at all levels Use assessment information for EducationYES!

Future MME Science Assessments Examine new High School Content Expectations Determine what part(s) are assessed in ACT Science test Determine what portions of the remaining content expectations are suitable for state summative assessment Determine for which content expectations new item development needs to take place Carry out item development

Future MME Science Assessments Pilot test the new items Review and revise the new assessments Field test the items by embedding them in operational forms Using field-test data, assemble the new tests and develop test directions for these new assessments Provide technical and other information to USED to show the technical adequacy of these assessments.

Future Secondary Credit Assessments High school graduation legislation requires the creation of end-of-course exams Science Secondary Credit Assessments will be created in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science

Future Secondary Credit Assessments Assessments will be developed for traditional, integrated and applied instruction Legislation requires districts to use an “approved assessment” to certify accomplishment of the course/credit

Future Secondary Credit Assessments Michigan is proposing to create a “formative” credit assessment system so that students can receive credit by passing exams given before, during or after instruction. Assessments would be delivered online so that students could be assessed when the students or the teacher are ready

Future Secondary Credit Assessments Assessments need to be ready within three years, although some exams will be ready sooner Biology may be ready within a year

Future Secondary Credit Assessments Use is voluntary at the district level The goal is to assure that students are exposed to and learn rigorous content to match the title of the credit area

For Questions and Comments Dr. Edward Roeber Michigan Department of Education Office of Educational Assessment & Accountability P.O. Box Lansing, MI (517) voice0739 voice