Oregon’s Core Standards and Assessment Standards & Assessment Task Force March 20, 2008

Questions to Address Why is Oregon moving to a core standards structure? What are core standards? How are core standards developed and by whom? How do core standards compare to power standards?

Questions to Address What is the relationship between core standards and the essential skills? What are the implications of core standards on the assessment system? How will the new core standards and the essential skills be assessed? What is the timeline for the new assessments?

Why a new standards structure?

Oregon’s new core standards structure January 2007 State Board directed ODE to develop core standards in all content areas Goal is to create standards that are less numerous, more focused and coherent

What are core standards?

Core standards Core standards provide the major concepts that will be the primary focus of teaching and learning at each grade. Underneath each of these core standards are content standards, which provide the details necessary for curriculum and assessment.

Core standards Focus instruction key ideas fewer content standards greater depth of teaching and learning Incorporate other content standards in-depth understanding will imply, and be supported by, understanding of the underlying content standards Articulate clear grade level progression in both knowledge and skills

Core Standards Criteria Endurance: Will the standard provide students with knowledge and skills that will be of value beyond a single test date? Leverage: Will the standard provide knowledge and skills that will be of value in multiple disciplines? Readiness: Will the standard provide students with essential knowledge and skills that are necessary for success in the next level of instruction? Beyond school?

Core standards National Research Council: Big ideas central to the academic discipline Sustained development across grades Learning with understanding

Core standards Mathematics Grade3 3.1 Number and Operations: Develop an understanding of fractions and fraction equivalence. 3.2 Number and Operations: Develop an understanding of multiplication and division and strategies for basic multiplication facts and related division facts. 3.3 Geometry: Describe and analyze properties of two- dimensional shapes.

Core standards Mathematics Grade Number and Operations: Develop an understanding of decimals (to the hundredths), including the connections between fractions and decimals. 4.2 Number and Operations: Develop quick recall of multiplication facts and related division facts and fluency with whole number multiplication. 4.3 Measurement: Develop an understanding of area and determine the areas of two-dimensional shapes.

How are core standards developed and by whom? ORS directs the Department of Education to review and revise content standards on a regular basis Content and assessment panels are used for the process with membership drawn from educational community, parents, etc. Work is based on research and best practice for each content area

Science core standards Content and Assessment Panel Representative of Oregon K-12 teachers oGeographically oExperience oGrade levels oSpecial needs students Includes business, university, community college, and ESD representatives

Science core standards National Research Council: “The difference between students who are less or more proficient is not only that the latter know more discrete facts. Instead, gains in proficiency often consist of changes in the organization of knowledge not just the accretion of more pieces of knowledge.”

Science core standards The Trends in International Mathematics & Science Study (TIMSS) provides reliable and timely data on the mathematics and science achievement of U.S. students compared to that of students in other countries.

Core standards in Science February 2007: Review science education research August 2007: Work sessions with Dr. Bybee and Dr. Schmidt November 2007: Guiding principles, structure, and format January 2008: Begin work on draft 1 April 2008: Draft 1 May 2008: ODE solicits feedback on draft 1 June 2008: NWREL NAEP alignment study July 2008: ODE incorporates feedback to produce draft 2 August 2008: External Review and feedback on draft 2 September 2008: Regional meetings to gather input on draft 3 October 2008: Instructional Materials Science Criteria meeting November 2008: Final draft and supporting materials December 2008: First reading by the State Board of Education January 2009: Adoption by the State Board of Education

Core standards in Science

What are power standards? How do they compare with core standards?

How do core standards differ from power standards? Core standards reflect the structure of the discipline and articulate learning progressions Core standards are developed at the state level Core standards are developed as part of the review and revision of state standards Power standards are based on state standards Power standards are developed at the district level Power standards are developed on individual district timelines

How are core standards and power standards the same? In the development process: Both use the same set of criteria Both focus on the big ideas/key concepts Both identify a smaller set of more coherent and focused standards As a resulting product: Both can serve educators well as they plan their instruction Both can help improve student proficiency in the content areas

What is the relationship between the core standards and the essential skills?

READ WRITE SPEAK APPLY MATH THINK TECHNOLOGY CIVIC GLOBAL TEAMWORK/PERS MGMT CORE STANDARDS CONTENT STANDARDS ENGLISH/LAMATHSCIENCE Essential Skills are Embedded in the Standards

Core Standards and Assessments

What are the implications for assessments as Core Standards are identified and standards are revised? Existing assessments will be aligned to revised standards and new assessment items will be developed to cover any new content.

Assessment Alignment to Revised Content Standards Item Analysis –Match Gap –Analysis by new content standard, depth knowledge, difficulty Test Spec’s –Proportions per SRC –Item types Item Writing Analyses by Panels Field Test New Items Calibrate New Items Development Achievement Descriptors and Standards Comparability Operational Test Technical Manuals US DOE Peer Review

Implications of Core Standards on Assessments Exploration and Way Finding: ODE Staff, NWREL, TAC, Panels, Requested Proposals for Cross-Walk –Design and Implementation of Test Items –Calibrating and Scoring Test Results –Reporting Results

Core Standards and Assessments When will the new Core Standards be assessed? There is a two-year “opportunity to learn” window and item development process between the adoption of new standards and the inception of student accountability.

When will the Core Standards be Assessed? Two to three years after adoption by the State Board

Assessment of Essential Skills

What assessments will be used for proficiency in the Essential Skills? Essential Skills, which are embedded in the Core Standards, will be assessed through a number of pathways: combination of OAKS assessments, local performance, and national norm referenced assessments. Other options will be available as additional pathways are identified and adopted through a review process.

Assessment of Essential Skills OAKS assessments will be one measure of proficiency in the Essential Skills Initially, these will include the Reading and Mathematics K/S and Writing Performance Assessments Districts will implement local performance assessments embedded into instruction (Speaking, Mathematics, and Writing)

Assessment of Essential Skills Review Panel ODE will establish an Assessment of Essential Skills Review Panel (AESRP) Membership based on assessment expertise and will have broad representation from K-12, post- secondary, and business/industry Assessments and proficiency levels will be evaluated by this group

Assessment of Essential Skills Additional Pathways Other assessments may be approved Evaluated by AESRP for alignment and technical quality Final approval from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Assessment of Essential Skills Phase-In Schedule Current 8 th graders (class of 2012) Must demonstrate proficiency in Essential Skills in Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Mathematics to earn a diploma Later cohorts responsible for additional skills

Assessment of Essential Skills Notification Notice of additional requirements issued by March of student’s eighth grade year (May 1, 2008 for class of 2012). Additional assessment pathways, adopted during a student’s 9-12 th grade years, may be used. Students are “grandfathered” into the system if standards change during 9-12 th grade years.

Thank you!