1. A PARCC Guide for Parents
Berry Elementary School
Sandra Taylor, Principal
Tara Zeier, Vice Principal
Amy Clements, Instructional Specialist
Beth Sorsby, Reading Resource Teacher
Kristin Joson, Learning Resource Teacher
Melissa

2. What is PARCC?
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for college and careers
The PARCC assessment is an online test for reading as well as math that is given to students in grade 3-5.
This year students will take the test in May.
Melissa

3. For the ELA Assessment Students will need to be able to…
Read sufficiently complex texts independently
Write effectively to sources
Build and present knowledge through research
Students need to be comfortable working with more than one text at a time as they will be asked to compare between texts.
Students also need to correctly use the Conventions of English such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

4. A Better Way to Measure Learning, By Grade
TESTING THEN
Multiple Choice
Memorization
Information Without Context
TESTING NOW
Read, Write, Reflect
Analyze, Show Results
Information in Real-World Context
As a check-up, PARCC is designed to
-Measure real-world skills.
-Identify whether students are ready
for the next grade, or
to succeed in college, or
to compete for a job.
-Use technology to provide better information for teachers and parents.
-Help teachers to intervene early, as needed.

5. What do Students have to do for the reading assessment?
The reading assessment will take place over 3 days.
Each day the test will take about an hour and a half.
On day one students will complete the literary analysis task where they will read literary text and answer questions. Students will also complete a writing prompt.
On day two students will complete a research simulation task where they will read and watch video clips about a topic. Students will then have to share what they learned by writing a response to a specific prompt.
On day three students will complete the narrative writing task. The students will have to write a narrative.

6. What types of questions do Students have to answer?
EBSR: Evidence Based Selected Response Questions
Part A students will answer the question and Part B is the evidence to prove the answer is correct.
Students must get part A correct in order for Part B to count.
How can you show evidence for an incorrect answer?

7. What types of questions do Students have to answer?
TECR: Technology Enhanced Constructed Response
Students will have to use the mouse to drag and drop items.
They might have to put the story in sequence or choose a character trait from a list and drag it to the correct box for a specific character.

8. What types of questions do Students have to answer?
Writing:
Students will also have to type their answer to 3 writing prompts (one each day).
Students will need to make sure they use correct spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and grammar.

9. What do Students have to do for the Math assessment?
The math assessment will take place over 4 days.
Each day the test will take about an hour and ten minutes.
Each grade level test consists of questions from the
following areas:
Major Content of the Grade Level
Additional & Supporting Content
Mathematical Reasoning
Modeling & Application

10. Major Content of each grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Multiplication/Division
Place Value
Multi-Step Word Problems
Multi- Step Word Problems
Computation with multi-digit numbers
Fractions
Fraction Computation (+, -)
Perimeter and Area
Decimals
Fraction Computation (x, ÷ )
Time
Decimal Computation
Measurement
Volume

11. Additional/Supporting Content
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Number Sense
Factors and Multiples
Measurement Conversions
Place Value
Fractions
Data and Algebra
Graphs
Geometry
Measurement
Patterns
Measuring Angles

12. Mathematical Reasoning
Explain why you selected a certain approach.
Justify why your answer is correct.
Review someone else’s work and explain where they went wrong.

13. Modeling & Application
Solve real world problems (with no key words).
Create and use models to solve problems.
Estimate and evaluate reasonableness of answers. Adjust or modify if something isn’t working.

14. Short Answer with Equation Editor Multi-step Problems
Math Question Types
Multiple Choice
Drag & Drop
Drop Down Menu
Short Answer
Short Answer with Equation Editor
Multi-step Problems

15. Multiple Choice

16. Drag & Drop

17. Drop Down Menu

18. Short Answer with Equation Editor

19. Multi-step Problems

20. Multi-Step Problems Continued

21. How is the PARCC scored?
Students will receive two scores; one for reading and one for math.
A students’ score is given a level
Level 5: Exceeds expectations
Level 4: Met Expectations
Level 3: Approaching Expectations
Level 2: Partially Met Expectations
Level 1: Did Not Meet Expectations
We want all of our students to score a level 4 or 5
Melissa

22. How can help my child at home?
Help them to learn their basic facts for speed and accuracy to help them work more quickly.
Visit Great Schools Website for websites, handouts, and real world activities to help your child with specific areas of need.
Expose your child to when you use math in real world situations and make sure to have a positive attitude about it.
Meet with your child’s teacher to pin point areas of strength and weaknesses.
Read at home at least 20 minutes a night. Don’t stop at just reading, ask questions that require your child to go back in the text to find evidence
Take the On-line Practice Tests and encourage students to use scrap paper and pencil to solve.

23. Websites: PARCC: http://www.parcconline.org/resources/parent-resources
Understandthescore.org
Great Kids:
Maryland State Department of Education:
Charles County Public Schools:
Grammar Ninja:
Parent Resources: resources/
Maryland College Savings Plan:
PARCC PRACTICE: