1. [STATE NAME] State Assessments: What do families need to know? [INSERT DATE]

2. 1.What the new state tests mean for your child 2.What your child can expect 3.Ways to support your child 4.How to interpret test results 5.Additional resources for parents 1 Overview of Discussion

3. What the New State Tests Mean for Your Child

4. New Statewide Tests [STATE NAME] adopted higher, more focused standards–the Common Core State Standards–in 2010 to better prepare students for college, technical schools, and careers. Our education system was falling short in developing the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills needed to compete with students from elsewhere in the world. New standards require new state tests that better measure these skills and allow students to show what they know and what they can do. Example Third Grade Reading Standard: “Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.” 3

5. New Statewide Tests Students in grades 3-8 will take the English Language Arts and Mathematics tests. They will be divided into two components that can each be taken online. Students will take the test in two parts: Performance-Based Assessment [INSERT TESTING WINDOW] Longer multi-step questions, including essays Hand-scored End-of-Year [INSERT TESTING WINDOW] Short-answer questions and multiple choice Machine-scored 4

6. What is Smarter Balanced? The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium A group of states that have worked together to develop high quality tests in English and Math that are aligned to the new standards. [STATE NAME] joined Smarter Balanced to create a new test aligned to our standards. The tests were field-tested in Spring 2014 by more than 4 million students in 21 states, including in [STATE NAME]. 5

7. What Do the Tests Measure? 6 English Language Arts Whether students can read and understand texts of varying complexities. How well students use information from several sources to make a persuasive argument. Whether they can write, using what they’ve read and multi-media to support their arguments. Math Whether students can understand and use important math ideas (i.e., number sense, algebraic thinking, geometry, and data analysis). How students use math facts and reasoning skills to solve real- world problems. How well students can justify their answers using math concepts.

8. How Do I Know What My Child is Expected to Learn This Year The PTA developed grade-specific “Guides to Student Success” so you know the skills your child should master and what he or she is expected to know every year: www.PTA.org/CommonCore 7

9. What Students Can Expect

10. What’s Different About the Tests? The new tests go beyond the “bubble test.” Students show their work through: Extended writing, and multi-step questions which require students to apply the skills they have learned. They measure: Problem-solving Writing Critical thinking Reading Comprehension 9

11. How Long Will the Tests Take? 10 These tests may take longer. Thinking critically, reading deeply, and writing a well- thought response takes more time than simply filling in a bubble. Necessary skills to practice and master. Estimated Time: 7-8 ½ hours 12 week period One to two tests per day

12. What Will be Different in Math? Students will: Show their work and demonstrate that they understand a concept in addition to memorizing the formula. Compute math problems quickly and accurately. Know multiple ways to solve problems, allowing them to choose the method that is best. 11

13. EXAMPLE: 5 th Grade Math Test 12 Previous [STATE NAME] State Assessment Test Example: The town of La Paz, Bolivia, is in the Andes mountains. Which of these units could be used to describe the distance of the town of La Paz above sea level? A.Degrees B.Feet C.Cubic Inches D.Pounds.

14. 13 New [STATE NAME] State Assessment Example: EXAMPLE: 5 th Grade Math Test.

15. 14 Previous [STATE NAME] State Assessment Example: Mr. August’s class went to the museum on February 14 th and they had an ice-cream party on March 2 nd. How many days were there between the museum trip and ice-cream party? EXAMPLE: 6 th Grade Math Test

16. 15 New [STATE NAME] State Assessment Example: EXAMPLE: 6 th Grade Math Test

17. What Will be Different in English Language Arts? Students will: –Show they can read and understand complex passages. –Use evidence to support their ideas in written responses at every grade level. –Research a topic and use the findings to make a claim and draw a conclusion. 16

18. EXAMPLE: 5 th Grade ELA Test 17 Previous [STATE NAME] State Assessment Test Example: Read the writing prompt below and complete the writing activity: Jump out of bed! Look out the window! It is a perfect weather day! Write a story about a day when the weather seemed perfect.

19. 18 New [STATE NAME] State Assessment Example: You have read two sources discussing how service animals help people. Part 1: Explain what you have learned about how service animals help people. Use one detail from Source #1 and one detail from Source #2 to support your explanation. For each detail, include the source title or number. Part 2: Which source would most likely be the most helpful in understanding how a service animal is trained? Explain why this source is most likely the most helpful. Give at least two details from the source to support your answer. EXAMPLE: 5 th Grade ELA Test.

20. 19 Previous [STATE NAME] State Assessment Example: Going to the movies is a major source of entertainment for many students. Imagine that the only discount movie theater in your area is closing. Write a persuasive essay in support of keeping the discount movie theater open. EXAMPLE: 7 th Grade ELA Test

21. 20 New [STATE NAME] State Assessment Example: You have read two sources about sleep patterns. People whose sleep is routinely interrupted might need to pay special attention to their sleep needs. Provide two pieces of evidence from different sources that support this claim and explain how each example supports the claim. Cite evidence for each piece of information and identify the source by title or number. EXAMPLE: 7 th Grade ELA Test

22. Ways to Support Your Student

23. How Can I Help at Home? Take a moment to review a practice test with your child: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/practice-test/ Talk with your child and reassure him/her that these tests aren’t the kind you “cram” for, but just measure what they’ve mastered from their classwork. Assure your child they have enough time to finish. Have them read a variety of materials at home, including fiction and informational texts. Involve learning in everyday activities. Mix math into cooking or shopping. Ask children to express opinions and to back their views.

24. How To Interpret Test Results

25. How will tests be scored? 24 LevelDescription 1Beginner, novice 2Developing 3Proficient 4Advanced, expert Reports will include scale score and an achievement level.

26. New Tests New Baselines These upgraded tests are harder. With a greater emphasis on deeper learning, we have raised the bar for our students, parents, and teachers. This new bar cannot be compared to the old one. The scores are not higher or lower, just different. 25

27. How Will Scores be Used? Test results will help schools to: Make instructional decisions. Determine individual needs of students:  Extra support?  More challenging work?  Recommendations for future classes? Scores do not impact GPA, class ranking, or college acceptance. 26

28. Transition Year One 27 It will take more time to score the performance-based and writing components since it has never been done before.

29. Transition Year Two 28 Will be able to compare the scores from this year’s to see progress and strengths and weaknesses.

30. Thank You To Our Teachers 29 A Transition: Learning the new standards Engaging lessons Helped develop the PARCC test

31. 30 Resources for More Information

32. Where Can I Find More Info? 31 Great Web Sites Smarter Balanced Practice Tests: Reading, Writing, Math Practice Tests http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/ Smarter Balanced Info: www.smarterbalanced.orgwww.smarterbalanced.org Parent Friendly Information and Resources : BeALearningHero.org and Facebook.com/bealearningheroBeALearningHero.org Facebook.com/bealearninghero [STATE NAME] State Board of Education : [INSERT DEPARTMENT OF ED SITE] www.PTA.org/CommonCore

33. [STATE NAME]’s New State Assessments: Questions?