Descriptions of the designs of the two multi-state Consortia building new assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards

1. The Assessment Consortia
An Overview of the Designs of the PARCC and
SMARTER Balanced Assessment Systems
Pascal (Pat) D. Forgione, Jr., Ph.D. and Nancy A. Doorey
Center for K – 12 Assessment & Performance Management at ETS
8-Apr-12 1

2. The Uniqueness of This Moment:
Inflection Point
• Thomas Friedman in “The World is Flat” points
out the importance of “inflection points” in
history, such as the invention of the printing press.
• The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) can become an
“inflection point” for American public education - establishing a
common foundation for building excellence and equity for all
students.
CA Interactive Digital Library
CT FL
PA IL
RI
State silos of cost, effort, expertise Shared platform for collaboration, cost and effort
efficiencies, sharing of best practices
8-Apr-12 2

3. Race to the Top Assessment Program
Competitive Grant, Spring 2010
Groups of 15 or more states could apply for a grant to design,
develop and pilot a next generation assessment system that:
• Builds upon shared standards in mathematics and English language arts
(ELA) for college- and career-readiness;
• Measures individual growth as well as proficiency;
• Measures the extent to which each student is on track, at each grade level
tested, toward college or career readiness by the time of high school
completion and;
• Provides information that is useful in informing:
 Teaching, learning, and program improvement;
 Determinations of school effectiveness;
 Determinations of principal and teacher effectiveness for use in evaluations and the
provision of support to teachers and principals; and
 Determinations of individual student college and career readiness, such as
determinations made for high school exit decisions, college course placement to credit-
bearing classes, or college entrance.
(US Department of Education, 2009)
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4. The Comprehensive
Assessment System Proposals
Two Comprehensive Assessment System Proposals Funded:
Partnership for Assessment of SMARTER Balanced
Readiness for College and Careers Assessment Consortium
(PARCC) (SBAC)
 23 states and the District of  29 states, about 23 million
Columbia, about 25 students in K-12
million students in K-12
Eight states in both Consortia, six states in neither.
Current as of August 1, 2011
8-Apr-12 4

5. AssessmentAssessment Consortia
Consortia Memberships
Memberships
Washington, DC
Hawaii
PARCC State
SBAC State
Both consortia August 29, 2011
8-Apr-12 5
Confidential and Proprietary. Copyright © 2009 Educational Testing Service.

6. Partnership for the Assessment of
Readiness for College and
Careers:
PARCC
Revised design as of June 2011, pending USED approval.
6
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7. PARCC:
Two Components of the Summative Assessment
In mathematics and in English language arts (ELA):
PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT
+ END OF YEAR
ASSESSMENT
• Given primarily on computer or other • Given on computer (most students), with
digital devices multiple item types and technological
tools
• Composed primarily performance tasks
with emphasis on hard-to-measure • Scored entirely by computer for
standards fast results
• Results returned within 2 weeks
• Scores from the performance assessment and the end-of-year
8-Apr-12 test will be combined for annual accountability scores. 7

8. PARCC:
Performance Assessment
Final weeks of school year
Over several sessions/class periods, students will
complete a project-like task that draws on a range
of skills.
• ELA/literacy tasks will focus on writing
effectively when analyzing texts, using PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT
evidence drawn from the texts to support • ELA
• Math
claims
• Math tasks will require students to apply key
mathematical skills, concepts and processes to
solve complex problems of the types
encountered in everyday life, work and
decision-making.
8
8-Apr-12

9. PARCC:
End-of-Year Assessment
• Consisting of a range of item types including innovative
technology-enhanced items to sample the full set of
grade level standards
END OF YEAR
• Will make major investment in enhanced item types ASSESSMENT
• Will include items across a range of cognitive demand
• Currently planned as a fixed-form test, PARCC will review the precision of scores
for students at the tails of the performance distribution and, if needed, consider
customizing for high- and low-performing students by either lengthening the test
or using “staged” or “block” adaptive delivery.
8-Apr-12 9

10. PARCC:
Speaking/Listening Assessment
Final weeks of school year
ELA/Literacy
• Speaking
• Listening
Flexible timing
• Required assessment, but not used for accountability
• Administered in the ELA classroom, with flexible window for administration
• Scored by classroom teacher using standardized rubric
• Scores may be used within students’ grades
8-Apr-12 10

11. PARCC Supports:
Formative Assessments
• Formative early assessment designed to
provide an indicator of student knowledge
and skills so that instruction, supports and
professional development can be tailored to
EARLY ASSESSMENT MID-YEAR ASSESSMENT student needs
Early indicator of knowledge
and skills to inform
Mid-Year Performance- • Formative mid-year performance tasks
Based Assessment
instruction, supports, PD
(Potentially summative*) designed to prepare students for Summative
Performance Assessment and to yield
Timing of formative components is flexible
instructionally useful feedback.
Teachers will be given an online scoring
tool to score tasks and improve
* Over time, states may consider understanding of the CCSS expectations.
using scores from these tasks in the
summative/accountability scores.
• For voluntary use, the timing of the
8-Apr-12 administration is to be locally determined 11

12. PARCC Supports:
The Partnership Resource Center
PARTNERSHIP RESOURCE CENTER: Digital library of released items, formative assessments, model content
frameworks, instructional and formative tools and resources; student and educator tutorials and practice tests,
scoring training modules; professional development materials; and an interactive report generation system
Partnership Resource Center:
• Interactive Data Tool for accessing data and creating customized reports
• Model lesson plans
• Formative assessment items and tasks
• Professional development materials regarding test administration,
scoring, and use of data
• Online practice tests
• Item development portal
• Tools and resources developed by Partner states
8-Apr-12 • Optional “ready-to-use” performance tasks for K-2 12

13. PARCC Supports:
Supplemental Application Grant
• Transition and Implementation Planning
– State Leadership Teams
– Educator Leadership Cadres
– Technical Working Groups
• Collaboration on Instructional Tools
– Framework of priority assets
– Prototypes of through-course components
– Set of 38 voluntary instructional units
– Voluntary college-readiness tools such as model grade 12 bridge
courses for struggling students
• Support for Technology Transitions
• Coordination with SBAC
8-Apr-12 13

14. The PARCC Assessment System
(July 2011 revision, pending USED approval)
English Language Arts and Mathematics, Grades 3–8 and High School
PARTNERSHIP RESOURCE CENTER: Digital library of released items; formative assessments; model content frameworks; instructional and
formative tools and resources; student and educator tutorials and practice tests; scoring training modules; professional development
materials; and an interactive report generation system.
Comp 5 Comp 3 Comp 4
Component 1 Component 2
EARLY ASSESSMENT MID-YEAR ASSESSMENT
ELA/Literacy PERFORMANCE
Early indicator of knowledge • Speaking ASSESSMENT
END-OF-YEAR
Mid-Year Performance-
and skills to inform • Listening • ELA
ASSESSMENT
Based Assessment
instruction, supports, PD
(Potentially summative) • Math
Flexible timing
Timing of formative components is flexible
Summative, Summative assessment
Formative
but not used for accountability
Assessment
for accountability
8-Apr-12
Developed by The Center for K–12 Assessment & Performance Management at ETS, version 4, July 2011. For detailed information on PARCC, go to http://PARCConline.org. 14

15. PARCC Implementation Milestones
2011-2012 Item and task development, piloting of components
Release of Model Content Frameworks and prototype items
and tasks
Development of professional development resources and
online platform
2012-2014 Field testing
2014-2015 New summative assessments in use
Summer 2015 Setting of common achievement standards
8-Apr-12 15

16. The SMARTER Balanced
Assessment Consortium
SBAC
16
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17. SBAC:
Two Components of the Summative Assessment
PERFORMANCE
TASKS + COMPUTER
ADAPTIVE
ASSESSMENT
• Measure the ability to integrate • A computer adaptive assessment
knowledge and skills, as required in given during final 12 weeks of the
CCSS school year*
• Each task administered in two hour- • Multiple item types, scored by
long sittings. Computer, including tasks
• Computer-delivered, during final 12
• Students will have the opportunity to
weeks of the school year*
take the summative assessment twice
• Results within 2 weeks
• Scores from the performance assessment and the computer adaptive
assessment will be combined for annual accountability scores.
* Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.
8-Apr-12 17

18. SBAC:
Performance Tasks
Last 12 weeks of year*
One reading task, one writing task and 2 math tasks per year.
Examples:
• ELA: Select texts on a given theme, synthesize the
perspectives presented, conduct research, and write a PERFORMANCE
reflective essay. TASKS
• Reading
• Writing
• Math
• Math: Review a financial document and read
explanatory text, conduct a series of analyses, develop
a conclusion, and provide evidence for it.
• Roughly half of the performance tasks for grades 9 through 11 will assess
ELA or math within the context of science or social studies.
8-Apr-12 * Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions. 18

19. SBAC: Computer Adaptive Assessment
Last 12 weeks of year*
• Composed of approximately 40 to 65 questions per content
area
• Uses adaptive delivery for more efficient testing and
more accurate measurement of all students, across the COMPUTER
performance spectrum (important in measuring growth) ADAPTIVE
ASSESSMENT
• Scores from items that can be scored immediately will be
reported, and then updated as scores from those requiring
human scoring or artificial intelligence are completed Re-take option
• Students who are approved to do so may take the assessment
a second time, but will see a new set of items
8-Apr-12 * Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions. 19

20. SBAC:
Summative Components
Last 12 weeks of year*
• Student scores from the performance tasks
and end-of-year adaptive assessment will be
combined for each student’s annual score
for accountability. PERFORMANCE COMPUTER
TASKS ADAPTIVE
• Reading
• Performance tasks may begin prior to the • Writing
• Math
ASSESSMENT
final 12 weeks of the year, based on research
studies and final implementation decisions. Re-take option
8-Apr-12 * Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions. 20

21. SBAC Supports:
Interim Assessment System
INTERIM INTERIM INTERIM
• Optional system of computer adaptive interim assessments
• Includes multiple item types, similar to the end-of-year summative
assessment, including performance tasks (delayed scoring)
• The number, timing, and standards assessed (full grade level or
smaller clusters) can be customized based on the local curriculum
• Non-secure and fully accessible -- teachers will be able to see how
their students responded to each item
• Reports of student results will link teachers to related student
8-Apr-12 resources and teacher professional development resources 21

22. SBAC Supports:
The Digital Clearinghouse
Last 12 weeks of year*
DIGITAL CLEARINGHOUSE of formative tools, processes and exemplars, released items and tasks, model
curriculum units, educator training; professional development tools and resources, interactive reporting system;
scoring training modules, and teacher collaboration tools.
The system portal for information about the CCSS, SBAC, and assessment results:
• Reporting suite with differentiated tools available to students, educators,
parents, and policymakers with visualization tools
• Vetted curriculum units and formative tools, processes and exemplars
• Research-based instructional strategies and interventions
• Issue-focused chat rooms
• Released performance tasks and rubrics
• Professional development modules and videos
• Item development/scoring training modules and tools
8-Apr-12 22
* Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.

23. SBAC Supports:
Supplemental Application Grant
• Support to States and Districts for Transition to CCSS
– Membership in CCSSO’s “Implementing the Common Core System”
– Instructional materials – identification, adaptation, development
– Formative processes and tools/Professional development
– Communications
• Alignment of Assessments to College and Career Readiness
– Validity studies to connect SBAC college-readiness determinations to
evidence of success in college or careers
– Enhancement of Interim system to support high school EOC exams
aligned to CCSS
• Support for Technology Transitions
• Coordination with PARCC
8-Apr-12 23

24. The SBAC Assessment System
English Language Arts and Mathematics, Grades 3 – 8 and High School
Last 12 weeks of year*
DIGITAL CLEARINGHOUSE of formative tools, processes and exemplars; released items and tasks; model curriculum
units; educator training; professional development tools and resources; an interactive reporting system; scorer
training modules; and teacher collaboration tools.
INTERIM ASSESSMENT INTERIM ASSESSMENT
Computer Adaptive Computer Adaptive PERFORMANCE COMPUTER
Assessment and Assessment and TASKS ADAPTIVE
Performance Tasks Performance Tasks • Reading ASSESSMENT
• Writing
• Math
Scope, sequence, number, and timing of interim
assessments locally determined
Re-take option
Optional Interim
Summative assessment
assessment system —
for accountability
no stakes
8-Apr-12 * Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions. 24

25. SBAC Implementation Milestones
2011 - 2012 Develop, procure and review materials to populate the digital
library
Develop test specifications and test blueprints for summative
assessments; vet state-submitted items and tasks and determine
procurement needs
Develop sample item/task sets and initial achievement level
descriptors
2012 - 2013 Develop exemplar modules of formative assessment tasks and
tools and PD modules; Conduct teacher training
Pilot test items and tasks
2013 – 2014 Conduct field test of items and tasks
2015 Administer summative assessments; verify and adopt final
achievement level standards
8-Apr-12 25

26. Will This Become an Inflection Point?
Benefits:
• Fewer, clearer, next-generation standards
• Systems of high quality, aligned summative and formative
assessments, with rapid results to teachers
• Online digital libraries for sharing of instructional resources,
professional development modules, student support
materials, identification of effective practices, etc.
• Leveraging of human and financial capital across states
8-Apr-12 26

27. Will This Become an Inflection Point?
Challenges
• Measurement challenges:
» Measuring individual growth and “on track” to college/career readiness
» Use of individual student growth in determinations of teacher and principal
effectiveness
» Aggregation and weighting of scores from multiple assessments
• ESEA Reauthorization:
» Will the re-authorized ESEA accountability framework align with the RTTT
Assessment Program requirements?
• Political Will:
» Will states continue their membership in Consortia over time?
• Information System:
» Will it be possible to mine the data to identify “what works” and “what has
8-Apr-12 worked for similar students”? 27

28. GUIDE TO THE ASSESSMENT
CONSORTIA:
Coming Together to Raise Achievement:
New Assessments for the
Common Core State Standards
********
Pascal (Pat) D. Forgione, Jr., Ph.D.
Distinguished Presidential Scholar and Executive Director
Center for K-12 Assessment and Performance Management at ETS
Educational Testing Service
823 Congress Avenue, Suite 816
Austin, TX 78701
E-Mail: pdforgione@k12center.org
Nancy Doorey
Director of Programs
ndoorey@k12center.org
www.k12center.org