November 14, 2012 NEW THIS WEEK • Next Generation Assessments Released Forms––Online Version • Podcasts on Common Core, New Assessments and More • Lessons for Learning for Mathematics IN CASE YOU MISSED IT • Online Writing Instruction Update • Common Core ELA Resource: America in Class • Resource for Students with Disabilities and the Common Core • Online Assessment Tutorial Videos and Script • Next Generation Assessments Released Forms • Performance Appraisal Instrument for Speech‐Language Pathologists • READY Outreach Meetings Slated for November and December NEW THIS WEEK Next Generation Assessments Released Forms––Online Version The online versions of the End‐of‐Course Assessments of Algebra I/Integrated I, English II and Biology and the NCEXTEND2 Assessments of Algebra I/Integrated I, English II,and Biology released forms are now available at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/releasedforms. On the website you will find a chart that includes the online version and the paper‐and‐pencil versions of the 2012‐13 released forms. MORE INFO: Please contact your Regional Accountability Coordinator (RAC). Podcasts on Common Core, New Assessments and More With the many changes occurring in the NC Standard Course of Study, along with new assessments, a new educator evaluation system and more, NCDPI has produced a number of podcasts for teachers, principals, parents and others interested in a video resource to explain the work under way. Topics include READY Overview, Why the Common Core, Assessments, Educator Effectiveness Common Exams and more. Visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ready/resources to access these podcasts. MORE INFO: Michael Yarbrough, RttT Communications, michael.yarbrough@dpi.nc.gov Lessons for Learning for Mathematics These K‐8 documents were created by selecting high leverage tasks from the DPI Week‐by‐Week and Strategies for Instruction Documents and rewritten to align to the Common Core Math Standards. These lessons incorporate the Standards for Mathematical Practice to support teachers with the implementation of the Common Core Math Standards. The intent of this document is to support current teacher resources. Because of the high demand for support materials, a first draft has been posted on the wiki: http://maccss.ncdpi.wikispaces.net/home. More of these lessons will be forthcoming. MORE INFO: Kitty Rutherford, Elementary Mathematics, kitty.rutherford@dpi.nc.gov IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Online Writing Instruction Update Online Writing Instruction (OWI) provides writing instructional resources and tasks by grade level and discipline aligned to the Common Core State Standards for ELA & Literacy in History / Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects. OWI was developed to replace the former Writing Instruction System to align writing tasks and resources to the Common Core State Standards. OWI resources support the shifts in writing expectations as outlined in the Common Core Writing Standards. “Reading and Writing Grounded in Evidence from Text” encourages teachers to engage students in authentic writing opportunities dependent upon a text(s). The standards ask students to make a claim about what they have read based specifically on evidence from the text to support their thinking. The writing tasks serve as models for teachers to write their own tasks that integrate reading and writing grounded in evidence from a text. At this time, OWI does not have the capability to house student writing because of the transition from NC Wise to Power School. OWI is populated with the following resources: • Recommendations for Online Writing Resources and Interactive Online Tools • Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects • Samples of Student Writing by Grade Level • Scoring Rubric Applicable Across Disciplines and Grade Levels • Sample Writing tasks by Discipline and Grade Level, grades 3‐12. OWI is not… • A summative assessment tool or collection of on‐demand prompts to be given as a writing benchmark(s) • A writing assessment requirement for LEAs • An online course for renewal credit. Visit https://center.ncsu.edu/nc to access OWI. MORE INFO: Anna Frost, K‐12 English Language Arts, anna.frost@dpi.nc.gov Common Core ELA Resource: America in Class The Reading Standards for Informational Text encourage the use of primary source documents as students “integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse formats and media” (RCCR7, CCSS) and, “analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take” (RCCR9, CCSS). In high school specifically, teachers are asked to pair historical and literary texts to “address related themes and concepts” (RI.9‐10.9). The National Humanities Center presents America in Class®: primary and secondary resources, online seminars and lessons for history and literature teachers. America in Class® is designed to promote the analytical skills called for in the Common Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy in history and social studies: ∙ Identifying and evaluating textual evidence; ∙ Determining central ideas; ∙ Understanding the meanings of words; ∙ Comprehending the structure of a text; ∙ Recognizing an author’s point of view; and ∙ Interpreting content presented in diverse media, including visual images. Please visit http://americainclass.org/ to learn more about this resource. MORE INFO: Julie Joslin, K‐12 English Language Arts, julie.joslin@dpi.nc.gov Resource for Students with Disabilities and the Common Core The IDEA Partnership reflects the collaborative work of more than 50 national organizations, technical assistance providers and organizations and agencies at the state and local level. Together with the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Partner Organizations form a community with the potential to transform the way we work and improve outcomes for students and youth with disabilities. A new piece of the Collection on Students with Disabilities in the Common Core is in vetting and will be available soon. Other topical issues, as identified by the Partners, will be developed over the next year and added to the available materials in the Collection. You can find out more about this project by going to http://ideapartnership.org/. MORE INFO: Regional Accountability Coordinators (RAC), http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/directory/racs Online Assessment Tutorial Videos and Script Every student participating in online assessments for the North Carolina Testing Program must complete the Online Assessment Tutorial (http://go.ncsu.edu/nctdemo) for the associated assessment at least one time at the school before test day. This will ensure that every student has an opportunity to practice the mechanics of navigating through the testing platform, using the tools and responding to sample items before test day. The Online Assessment Tutorial offers separate assessment tutorials for each assessment with sample items specific to the assessment. Each assessment tutorial is expected to have one sample item of each item type. For best results, students should complete the Online Assessment Tutorial using computers they will use during the actual online assessment. Local education agencies (LEAs) and schools must document how they will ensure that all students complete the Online Assessment Tutorial before test day in their school testing plans. Schools may use one of two Online Assessment Tutorial options. 1) The new Online Assessment Tutorial will offer an option to play a video. The video will give guidance for using available tools (e.g., FLAG, STRIKE, highlight), navigating the system, responding to each item type and using the end‐of‐test review page. Immediately following the video students must complete a self‐paced interactive set of online sample items for the appropriate assessment offered in the same environment as the assessment. 2) Schools will use a standard script developed by the NCDPI giving guidance for using the available tools (e.g., FLAG, STRIKE, highlight), navigating the system, responding to each item type and using the end‐of‐test review page while students are completing the tutorial items. The Online Assessment Tutorial login page was updated earlier this week with two videos (one for desktop/laptops and one for tablets). The NCDPI strongly recommends that schools show the appropriate video to groups of students instead of allowing each student to stream the video on a computer simultaneously. For schools choosing to use a script instead of a video, the script has been posted to the Online Assessment Tutorial login page. Next Generation Assessments Released Forms PDF versions of the online released forms of Algebra I/Integrated I Mathematics, English II, and Biology are now available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/testing/releasedforms. The interactive, online forms will be posted soon at the same web address. MORE INFO: Regional Accountability Coordinators (RAC), http://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/directory/racs New NC Support Staff Evaluation Training: Validation Participants LEAs across N.C. have volunteered to take part in the validation process for proposed support staff evaluations. Many LEAs are participating in some or all of the validations. The Department of Public Instruction will provide Train the Trainer sessions on the proposed evaluations: ∙ School Counselor ∙ School Psychologist ∙ School Social Worker ∙ Instructional Technology Facilitator ∙ Media Coordinator One‐day trainings will be provided at two locations: Friday, November 30, 2012 McKimmon Center, Raleigh. Thursday, December 6, 2012 Crowne Plaza Asheville or Asheville Civic Center (this is yet to be determined but will be indicated on the registration confirmation) Each LEA may send up to 10 participants to be trained. Participants will be given information to provide training to participating professionals. DPI suggests that 2 lead educators per evaluation attend. Intended audience may include Central Office Administrators, School Administrators, and Support Staff (Counselors, Psychologist, Social Workers, Instructional Technology Facilitators and Media Coordinators). LEAs may decide who will attend and how their local training will deploy. Link to register for training: http://tinyurl.com/bznhl4f MORE INFO: Kim Simmons, Educator Recruitment and Development, kimberly.simmons@dpi.nc.gov Performance Appraisal Instrument for Speech‐Language Pathologists The NCDPI is pleased to offer a webinar as training for the new Speech‐Language Pathologist Performance Appraisal Instrument. This webinar will be offered two separate times on Monday, Nov. 19 from 10 am to noon and again from 2 to 4 pm. The target audience for this presentation includes: Directors of Exceptional Children Programs, Lead Speech‐Language Pathologists (SLPs), and Principals, Speech‐Language Pathologists, Directors of Human Resources and any others interested in learning about the instrument. The Consultant to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction in the areas of Speech‐Language Pathology, Perry Flynn, will facilitate with Kimberly Simmons, North Carolina Educator Evaluation System Consultant. Questions of particular interest covered in this presentation will include: • Who should use the appraisal instrument to evaluate SLPs? • What schedule should be used for evaluations? • When should the instrument begin to be used? • What is the process? • Will the instrument be available for electronic completion? To register for one of the webinars please click on the following: Nov. 19: 10 am to 12 noon https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/132124304 Nov. 19: 2 to 4 pm https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/241474768 MORE INFO: Kim Simmons, Educator Recruitment and Development, kimberly.simmons@dpi.nc.gov READY Outreach Meetings Slated for November and December Invitations for the November‐December READY regional meetings have been sent to all principals and superintendents. This time our focus will be on the educator effectiveness model, the Instructional Improvement System, and the General Assembly’s new accountability model utilizing A‐F grades for all schools. At our last round of meetings, many participants requested more time for questions and answers so we are building our agenda accordingly. Invited participants are principals and one teacher that he or she selects to attend; superintendents; and a director or key staff member that the superintendent selects from curriculum and instruction, instructional technology and human resources. Meeting dates and locations can be found at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/ready/events MORE INFO: Michael Yarbrough, RttT Communications, michael.yarbrough@dpi.nc.gov