2014-15 Assessment Issues
Presentation to the
Education Oversight Committee,
April 28, 2014
1
SCDE staff were invited to provide an
assessment update to the EOC
• Future steps to be taken with state assessments in
the state in light of:
– South Carolina’s withdrawal from the Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium,
– the passage of H.3919
– pending legislation, H.3893 and S.1145.
• Recognizing there are several “moving parts”, the
EOC would appreciate comments on summative
assessments and planning for the next school year.
2
In 2012 – The SCDE recommended to the State Board
that SC join the Smarter Balanced Consortium, based on
findings of the Assessment Study Group
• At that time, two assessment consortia were
federally funded to develop assessments that
would
– meet federal accountability requirements, and
– were aligned to Common Core State Standards.
• There were no “off the shelf” assessments on the
market to consider.
• Developing comparable “home grown”
assessments was more costly.
3
In 2012 – The SCDE recommended to the State Board
that SC join the Smarter Balanced Consortium, based on
findings of the Assessment Study Group
• Even though assessments were not available in
2012 to review, Smarter Balanced was determined
to be the most appropriate of the two consortia.
• Membership as a Governing State gave SCDE a seat
at the table in developing the Smarter Balanced
assessments.
• The recommendation included: “a State Board of
Education decision would not prevent SC from
changing the decision anytime in the future if
conditions change.”
4
Since 2012, assessment options have changed
• Recent requests for proposals (RFPs) in other states
have identified assessment options that were not
available in 2012.
• The South Carolina Legislature also recognized that
other options are now available.
• Pending legislation includes:
– Banning the use of Smarter Balanced,
– Exiting the consortium, and/or
– Requiring that SCDE procure assessments.
5
April 2014, the SCDE recommended to the
State Board that SC withdraw from the
Smarter Balanced Consortium
• This would allow the SCDE to focus on securing a
high quality assessment at a competitive price.
• SCDE thought withdrawing from the consortium
would be a “good faith action” to show the SC
Legislature that the SCDE and the State Board
supported a competitive process to explore all
options.
• The State Board, however, did not support the
recommendation of the SCDE.
6
Following the April 2014 State Board meeting, SC
withdrew as a governing state in the Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium
• The State Superintendent used his authority to
withdraw from the consortium.
• Withdrawing from the consortium now, rather than
awaiting possible legislative action, will allow the
SCDE to begin the process to secure assessments
for grade 3-8 and high school (ELA and Math) for
the 2014-15 school year.
• An open procurement is now possible to consider
all options.
7
RFP process to secure assessments for 2014-15
• SCDE, Office of Assessment, will facilitate the RFP
development process, and MMO will release the
RFP and award the contract.
• SCDE has invited the chair of the State Board and
the Education Oversight Committee to appoint
– two members from each group to assist in
developing the RFP, and
– One member from each group to serve on the
committee to review the proposals received.
• Involvement of State Board and EOC members will
serve to comply with the EAA and the Procurement
Code.
8
Legislative Actions
Impacting Assessments
Please note: the following are summaries of select elements of
passed or pending legislation and is not intended
to provide exact wording or intent of these legislative actions.
9
H3919 was signed by Governor Haley
and is now Act 155 of 2014
• Beginning with the Class of 2015, the requirement to
pass the exit examination to earn a high school
diploma has been eliminated .
• Former students who did not graduate, due solely to
the exit exam requirement, may petition the local
school board (until Dec. 31, 2015) to receive a
diploma.
• Beginning in 2014-15:
- High school assessment (grade 11) will be college
and career ready (per federal requirements) from a
provider secured by the SCDE.
- WorkKeys assessment (grade 11) to be
administered to all students.
10
Pending SCDE actions due to Act 155 of 2014
• Last administration of HSAP will be the summer of
2014.
• Standard procedures and guidance are being
developed to assist local boards in providing the names
of students who will now earn a diploma.
• Advertisement of diploma provision being prepared for
posting in local newspapers.
• RFP development process underway to secure a grade
11 college and career ready assessment.
• Contract with ACT to be negotiated to administer
WorkKeys to all grade 11 students.
11
H3893 - SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy - Section 1
• Use and governance of student data should
preserve and protect privacy rights and ensure
confidentiality and security of data.
• SCDE should not collect student data directly from
students or families (except to meet IDEA).
• Unique student identifiers will ensure compliance
with privacy rights.
• Personally identifiable student data will not be
used in federal reporting.
12
H3893 - SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy – Section 1
• Data elements transferred to USED must be in
response to EDFacts and must be aggregated.
• SCDE must maintain a secure infrastructure
environment limited to staff with clearance.
• SCDE shall maintain a managed external data request
procedure.
• Each school district shall comply with a locally adopted
data governance and use policy.
SCDE practices currently comply with H3893.
13
H3893 SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy - Section 2 (B)
• Revision to an assessment or new assessment
considered by the State Board for approval as an
accountability measure, may not be adopted and
implemented without the advice and consent of
the EOC.
– This language will also require involvement of the EOC
prior to the release of an RFP – due to the state
Procurement Code.
14
H3893 - SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy - Section 3
• The exit examination in ELA and mathematics,
which is first administered in the student’s second
year of high school, will be eliminated.
• Beginning with the Class of 2015, students will no
longer be required to pass the exit examination to
earn a high school diploma.
Aligned with Act 155 of 2014
15
H3893 SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy - Section 4 (A)
• With approval of the State Board and the EOC, the SCDE will
administer in 2014-15 a summative ELA and math assessment
(optional formative) to students (grades 3 through 8)
provided by a vendor procured by the SCDE.
• Assessment must be vertically-articulated, benchmarked,
standards-based and must document progress toward college
and career ready benchmarks.
• Assessment must be paper-pencil and computer-based by
2015-16; and anchored to a national college readiness
assessment already used in the state.
• Social studies and science assessments will be administered
to all students in grades four through eight.
16
H3893 - SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy - Section 4 (B)
• Similar to H3919 (Act 155) as it relates to a Grade
11 college and career ready assessment beginning
in 2014-15 (that meets federal requirements), but
indicates the assessment will be procured by the
SCDE. Act 155 referenced that the test will be
secured.
• H 3893 does not require a WorkKeys assessment in
Grade 11. Act 155 does require the administration
of WorkKeys.
17
H3893 - SCDE Data Use
and Governance Policy - Section 4 (C)
• Assessment performance results will be transferred
from the SCDE to the EOC. The EOC will use results
to report student performance in schools and
districts for 2014-15 and 2015-16, but will not
determine state ratings.
• The EOC will also develop and recommend a single
accountability system that meets federal and state
accountability requirements by the fall of 2016.
18
S1145, Section 1
• State Board, SCDE, EOC, other agencies and
political subdivisions of the State are prohibited
from providing personally identifiable student data
to the USED, any other agency of the federal
government, or to a third party without permission
of the General Assembly through a Joint
Resolution.
19
S1145, Section 2 (B)
• As in H3893 - SCDE Data Use and Governance
Policy - Section 2 (B), S1145 states: Revision to an
assessment or new assessment considered by the
State Board for approval as an accountability
measure, may not be adopted and implemented
without the advice and consent of the EOC.
20
S1145, Section 3
aligned with H3893 and Act 155
• An ELA and mathematics exit examination will no
longer be administered.
• Adds that beginning with the Class of 2015,
students are no longer required to pass the exit
examination to earn a diploma.
• Adds language: Former students who did not
graduate, due solely to the exit examination
requirement, may petition the local school board
(until Dec. 31, 2015) to receive a diploma.
21
S1145, Section 4 (A)
Similar to H3893 Section 4 (A)
• With approval of the State Board and the EOC, the SCDE
will administer in 2014-15 a summative ELA and math
assessment (optional formative) to students (grades 3
through 8) provided by a vendor procured by the SCDE.
• Assessments must be vertically-articulated,
benchmarked, standards-based and must document
progress toward college and career ready benchmarks.
• Assessments must be paper-pencil and computer-based
by 2015-16; and anchored to a national college readiness
assessment already used in the state.
• Social studies and science assessments will be
administered to all students in grades four through eight.
22
S1145, Section 4 (B)
Similar to H3893 Section 4 (B)
• S1145 and H3893 are similar to H3919 (Act 155)
as it relates to a Grade 11 college and career
ready assessment (meets federal requirements),
and indicates the assessment will be procured by
the SCDE. Act 155 of 2014 references that the
test will be secured by the SCDE.
• S1145 and H3893 do not require the
administration of the WorkKeys assessment to
students in Grade 11, unlike Act 155 of 2014.
23
S1145, Section 4 (C)
Similar to H3893 Section 4 (C)
• Assessment performance results will be transferred
from the SCDE to the EOC. The EOC will use results
to report student performance in schools and
districts for 2014-15 and 2015-16, but will not
determine state ratings.
• The EOC will also develop and recommend a single
accountability system that meets federal and state
accountability requirements by the fall of 2016.
24
25
26
Science Standards and Assessments
27
Science Standards and Assessments
• With the exception of one High School Biology
standard (H.B.5), the 2014 South Carolina
Academic Standards and Performance
Indicators for Science were approved for
implementation by the State Board of
Education on January 8, 2014 and by the
Education Oversight Committee on February
10, 2014.
28
• The standards are posted at
http://ed.sc.gov/agency/se/Instructional-Practices-andEvaluations/Science.cfm on the South Carolina Department
of Education (SCDE) website. Staff members at the SCDE, in
collaboration with selected district instructional personnel,
are in the process of developing support documents that
will aid local districts and schools in making curricular and
instructional decisions.
• During the 2014–15 school year, the SCDE will offer
professional development to assist districts with awareness
and initial implementation of these standards. Professional
development will continue through the 2015–16 school
year.
29
• The 2014 South Carolina Academic Standards
and Performance Indicators for Science will be
assessed beginning in the 2016–17 school
year. An assessment timeline that districts
may use to plan instruction in preparation for
statewide assessments is provided in the chart
below.
30
Administration Date
Fall/Winter 2014–15
Spring 2015
Summer 2015
Fall/Winter 2015–16
Spring 2016
Summer 2016
Fall/Winter 2016–17
Spring 2017
Summer 2017
EOCEP Biology
EOCEP Biology
Standards
Assessed on
Operational Tests
2005
2005
SCPASS Science
EOCEP Biology
EOCEP Biology
EOCEP Biology
SCPASS Science
EOCEP Biology
EOCEP Biology
EOCEP Biology
SCPASS Science
EOCEP Biology
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
2014
2014
2014
2014
Assessment
Program
Field-Tests
Administered?
(Y/N)
No
Yes-overlapping
content only
No
No
No
Yes-2014 standards
Yes-2014 standards
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
31