PARCC: NEXT GENERATION
ASSESSMENT
What does this mean for higher
education in Massachusetts?
Agenda
9:00 Welcome/Introductions
9:15 Overview of PARCC Massachusetts
9:30 Development of PARCC Assessment and
Implications for Higher Ed
11:00 Questions
11:30 Lunch- Pick up Box Lunch
11:45 Reconvene – Breakout Groups – English, Math,
Student Placement
12:50 Wrap-up; Fill Out Evaluation Form
Goals for this Session
• Provide a basic description of two key educational
initiatives: the Common Core State Standards and
PARCC
• Situate these initiatives within the broader higher
education and P-16 context in Massachusetts
• Discuss implications for higher education – particularly
entry-level placement and English, writing, and math
courses
Overview
• College and career readiness is the overall goal
• Greater College Participation for those seeking college
and Greater College Completion for those who enroll
• New ELA/Literacy & Math Curriculum Frameworks
based on the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) are being implemented in MA
• MA K-12 Assessments are being aligned to CCSS
• MA is actively participating in the multi-state
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of
College and Careers (PARCC)
Why College and Career Readiness?
The Rationale for Change
• Our current marker (MCAS) is 10th grade
requirements for the Competency Determination (CD).
• One-quarter of our students do not enroll in college
within 16 months of graduating from high school.
• 37% of graduates take at least one remedial course
during their first semester in college; that number
rises to 65% at community colleges.
Why College and Career Readiness?
The Rationale for Change
• All students need to be prepared for and encouraged
to pursue postsecondary education/training
opportunities by taking a rigorous and relevant
program of study.
• More Massachusetts adults will need to have higher
levels of education in order to be prepared for jobs in
21st century careers that allow them opportunities for
advancement.
Massachusetts Structure and Activities
• Standards - Common Core State Standards (CCSS);
and revised 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum
Frameworks based on the CCSS
• Assessments - Massachusetts Comprehensive
Assessment System (MCAS); and PARCC assessments
which may replace MCAS in 2014-15 if as good or
better than MCAS
• Definition of College and Career Readiness
informs PARCC effort
Common Core State Standards Initiative
• State-led effort began in 2009
•
Governors (NGA) and education commissioners (CCSSO)
•
Adopted by 45 states, District of Columbia, and U.S. Virgin Islands
•
http://www.corestandards.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions
• Created common core of K-12 English language arts and
mathematics standards
•
Anchored in college and career readiness
•
Focused, coherent, clear and rigorous
•
Internationally benchmarked
•
Evidence- and research-based
• Built into current MA standards
•
MA has adopted Common Core with 2011 MA Curriculum Frameworks
•
MA is revising MCAS to reflect the new, Common Core-based Frameworks
Key Advances of the CCSS
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ARTS/LITERACY
MATHEMATICS
Balance of literature and informational
texts; focus on text complexity
Focus, coherence and clarity: emphasis
on key topics at each grade level and
coherent progression across grades
Emphasis on argument, informative/
explanatory writing, and research
Procedural fluency and understanding of
concepts and skills
Speaking and listening skills
Promote rigor through mathematical
proficiencies that foster reasoning and
understanding across disciplines
Literacy standards for history, science
and technical subjects
High school standards organized by
conceptual categories
ANCHORED IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS
Current Timeline for Alignment of
MA Standards and Assessments
2012-2013
Near full
implementation of
ELA and math
standards
2013-2014
Full
implementation of
ELA and math
standards
2014-2015
Full implementation
of new assessments
of ELA and math
standards
Implement balance
of changes in
curriculum and
instruction
Monitor curriculum
and instruction
fully aligned to the
2011 standards
Administer
assessments fully
aligned to the 2011
standards
Race to the Top Assessment Consortia
• The U.S. Department of Education funded two
proposals to develop resources and assessments for
the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
• The two consortia are:
• The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for
College and Career (PARCC)
• The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
(SBAC)
Massachusetts is a PARCC State
• PARCC = Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for
College and Careers
•
Massachusetts is part of consortium of 22 states and U.S. territories
coordinated by Achieve, Inc.
•
Supports full implementation of the Common Core State Standards
•
Creates a next-generation assessment system in based on these
Standards
•
Includes supporting tools to help states increase number of
students who graduate high school ready for college and career
• Massachusetts is a National PARCC Leader
•
One of 19 PARCC Governing States
•
Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education,
is chair of Governing Board
•
Richard Freeland, Commissioner of Higher Education, is co-chair of
Advisory Committee on College Readiness
PARCC’s Potential in Massachusetts
Clearer
signal on
what it
means to be
“college
ready”
Students on
faster track to
completion,
less need for
remediation
Better
assessment
tool for 21st
century
learning
PARCC Timeline- Overview
PARCC assessments will be ready for MA to
pilot in 2013–2014 and administer in 2014–
2015, as determined by MA’s K-12 and higher
education policies.
SY 2010-11
Launch and
design phase
SY 2011-12
Development
begins
SY 2012-13
SY 2013-14
First year
pilot/field
testing and
related
research and
data collection
Second year
pilot/field
testing and
related
research and
data collection
SY 2014-15
Full
administration
of PARCC
assessments
Summer 2015
Set
achievement
levels,
including
college-ready
performance
levels
Current Activities
Development of definition of “college and career
readiness”
(began in 2011–2012)
Campus Engagement Teams/Fellows convene faculty
conversations on Common Core State Standards
Faculty participate in assessment item development
SY 2010-11
Launch and
design phase
SY 2011-12
Development
begins
SY 2012-13
SY 2013-14
First year
pilot/field
testing and
related
research and
data collection
Second year
pilot/field
testing and
related
research and
data collection
SY 2014-15
Full
administration
of PARCC
assessments
Summer 2015
Set
achievement
levels,
including
college-ready
performance
levels
MA is also a CORE TO COLLEGE state
• One of ten states selected to receive a Core to College grant
•
Funded by the Lumina Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation,
and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
• While PARCC supports development… Core to College initiative in
Massachusetts supports:
•
•
•
•
The Implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as part of
MA 2011 Curriculum Frameworks
A statewide definition of college and career readiness.
The use of PARCC’s next-generation assessment to indicate students
readiness for college and career without the need of remediation in English
Language Arts and Mathematics.
An opportunity for curriculum and course alignment across P-16, supporting,
PARCC Campus Engagement Teams, Regional Readiness Centers, and MA
Educator Fellows engagement work.
Reminder: THE VISION PROJECT- A Public Agenda
for Higher Education in Massachusetts
To be a leader among state systems of higher education in seven
key areas:
• College Participation of high school graduates
• College Completion of the students we enroll
• Student Learning on campus-level and national
assessments of learning
• Workforce Alignment of our degree programs with key
areas of workforce need in the state’s economy
• Preparing Citizens to be active and informed citizens
• Closing Achievement Gaps among different ethnic/racial,
economic and gender groups
• Research that drives economic development
Summary Goals and Strategies
• Overall Goal: College and career readiness
 Increasing college readiness of high school graduates, including
student/parent/teacher understanding of college expectations
 Reducing disparities among different school districts and populations
 Reducing need for remediation in college
 Increasing completion rates of college students
 Improving assessment tools for 21st century learning
 Ensuring global competitiveness of our K-12 and college graduates
 Overarching Strategy: Collaboration
 At national, state, regional and local levels
 Between K-12 and higher education
 Between administrators and educators
PARCC Massachusetts Structure
• Based on campuses and regions
• 28 Campus PARCC Engagement Teams
• 6 Regional Readiness Centers
• 24 MA PARCC Fellows
• Input flows to Massachusetts PARCC Coordinating
Council
• Includes Commissioners (co-chairs), presidents,
superintendents, principals, academic leaders, teachers,
faculty, and curriculum and assessment leaders
• Also consults with K-12 education associations, Vision Project
working groups, other stakeholder groups
• Council then advises Board of Higher Education and
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
The “Massachusetts PARCC Fellows”
• Act as a major arm of MA’s transition and implementation plans by
providing professional development to P-12 Districts
• A network of in-state experts on the CCSS and PARCC for P-12
Districts and Higher Education Campuses
• State and peer leaders around CCSS and PARCC implementation
• Goal: Build and expand the number of other educators who
understand and take action and ownership for implementing the
CCSS and PARCC Assessments
Definition of
College & Career Readiness
College Readiness
Career Readiness
P-16 Campus Engagement
Integrating College and
Teams and Regional
Career Readiness Task Force
Readiness Centers
developed a definition
collaborated on a shared
of career readiness
Each calls for integration
definition of college readiness
for Massachusetts.
in Massachusetts’
for Massachusetts.
final statewide definition
Massachusetts PARCC Coordinating Council drafted statewide definition.
Public review of draft definition in fall 2012.
The Boards of Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher
Education are reviewing proposed draft.
PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness
Survey on Draft Definition
 Over 1360 participants
 47% from higher education
 48% from P-12
24
PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness
Survey on Draft Definition
 Participants were asked about each section
of the definition:
81%
88%
In Agreement
91%
In Agreement
In Agreement
25
PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness
Summary of Statewide Definition
Overview
Academic knowledge, experiences, and
intellectual
and personal qualities that are important to successful
completion of entry-level, credit-bearing college courses
(without need for remediation) and entry into
economically viable career pathways
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PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness
Summary of Statewide Definition
 Essential Competencies
 Learning
 Academic preparation in English language arts/literacy and
mathematics as contained in the Common Core State Standards and
MassCore
 Workplace Readiness
 Career awareness, exploration and immersion; work ethic and
professionalism; understanding of workplace culture, policy and
safety; teamwork and collaboration; technical skills; knowing how to
learn
 Qualities and Strengths
 Learning strategies, collaboration, communication, and
problem-solving skills
 Higher order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation,
and thinking critically, coherently, and creatively
 Intellectual foundation grounded by motivation, intellectual curiosity,
flexibility, discipline, self-advocacy, responsibility, and reasoned beliefs 27
Questions & Discussion
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