Yellow Belt
The Smarter Balanced
Assessment: Understanding
Their Approach and Exemplars
School Certification
A Process of Discovery, Support and Mastery
THE NATIONAL PATHWAY
CONDITIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL
IMPLEMENTATION
Curriculum Mapping Implementation
Vision
+
Skills
+
Incentives
+
Resources
+
Plan
Action Plan
=
Sustainable
Change
Skills
+
Incentives
+
Resources
+
Plan
Action Plan
=
Confusion
Incentives
+
Resources
+
Plan
Action Plan
=
Anxiety
Resources
+
Plan
Action
Plan
= Resistance
Plan
Action
Plan
=
Frustration
=
Treadmill
Vision
+
Vision
+
Skills
+
Vision
+
Skills
+
Incentives
+
Vision
+
Skills
+
Incentives
+
Resources
Key
Questions:
Plan: Provides the direction to
Vision:
The “Why are we doing this?” to combat confusion.
Resources -- "Do we have tools, time, and training to map effectively?"
Vision
-"Why
are
we
doing
this?"
eliminate the treadmill effect.
Skills: The skill sets needed to combat anxiety.
Skills -- "How do we build effective maps?" Action Plan -- "Over the next three years, do we have attainable
Incentives: Reasons, perks, advantages to timelines
combat resistance
and goals? Who will be the responsible parties for
Incentives -- "How will mapping improve
Resources:
Tools
and
time
needed
to
combat
frustration.
implementations,
monitoring, and feedback?"
teaching and learning?"
Knoster, T., Villa, R., & Thousand, J. (2000)
Learner Objectives
• Define Summative Assessments
• Discuss the current work of the national assessment
consortium—The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
• Identify the characteristics of Smarter Balanced Assessments
• Evaluate the classroom implications of Smarter Balanced
Assessments
Pre-Lesson Reflection
• Thinking back to what was covered in the previous
lessons, how have your views of assessments
changed over the course?
• After looking at the innovations in the PARCC
assessments for your classroom, what types of
changes have you made in your instruction?
• What similarities and differences do you think are
noticeable between PARCC and Smarter Balanced?
Overview of Lesson 6
• Part I: A Close Look at Smarter Balanced
Assessments
o What is The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium?
o How is Smarter Balanced different?
o How are the Smarter Balanced Assessments constructed and aligned?
• Part II: Stepping into the Classroom Using Smarter
Balanced Assessments
o Sample Assessment types
o Changes in objectives, standards, and instruction
Part I:
A Close Look at Smarter
Balanced Assessments
What is Smarter
Balanced?
• The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
o Smarter Balanced is one of two Assessment Consortiums developing the
Summative Assessments aligned to Common Core State Standards
• 22 States aligned with PARCC
• The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has 24 States aligned
o Summative Assessment
• A test given to evaluate and document what students have learned.
The term is used to distinguish such tests from formative tests, which
are used primarily to diagnose what students have learned in order to
plan further instruction. (ASCD Lexicon,
http://www.ascd.org/Publications/Lexicon-of-Learning/S.aspx)
What is Smarter
Balanced?
• The Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium:
o A state-led consortium working to
develop a next-generation assessment
system aligned to the Common Core
State Standards
o Work is guided by the belief that a
high-quality assessment system can
provide resources and tools for
teachers and schools to improve
instruction and help students
succeed.
o Federally funded initiative
o Builds upon member state
experiences to create high-quality,
balanced, multi-state assessment
ensuring comparing across states
Smarter Balanced’s
Purpose
• Smarter Balanced sets out to:
o Provide tools that will help educators
both formatively assess students’
progress towards meeting the
Common Core State Standards
o Develop summative tools that
measure student achievement of the
standards at key points during each
student’s development
Smarter Balanced
Assessment Features
• Smarter Balanced asserts that unlike many current
tests, Smarter Balanced tests will:
o Be interim, summative, and formative assessment practices
and tools
o Contain a variety of item types:
• Selected response
• Constructed response
• Extended response
• Performance tasks
• Technology-enabled
• Technology-enhanced
o Be technology-enhanced
o Include adaptive testing
o Have more powerful reporting
o Contain a digital library of resources and tools for educators
Smarter Balanced
Assessments for Teachers
• For Teachers, Smarter Balanced Assessments
mean teachers:
o Won’t be surprised by the test results at the
end of the year
o Will have the supports needed to help
students
o Will know that assessments measure the
right things in the right way
Smarter Balanced
Assessments for Students
• For Students, Smarter Balanced Assessments
mean students will be:
o Challenged to complete complex tasks and
apply knowledge
o Given information about how they are
progressing toward college and career
readiness
o Know that their test results will be
accurate regardless of ability, disability, or
English proficiency
How is the Smarter Balanced
System Designed?
From Introduction to Smarter Balanced Item
and Performance Task Development PPT,
smarterbalanced.org
How is the Smarter Balanced
System Designed?
From Introduction to Smarter Balanced Item and
Performance Task Development PPT,
smarterbalanced.org
Smarter Balanced
Blueprints
• According to Smarter Balanced, their blueprints detail
the following:
o Content (standards, indicators, claims) that is to be included
for each assessed content area and grade, across various
levels of the system (student, classroom, school, district,
state);
o Emphasis and Balance of content, generally indicated as
number of items or percentage points per standard and
indicator;
o Item Types, sending a clear message to item developers how
to measure each standard and indicator, and to teachers and
students about learning expectations; and
o Depth of Knowledge (DOK), indicating the complexity of
item types for each standard and indicator. (Smart Balanced
Assessment Consortium: Preliminary Test Blueprints, 2)
Smarter Balanced vs.
PARCC
• Remember, the key differences between the Smarter
Balanced & PARCC are:
o Smarter Balanced is developing a computer
adaptive assessment
o Smarter Balanced’s summative assessments will
adjust by presenting easier or harder questions as
needed in order to measure a student’s ability
o PARCC’s summative assessments will be “fixed
form”
o All students will receive the same test items that
are statistically at the same level of difficulty
Reflection
• Smarter Balanced Assessments are obviously framed
differently. What advantages and disadvantages do
you see for having an assessment that will change
based upon the students’ answers?
Smarter Balanced
• The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
o www.SmarterBalanced.org
• Provides us with many other resources to help us to
better understand their assessment items.
• Next, we are going to look at some of their information
about specific assessment question types and facts for
ELA/Literacy and Math
Assessment Facts for
ELA/Literacy
• According to Smarter Balanced’s preliminary blueprint
tables ELA/Literacy Summative Assessments will:
o Consist of 32-48 Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
items, dependent upon grade level
o Include both selected response and constructed
response
o Some will be technology enhanced
o ALL will be scored automatically
Assessment Facts for
ELA/Literacy
• According to Smarter Balanced’s preliminary blueprint
tables ELA/Literacy Summative Assessments will:
o Will cover both literary and informational readings, with an
emphasis on informational texts for 6th grade-high school
o Will cover some targeted Common Core State Standards in
Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Research
o Will include a Performance Task (PT) that will cover Writing
and Research
• Combine three selected-response and constructed response
items with a longer constructed-response essay
o Scored for Purpose/Focus/Organization,
Evidence/Elaboration, and Conventions
• Some scored automatically, some by hand
Assessment Facts for
Math
• According to Smarter Balanced’s preliminary blueprint
tables— Mathematics Summative Assessments will:
o Consist of 30-41 Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
items, dependent upon grade level
o Include both selected response and constructed
response
o Some will be technology enhanced
o More specificity in detail of the item types and
assessment targets per grade level, rather than
grade strand
Assessment Facts for
Math
• According to Smarter Balanced’s preliminary blueprint
tables— Mathematics Summative Assessments will:
o Include all four of Smarter Balanced’s assessment claims
• Concepts and Procedures
• Problem Solving
• Communicating Reasoning
• Modeling and Data Analysis
o Will include a Performance Task (PT) that will include
stimuli and extended constructed-response item types
• Focused on Problem-Solving, Communicating
Reasoning, Modeling, and Data Analysis
Formats and Components
of Selected Response Items
Lizards are fascinating creatures. There are over 3,000 known species, including monitors, skinks,
geckos, chameleons, and iguanas, and they vary greatly in appearance. The largest lizard, the
Komodo dragon, can grow over ten feet long, and the smallest, the Jaragua lizard, can fit on a dime.
Skinks usually have smooth scales like snakes, iguanas have mohawk-like crests running down their
backs, and the moloch is covered with spikes from head to tail. Lizards vary in color from shades of
gray and brown to bright red or green, spotted or striped. Most have four legs but some are legless
and easily confused with snakes (Hint: if it has external eardrums and eyelids it’s a lizard). Geckos
can walk up walls. Chameleons not only change color but also have prehensile tails, similar to those
of monkeys, that wrap around branches and their eyes can move in different directions.
What is the best way to revise the highlighted sentence to match the language and style of the
paragraph?
A. Geckos are able to adhere to flush surfaces because setae on their footpads facilitate van der
Waals forces between the setae structures and the surface.
B. Geckos are awesome because they have sticky toes that allow them to climb windows like
Spiderman.
C. Geckos have the remarkable ability to walk up walls thanks to tiny hair-like structures on their
toes that cling to smooth surfaces.
D. Geckos scurry up walls like tiny dancers gliding effortlessly across a stage, their movements as
natural as a well-rehearsed ballet.
Distractor Analysis
A. This option uses too much scientific language to fit with the rest of the paragraph.
B. This option is more informal than the rest of the paragraph.
C. KEY. This option uses formal, non-technical language that fits well with the rest of the
paragraph.
D. This option uses too much figurative language to fit with the rest of the paragraph.
STIMULUS
STEM
OPTIONS
Formats and Components
of Selected Response Items
Read the passage and then answer the question.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) leads research in
space exploration and aeronautics.
NASA Gives Public New Internet Tool To Explore The Solar System
PASADENA, Calif. – NASA is giving the public the power to journey through
the solar system using a new interactive Web-based tool.
The "Eyes on the Solar System" interface combines video game technology
and NASA data to create an environment for users to ride along with agency
spacecraft and explore the cosmos. Screen graphics and information such as
planet locations and spacecraft maneuvers use actual space mission data.
"This is the first time the public has been able to see the entire solar system
and our missions moving together in real-time," said Jim Green, director
of NASA's Planetary Science Division at the agency's Headquarters in
Washington. "It demonstrates NASA's continued commitment to share
our science with everyone."
The virtual environment uses the Unity game engine to display models of
planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecraft as they move through
our solar system. With keyboard and mouse controls, users cruise through
space to explore anything that catches their interest. A free browser plug-in,
available at the site, is required to run the Web application.
"You are now free to move about the solar system," said Blaine Baggett,
executive manager in the Office of Communication and Education at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. "See what NASA's spacecraft
see – and where they are right now – all without leaving your computer."
Users may experience missions in real-time, and "Eyes on the Solar System" also
allows them to travel through time. The tool is populated with NASA data dating
back to 1950 and projected to 2050.
The playback rate can be sped up or slowed down. When NASA's Juno spacecraft
launched on Aug. 5, 2011, users could look ahead to see the mission's five-year
journey to Jupiter in a matter of seconds.
Point of view can be switched from faraway to close-up to right "on board"
spacecraft. Dozens of controls on a series of pop-up menus allow users to fully
customize what they see, and video and audio tutorials explain how to use the
tool's many options. Users may choose from 2-D or 3-D modes, with the latter
simply requiring a pair of red-cyan glasses to see.
"By basing our visualization primarily on mission data, this tool will help both
NASA and the public better understand complex space science missions," said
Kevin Hussey, manager of Visualization Technology Applications and
Development at JPL, whose team developed "Eyes on the Solar System."
"Eyes on the Solar System" is in beta release. It has been demonstrated at science
conferences, in classrooms and at the 2011 South by Southwest Interactive
Conference in Austin, Texas.
Designers are updating "Eyes on the Solar System" to include NASA science
missions launching during the coming months, including GRAIL to the moon and
the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover.
Select the two highlighted sentences that show that NASA makes predictions
about the data space missions will generate before the missions occur.
KEY: “The tool is populated with NASA data dating back to 1950 and projected to 2050.” AND “When NASA's Juno
spacecraft launched on Aug. 5, 2011, users could look ahead to see the mission's five-year journey to Jupiter in a
matter of seconds.” In order for NASA to include projected data to 2050 and the five-year mission of a spacecraft that
just launched the agency must predict data from missions before the missions occur.
Distractors: The other options provide important information about the new internet tool but none of them support
the inference that NASA makes predictions about the data space missions will generate before the missions occur.
From: Smarter
Balanced
Formats and Components
of Selected Response Items
Read the passage and then answer the question.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) leads
research in space exploration and aeronautics.
NASA Gives Public New Internet Tool To Explore The Solar System
PASADENA, Calif. – NASA is giving the public the power to journey
through the solar system using a new interactive Web-based tool.
Users may experience missions in real-time, and "Eyes on the Solar
System" also allows them to travel through time. The tool is populated
with NASA data dating back to 1950 and projected to 2050.
The playback rate can be sped up or slowed down. When NASA's Juno
spacecraft launched on Aug. 5, 2011, users could look ahead to see the
mission's five-year journey to Jupiter in a matter of seconds.
Point of view can be switched from faraway to close-up to right "on board"
spacecraft. Dozens of controls on a series of pop-up menus allow users to
The "Eyes on the Solar System" interface combines video game technology fully customize what they see, and video and audio tutorials explain how
and NASA data to create an environment for users to ride along with
to use the tool's many options. Users may choose from 2-D or 3-D modes,
agency spacecraft and explore the cosmos. Screen graphics and
with the latter simply requiring a pair of red-cyan glasses to see.
information such as planet locations and spacecraft maneuvers use actual
space mission data.
"By basing our visualization primarily on mission data, this tool will help
both NASA and the public better understand complex space science
"This is the first time the public has been able to see the entire solar system missions," said Kevin Hussey, manager of Visualization Technology
and our missions moving together in real-time," said Jim Green, director Applications and Development at JPL, whose team developed "Eyes on the
of NASA's Planetary Science Division at the agency's Headquarters in
Solar System."
Washington. "It demonstrates NASA's continued commitment to share
our science with everyone."
"Eyes on the Solar System" is in beta release. It has been demonstrated at
science conferences, in classrooms and at the 2011 South by Southwest
The virtual environment uses the Unity game engine to display models of Interactive Conference in Austin, Texas.
planets, moons, asteroids, comets and spacecraft as they move through
our solar system. With keyboard and mouse controls, users cruise through Designers are updating "Eyes on the Solar System" to include NASA
space to explore anything that catches their interest. A free browser plug- science missions launching during the coming months, including GRAIL
in, available at the site, is required to run the Web application.
to the moon and the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover.
"You are now free to move about the solar system," said Blaine Baggett,
executive manager in the Office of Communication and Education at
NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif. "See what NASA's
spacecraft see – and where they are right now – all without leaving your
computer."
Select the two highlighted sentences that show that NASA makes
predictions about the data space missions will generate before the missions
occur.
KEY: “The tool is populated with NASA data dating back to 1950 and projected to 2050.” AND “When NASA's Juno
spacecraft launched on Aug. 5, 2011, users could look ahead to see the mission's five-year journey to Jupiter in a
matter of seconds.” In order for NASA to include projected data to 2050 and the five-year mission of a spacecraft that
just launched the agency must predict data from missions before the missions occur.
Distractors: The other options provide important information about the new internet tool but none of them support
the inference that NASA makes predictions about the data space missions will generate before the missions occur.
Formats and Components of
Selected Response Items
• Traditional Selected
Response Item
Which number is both a
Which number is both a
factor of 100 and a multiple
factor of 100 and a multiple
of 5?
of 5?
A. 4
STEM
A. 4
B. 40
Statement of
B. 40
the question
C. 50
C. 50
DISTRACTOR
D. 500
D. 500
OPTIONS: Possible answers the
students must select from
• Key and Distractor
Analysis
A. Did not consider criteria
of “multiple of 5”
RATIONALE
B. Did not consider criteria
of “factor of 100”
C. Correct
D. Multiplied 100 and 5
KEY
Non-Traditional Selected
Response Item STIMULUS
A multiplication problem is shown below.
STEM
17
17××12
12
Which model(s) below could represent the solution to this
Which model(s) below could represent the solution to this problem?
problem?
Select all that apply.
Select all that apply.
A.
B.
C.
(1×1)+(1×7)+(1×2)+(2×7
)
D.
E.
F.
(17×2)+(17×1)
Non-Traditional Selected
Response Item
Key and Distractor Analysis:
A. Does not understand how to model
multiplication of two two-digit
numbers using area models.
B. Correct
C. Did not account for the values
of the digits in the tens places.
D. Correct
E. Did not understand that the 1 represents 10 in the multiplication
problem
F. Showed multiplication of 17 and (1 + 2) instead of 17 and 12
Responses to this item will receive 0–2 points, based on the following:
2 points: B, D
1 point: Either B or D
0 points: Any other combination of selections.
Non-Traditional Selected
Response Item
For numbers 1a – 1d, state whether or not each
figure has ⅖ of its whole shaded.
STEM
1a.
1b.
MULTIPLE 1c.
PARTS
1d.
OPTIONS
Smarter Balanced in a nutshell…
• Smarter Balanced is:
o Guided by the belief that a balanced, high-quality assessment
system—including formative, interim, and summative components—
can improve teaching and learning
• Provides information and tools for teachers and schools to help
students succeed.
o Timely and meaningful assessment information offers specific
information about areas of performance
• Teachers can follow up with targeted instruction
• Students can better target their own efforts
• Administrators and policymakers can more fully understand
what students know and do
o All leads to guiding curriculum and professional development
decisions
Smarter Balanced in a nutshell…
• Smarter Balanced assessments make use
of:
o Computer adaptive technology, which is more
precise and efficient than fixed-form testing.
o Teachers, principals, and parents can receive
results from computerized assessments in
weeks, not months.
o Faster results mean information can be used
from optional interim assessment to
differentiate instruction and better meet needs
of students.
Smarter Balanced in a nutshell…
• Smarter Balanced assessments will:
o Go beyond multiple-choice questions
o Include short constructed response
o Include extended constructed response
o Include performance tasks that allow students to
complete an in-depth project that demonstrate
analytical skills and real-world problem
Smarter Balanced vs.
PARCC
• Remember, the key differences between the Smarter
Balanced & PARCC are:
o Smarter Balanced is developing a computer adaptive
assessment
• Smarter Balanced’s summative assessments will adjust
by presenting easier or harder questions as needed in
order to measure a student’s ability
o PARCC’s summative assessments will be “fixed form”
• All students will receive the same test items that are
statistically at the same level of difficulty
Reflection
• After hearing about Smarter Balanced and how their
assessments are going to be different, what
differences do you see between the design of Smarter
Balanced assessments and those of your current State
Standardized tests?
• After reviewing some of the innovative design for
these assessments, how does this impact how you
design assessments for your classroom?
Part II: Stepping into the
Classroom using Smarter
Balanced Assessments
Smarter Balanced
Sample Items
• Utilizing Smarter Balanced’s website,
http://www.SmarterBalanced.org, we can find
multiple resources for sample assessment items in
both ELA/Literacy and Math
Cruising through…
• www.smarterbalanced.org
Reflection
• What changes do you see in the level of questioning
as demonstrated through these Smarter Balanced
sample test items?
• How do these changes impact the types of
curriculum, instruction, and assessment we need to
be utilizing in the classrooms on a daily basis?
Learner Objectives
• Define Summative Assessments
• Discuss the current work of the national assessment
consortium—The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
(Smarter Balanced)
• Identify the characteristics of Smarter Balanced Assessments
• Evaluate the classroom implications of Smarter Balanced
Assessments
Next Steps
• Discuss with your colleagues about how these
various summative assessments align with the skills
and knowledge necessary in the Common Core.
Knowledge Check
Question: The difference between a
traditional selected-response assessment
question and a non-traditional selectedresponse question is:
a) Students prepare a response utilizing selected
pieces of text
b) Students choose a correct answer from a
selection of choices
c) Students choose a correct answer with multiple
selections from the text
Knowledge Check
Question: Summative assessments are used to:
a) Guide instruction.
b) Evaluate and document what students have learned.
c) Identify what students know and understand about a
new unit before starting that unit.
Homework Assignments
Homework Assignment
• FIRST
o Spend some time reviewing the sample Summative Assessments designed
by Smarter Balanced.
• Pay particular attention to the different types of questions: selectedresponse, constructed-response, performance task.
• SECOND
o Compare the assessments of Smarter Balanced with those of PARCC
• What similarities do you find?
• What differences?
• THIRD
o Select a subject area that you have just begun to cover new material or have
just started a new unit.
o Using the different types of questions that are being utilized by Smarter
Balanced, develop an assessment for this new unit that will be aligned to
the unit, but, also begin to introduce students to the types of questions they
will be seeing on the Smarter Balanced Assessments.
Submit your assignment to BBSchool@CommonCoreInstitute.org
THANK YOU!
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Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Smarter Balanced, http://www.SmarterBalanced.org/
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2011/12/Smarter-Balanced-Preliminary-TestBlueprints.pdf
Smarter Balanced Benefits,
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads
Smarter Balanced ELA/Literacy Claims,
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads
Smarter Balanced Mathematics Claims,
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads
Smarter Balanced Sample Items FAQ,
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2012/10/Smarter-Balanced-Sample-Items-FAQ.pdf
Smarter Balanced Teachers,
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/Smarter-Balanced-Teachers.pdf
Theory in Action, http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/2012/02/Smarter-Balanced-Theory-of-Action.pdf