Palo Alto Unified School District
SMARTER BALANCED ASSESSMENT
WORKSHOP
Paly – SSC
November 4, 2013
Diana Wilmot, Ph.D.
Director of Research, Evaluation & Assessment
Janine Penney, M.A.
Manager of Research, Evaluation & Assessment
Outcomes and Agenda
• Build knowledgebase around SBA* implementation.
• Experience the student interface using the SBAC**
online practice test.
• Gain insight into how the new assessments might impact
the way we/I currently assess student learning.
*SBA – Smarter Balanced Assessments
**SBAC – Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
Building Background Knowledge
• Who/what is “Smarter Balanced”?
• What is the “Smarter Balanced Assessment
System”?
• What do Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBAs)
look like?
Q: Who/what is “Smarter Balanced”?
The answer begins with the
Common Core Standards…
…and continues with a
new Assessment System.
Foundations of Common Core
• College and Career Readiness
• 21st Century Framework – The 4 C’s
Q: Who/what is “Smarter Balanced”?
Common Core Standards State Initiative
46 states adopted the CCSS in ELA/Literacy and math
+ Race to the Top Assessment Program
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) – 26 states
PARCC – 20 states plus Washington DC
Assessment Consortia Member States
As of August 16, 2013
Smarter Balanced
PARCC
Both
26 states
20 states & DC
Pennsylvania
Washington, DC
Hawaii
Neither: Alabama, Minnesota,
Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Virginia
Timeline for Implementation
Through 2012 -- Assessment design & item writing
2012 – 2013 -- Field test development & pilot testing
Field Testing Spring 2014
On October 2nd Governor Brown signed AB 484, legislation implementing the new
assessment program in California. 2013-2014 is a transition year.
– Grades 3-8, 11 (ELA or Math) & a small sample of grades 9/10 will be tested
– CST, CMA and CAPA in Science for grades 5, 8, 10
– EAP test for grade 11
– CAHSEE for grades 10, 11, 12
The field test:
– Is designed to “test the test” and our infrastructure (fully computer-based).
– Results for ELA and math will not be calculated or reported for Spring 2014.
2014 – 15 – Smarter Balanced Assessments will be fully operational.
Q: What is the Smarter Balanced Assessment System?
English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3 – 8 and High School*
Last 12 weeks of school year
DIGITAL LIBRARY of formative tools, processes and exemplars; released items and tasks; model
curriculum units; educator training; professional development tools and resources; practice tests;
scorer training modules; and teacher collaboration tools.
INTERIM ASSESSMENT
INTERIM ASSESSMENT
Computer Adaptive
Assessment and
Performance Tasks
Computer Adaptive
Assessment and
Performance Tasks
Scope, sequence, number, and timing
locally determined
PERFORMANCE
TASKS
• 1 ELA/Literacy
Task
• 1 Math Task
COMPUTER
ADAPTIVE
ASSESSMENT
• ELA/Literacy
• Math
Retake Option
Optional Interim assessment
system — no stakes
Summative assessment
for accountability
* Summative and interim assessments for grades 3 – 8 and 11, with additional supporting assessments for grades 9 and 10.
** Time windows may be adjusted based on results from the research agenda and final implementation decisions.
Q: What is the Smarter Balanced Assessment System?
Computer Adaptive Assessment
Last 12 weeks of year*
Multiple item types
(Constructed response and technology enhanced)
- Selected response - Fill-in tables
- Drag and drop
- Short text
- Matching
- Graphing
Adaptive delivery
Can span up to two grade levels up or down to gain
accuracy and clearer profile of strengths and needs.
COMPUTER
ADAPTIVE
ASSESSMENT
Re-take option
10
Q: What is the Smarter Balanced Assessment System?
Performance Tasks
Last 12 weeks of year*
• One ELA task & one math task per year
• Helps assess beyond basic knowledge
and skills
• Combination of machine and
teacher/human scoring
• Results by end of school year
PERFORMANCE
TASKS
• ELA/Literacy
• Math
Key Elements and Principles
Measure individual student’s:
– Proficiency
– Growth
– “on track”-ness to college- and career-readiness
– Readiness, at end of high school, for creditbearing entry level postsecondary courses
What about English learners and
students with disabilities?
In September, SBAC adopted Usability,
Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines “to
ensure next-generation assessments meet the
needs of English language learners and students
with disabilities.”
www.smarterbalanced.org
The development of the guidelines included feedback from states,
advisory panels on English language learners and students with
disabilities, and national organizations.
Smarter Balanced
Performance Task Specifications
Information Processing/
Constructed Response Items
•
•
Short Answer
Increasing in rigor
High
Cognitive
Demand
“Stimulus”
•Text
•Graphs, data sets
•Photos, media
•Etc.
•Essay, Story
•Quantitative Problem
•Oral presentation
•Scoring Rubric
Item B
Mid
Low
Item C
Performance
Task
Item A
Part 1: Student reads
research sources (stimuli)
and responds to prompts.
Part 2: Student
plans, writes, and
revises his/her full
essay, story,
quantitative
problem, or….
As we examine the ELA Performance tasks,
consider…
• What are some critical shifts in the new assessment
system and how can they be addressed in my
classroom/school?
• How might the new assessments impact the way we/I
currently assess student learning?
What do the
Smarter Balanced Assessments
look like?
Online Practice Test
ELA Performance Task
1. http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/
2. At bottom of page, click Practice Test icon
3. Click Sign In
4. Select a grade level, then click Yes
5. Click test
6. Adjust settings (or not), click Select
7. Review selection and click Yes, Start My Test
8. Review Test Instructions and Help
9. Click Begin Test Now
SBA Practice Test
Scoring Guides with Rubrics
Go to: http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/
• Click Resources and Documentation to view
scoring guides for all practice test items including
Performance Tasks.
Sample ELA Performance Task:
Grade 4 Part 1
Part 1:
Engaging
Summary of Task
Steps to follow
Directions
for beginning /
taking notes
Sample ELA Performance Task:
Grade 4 Part 1
Constructed
Response
questions to
support students’
analysis/synthesis
of stimuli
Sample ELA Performance Task: Grade 4 Part 2
Brief,
engaging
prompt
How essay
will be scored
3 concise steps
to complete
performance
assessment
Now that we’ve examined some sample items…
• What changes do you see in the level of questioning
as demonstrated through the sample test items?
• How might the format and design of the questions
impact instructional strategies and assessment
practices?
• How do these changes impact the types of
assessment we need to use in the classrooms?
• Describe how you might adjust an upcoming lesson or
unit to make it more "Smarter Balanced-ish”. Could
be a short formative assessment or longer summative
assessment.
References and Resources
www.smarterbalanced.org
To access: Practice Tests, Accommodations Guidelines, and all things Smarter
Balanced
www.smarterbalanced.org/resources-events/faqs/
www.k12center.org
www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/sbac-faqs.asp
www.achievethecore.org
www.teachingchannel.org
BOB  Classroom  Common Core State Standards
(CCSS)
Parents’ Guide to Student Success
The Guide includes:
•Key items that children should be
learning in English language arts and
mathematics in each grade.
•Activities that parents can do at home
to support their child's learning.
•Methods for helping parents build
stronger relationships with their child's
teacher.
http://www.pta.org/4446.htm
Common Core
Common
CoreState
State Standards
Standards
Questions?
26