Measurement Topics
David C.Yanoski
Director of Standards Development
Marzano Research Laboratory
Our Project…
The Scale
4
In addition to exhibiting level-3 performance, in-depth inferences and
applications that go BEYOND what was taught in class
3
No major errors or omissions regarding any of the information and/or processes
(SIMPLE OR COMPLEX) that were explicitly taught
2
No major errors or omissions regarding the SIMPLER details and processes
BUT major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes
1
With HELP, a partial knowledge of some of the simpler and complex details and
processes
0
Even with help, no understanding or skill demonstrated
The rubric or scale - simplified
Learning above and beyond what was taught
4.0
3.5
The Learning Goal – What you expect the student to know or be able to do
3.0
2.5
The Simpler Stuff – Foundational knowledge, partial knowledge or simpler
procedures
2.0
1.5
The Student Needs Help to perform
1.0
.5
0.0
The Student can’t do anything
The MRL Standards Scale Document
Score 4.0
Score 3.0
The
expected
learning
Score 2.0
Score 1.0
Score 0.0
Strand: Government (Broad Category of Learning)
Measurement Topic: Checks and Balances (Specific Learning or Skill being measured)
Grade: 8 (Grade Level)
In addition to Score 3.0, in-depth inferences and applications that
Sample Tasks or Daily Learning Objective
go beyond what was taught.
Classroom activities or assessments used to demonstrate
student progress or Daily Learning Goals
Demonstration of learning beyond what was taught

3.5 In addition to score 3.0 performance, in-depth inferences and
applications with partial success.

The student:
 describes the role of the Supreme Court in checking the power and
authority of the Legislative and Executive Branches
Element: Grade level specific subdivision of Measurement Topic
The student exhibits no major errors or omissions.
2.5 No major errors or omissions regarding 2.0 content and partial
knowledge of the 3.0 content

There are no major errors or omissions regarding the simpler
details and processes as the student:
 recognizes or recalls specific terminology such as:
o judicial review, unconstitutional
Vocabulary essential to understanding the Score 3.0 Learning
goal
 performs basic processes, such as:
o recognizing and recalling accurate statements about the
role of the Supreme Court in checking the power of the
Legislative and Judicial branches
Score 2.0 element: simpler version of the Score 3.0 content at a
lower taxonomic level
However, the student exhibits major errors or omissions
regarding the more complex ideas and processes.
1.5 Partial knowledge of the 2.0 content but major errors or
omissions regarding the 3.0 content
With help, a partial understanding of some of the simpler details
and processes and some of the more complex ideas and processes.
0.5 With help, a partial understanding of the 2.0 content but not the
3.0 content
Even with help, no understanding or skill demonstrated.
5 easy(?) steps to writing and using
Standards Scales
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Unpack Standards/Identify Essential
Standards/Organize /Write Measurement Topics
Specify expected learning by writing Score 3.0, and
write sample tasks to further specify content
Identify steps towards the mastery of the content
by writing Score 2.0, write sample tasks to further
specify content
Decide on 4.0, write if necessary
Pilot and Use! Design Assessments, Assess student
learning, Report student progress
Summer Scale Development Institute
Monday
Measurement
Topics
Tuesday
Score 3.0
Sample Tasks
Wednesday
Score 2.0
Sample Tasks
Thursday
Score 4.0?
Friday
FASBG
Next Steps
Revision and Feedback Phase
MRL
Revision
• MRL
reviews
and
provides
feedback
on scales
• IVC to
share
comment
s and
answer
questions
• Chaffey
teams
review
feedback
Chaffey
and
Revision
revise
scales
• Return
to MRL
Final
Product
• MRL
creates
final draft
• Editing
and
format
• MRL
writes
primer/h
andbook
for scales
USE!
Teachers
use scales
to assess
student
progress
and
learning
Writing Measurement Topics
Measurement Topic vs. Daily Learning
Objective
Measurement topic

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
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More general
Subdivision of Standard
Overall topics of learning
Written using similar words
and structure
Limited to 25 to 35 for each
course
Curricular in nature
What you want the kid
walking out of class knowing
or being able to do
Daily Learning Objective







More Specific
Subdivision of Measurement
Topic
Steps towards achieving the
measurement topic
Written using similar words
and structure
No limit
Instructional in nature
The steps a kid goes through
to get to their goal
Standard
Measurement Topic
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Measurement Topic
Measurement Topic
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Daily
Learning
Objective
Writing Measurement Topics
Based on your content knowledge and
expertise, the Essential Measurement
Standards, and the California Content
Standards…
…What are the 25-35
essential topics that all students have
to know and master in your subject
area and at your grade level?
Content/
Strand
EMS
EMS
Measurement Topic
Measurement Topic
EMS
Measurement Topic
Using the Essential Measurement
Standards to write Measurement Topics

Use the EMS and identify the topic of each standard

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EMS – Students write geometric proofs, including proofs by
contradiction
Topic – Geometric Proofs (no verb!)
When the standard identifies 2 or more different pieces of
learning or skill, break these into 2 or more topics


EMS - Understand how the forces of nationalism developed in the
Middle East, how the Holocaust affected world opinion regarding
the need for a Jewish state, and the significance and effects of the
location and establishment of Israel on world affairs
Topics:



Nationalism in the Middle East
Arguments for/ against a Jewish State
Effects of the establishment of Israel
Content Area:
Grade Level/Course:
Content Topic/Strand:
What do you expect the student to know about this topic?
Essential Measurement Standard
Essential Measurement Standard
Essential Measurement Standard
Essential Measurement Standard
Are you asking the student to know or do more than one thing in each expectation? If you are, break the expectation down into 2-4 smaller pieces.
These are your Measurement Topics.
Measurement Topics…The Rules
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For each course, limit the number of measurement
topics to 25-35
You will write a scale for each of these topics
Each Measurement Topic will assess only one specific
piece of information or skill – Unidimensional
All content contained within a MT should covary –
as ability in one increases, so does the ability in
others
Why only 25-35? There is so much
more important stuff!
One of the main problems in using standards
is that they identify too much content – more
topics defeats the purpose
 Experience with other groups has shown that
scales with more topics just don’t get used
 Students can’t master any more than about
25-35 topics in a year. Having more topics
becomes covering content for content’s sake,
not teaching for learning

Nice to Know
Supplemental
Essential
Standards Benchmarks can be divided into 3 categories…
Heflebower, based on O’Connor
IF YOU HAVEN’T WRITTEN THE
ESSENTIAL MEASUREMENT
STANDARDS…
Forward design
Start with a blank slate.
 Use content knowledge and expertise to list
topics of study for each course
 Categorize them as Essential, Supplemental or
Nice to know
 Choose the most important 25-35 Essentials or
Supplementals to measure
 Go back to the Core Standards and make sure
that you are staying within the bounds of the
state standards

Backward Design
Start with the Core standards and identify the
topics that are already there
 Group like or covarying skills or knowledge
together and assign a name to it
 Categorize the groupings as Essential,
Supplemental or Nice to know
 Choose 25-35 essential or supplemental
groupings

Content Area:
Grade Level/Course:
Content Topic/Strand:
These are your Measurement Topics.
Your Task…
Create a list of Measurement Topics for each
course
 Keep in mind that the list will change! It
doesn’t have to be perfect!
