What Families Need to
Know About New Tests in
Schools (PARCC)
Testing Coordinator Mr. Jarod Claybourn
Presenter Mrs. Karen Macpherson
-Magnolia Public Schools
PARCC - History
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC) is a group of states working together
to develop a set of assessments that measure whether
students are on track to be successful in college and their
careers.
Because the assessments are aligned with the new, more
rigorous Common Core State Standards (CCSS), they ensure
that every child is on a path to college and career readiness
by measuring what students should know at each grade
level.
What Are The Common Core
State standards?
1. Governors and State Commissioners in Education from
around the nation developed a series of academic standards in
grades K-12.
2. The goal is to have our children leave school prepared to
compete against their peers globally.
3. The standards provide a valuable framework around which
we build our day-to-day teaching units. (High quality
instruction.)
How Are The PARCC Assessments
Connected to the Common Core?
1. PARCC is one of two state consortia developing
assessments aligned to the common core.
2. The assessments are designed to give teachers information
to guide instruction and provide student support.
3. Beginning in grade three, to measure student progress
in meeting the Common Core State Standards in English
Language Arts and Mathematics.
Components of PARCC
Assessments
Performance-Based Assessments (PBA) in ELA and
Mathematics. (March 2-27)
 All students will take this summative assessment test after
approximately 75% of the school year is completed to demonstrate
level of knowledge.
End of Year Assessments (EOY) in ELA and Mathematics.
(April 22- May 27)
 All students will take this summative assessment after
approximately 90% of school year is completed to demonstrate
level of knowledge.
End of Year Assessment
1. All students will take this at the end of the
school year.
2. The results will be combined with the
performance-based assessment to produce
a student’s summative assessment score.
Assessment Time
Unit Testing Time is the time we are required to schedule
for administration of the test. Students may use all of this
time, but the belief is most will not need it.
Estimated Time on Task is how long the test creators believe
it will take most students to complete the test. (actual
working time)
Scheduling Times
Grade Level(s)
Estimated Time on
Task
Grade 3
6 hours 30 minutes
Grade 4
6 hours 45 minutes
Grade 6-8
7 hours 25 minutes
Preparing for PARCC
1. PARCC-like assessment questions have been
incorporated into classroom formative assessments.
2. Sample tests and tutorials of the on-line
assessment have been incorporated into
weekly lesson plans
3. Infrastructure Trials have been provided.
4. Teacher tutorials and Professional Development
have been provided.
Old Test vs. New Test
See the PARCC difference for yourself
Writing prompt on an old,
outgoing state test
Third Grade Example
• Read the writing prompt below
and complete the writing activity:
• Jump out of bed! Look out the
window! It is a perfect weather day!
• Write a story about a day when
the weather seemed perfect
PARCC writing prompt
Third Grade Example
• You have read two texts about famous
people in American history who solved a
problem by working to make a change
• Write an article for your school newspaper
describing how Eliza and Carver faced
challenges to change something in America
• In your article, be sure to describe in detail
why some solutions they tried worked and
others did not work
• Tell how the challenges each one faced were
the same and how they were different
Old Test vs. New Test
See the PARCC difference for yourself
PARCC test
Math outgoing state test
5th Grade Example
The town of La Paz, Bolivia, is in the
Andes mountains. Which of these
units could be used to describe the
distance of the town of La Paz above
sea level?
A. Degrees
B. B. Feet
C. C. Cubic Inches
D. D. Pounds
5th Grade Example
Mr. Edmunds shared 12 pencils among his
four sons as follows:
• Alan received 1/3 of the pencils
• Bill received 1/4 of the pencils
• Carl received more than 1 pencil
• David received more pencils than Carl
PART A: On the number line, represent the
fraction of the total number of pencils that
was given to both Alan and Bill combined. Use
the buttons on the right to increase or
decrease the number of equal sections on the
number line.
PART B. What fraction of the total number of
pencils did Carl and David each receive?
Justify your answer.
Language Arts
1. Analyze Literature
2. Demonstrate writing skills
3. Read texts and write, demonstrating reading skills
and understanding complex texts.
4. Communicate knowledge by integrating, comparing,
and synthesizing ideas.
Mathematics
1.
2.
3.
4.
Problem Solving
Express mathematical reasoning
Construct mathematical arguments
Apply concepts to real-world problems
Practice on PARCC
Go to : parcc.pearson.com
Click on Blue “View test Preparation” button and you will get drop down menu:
Please select: Practice Tests
Choose LAL or Math Practice tests and Grade Level
PARCC at SPS
•PARCC PBA Testing Dates
•March 9-13
•PARCC EOY Testing Dates
th
th
•May 4 -8
• 14-15 Calendar