January 11, 2011
(X)
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Action Required
Due date: March 31, 2011
Informational
MEMORANDUM NO. 002-11M INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
TO:
Educational Service District Superintendents
School District Superintendents
Educational Service District Assistant Superintendents
School Building Principals
Educational Technology Support Center Directors
School District Technology Directors
Educational Service District Assessment Coordinators
School District Assessment Coordinators
School District Curriculum Directors
School District Special Education Directors
Education Associations
FROM:
Randy I. Dorn, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
RE:
Educational Technology Assessments (Integrated with Science, Math and
Global Issues): Feedback and Field Test
CONTACT:
Tara Richerson, Technology Standards Program Manager
Phone: (360) 725-4468, TTY (360) 664-3631 or Tara.Richerson@k12.wa.us
The purpose of this memorandum is to recruit educators to review and field test the
assessments for Washington State’s Educational Technology Standards that integrate
Science, Math and Global Issues.
In draft now, the assessments for Grades K–12 enable teachers to determine student
progress toward Washington’s standards for educational technology. Embedded into other
content areas, the activities in these assessments are classroom-based, well guided and
easy to use. They come equipped with a comprehensive inventory of free and low-cost
digital resources. Information about these assessments is available at
http://www.k12.wa.us/EdTech/Assessment/default.aspx.
There are three opportunities to participate in the review of the educational technology
assessments.
1. Review and Feedback
Educators are encouraged to review all aspects of the design of the assessments
and feedback comments through an online survey,
MEMORANDUM NO. 002-11M ITS
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January 11, 2011
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/433236/Educational-Technology-AssessmentsPublic-Survey. The survey opens Wednesday, January 12, 2011 and closes
Friday, April 29, 2011. Also, teachers who attend the Northwest Council for
Computers in Education or Washington Science Teachers Association conference
will have an opportunity to review the assessments and offer feedback during
scheduled workshops at each conference.
2. Informal Field Test
Teachers can field test the assessments, informally, in their classrooms before
completing the online survey, http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/433236/EducationalTechnology-Assessments-Public-Survey. The survey opens Wednesday, January
12, 2011 and closes Friday, April 29, 2011.
3. Formal Field Test
Scheduled between January 12 and March 31, 2011, participating teachers will
collect, score and submit samples of student work based on the assessments.
During the formal field test, educators will have multiple opportunities to provide
feedback and input on the final versions of the assessments. For district
administrators, the formal field test provides an early opportunity to determine
readiness to integrate these assessments. This understanding is important for
planning—professional development activities, the acquisition of classroom tools,
and to address any issues related to technology support or capacity.
How to Apply for the Formal Field Test
OSPI is looking for teachers—Grades K through 12—willing to participate in the formal
field test of the assessments for educational technology. Interested teachers should
complete the online enrollment form, http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/433207/EducationalTechnology-Assessments-Spring-2011-Field-Test.
Professional Development — Educational Technology Assessments
At least two educators from every district — teachers, teacher-librarians or instructional
coaches — are eligible to join OSPI’s Coach Your Colleagues professional development
sessions in March and June 2011. The sessions are free and clock hours are available.
OSPI will reimburse the cost of travel and subs. Teachers who work in a small district
should find an eligible learning partner from another small district and put both names
into the pool.
Participants will learn how to optimize the new student-centered assessments for
educational technology, and then train colleagues to use their resource-rich instructional
tools and support materials.
Two Application Deadlines
OSPI will offer two full-day sessions of professional development:
 Tuesday, March 1—ESD112/Vancouver.
 Friday, June 3—ESD 105/Yakima.
MEMORANDUM NO. 002-11M ITS
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January 11, 2011
March 1 session in Vancouver: eligible educators must complete the Coach a Colleague
form, http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/433330/Educational-Technology-AssessmentsCoach-a-Colleague-Workshops, by Wednesday, February 16, 2011. Selection notification
— Friday, February 18.
June 3 session in Yakima: eligible educators must complete the Coach a Colleague form,
http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/433330/Educational-Technology-Assessments-Coach-aColleague-Workshops, by Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Selection notification — Friday,
April 29.
Visit the OSPI Web site for more information,
http://www.k12.wa.us/EdTech/Assessment/default.aspx
Background
Development of the assessments for educational technology is directed by RCW
28A.655.075, Section 2(a)—to “obtain or develop education technology assessments that
may be administered in the elementary, middle and high school grades to assess the
essential academic learning requirements for technology.”
Read the complete text of RCW 28A.655.075,
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.655.075
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this memorandum, please contact Tara Richerson,
Technology Standards Program Manager at (360) 725-4468, TTY (360) 664-3631 or email
Tara.Richerson@k12.wa.us.
Find more information about the assessments on the OSPI Web site,
http://www.k12.wa.us/EdTech/Assessment/.
EXECUTIVE SERVICES
Ken Kanikeberg
Chief of Staff
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
Peter Tamayo, CIO
Information Technology Services
Dennis Small, Director
Educational Technology
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