ACT/EPAS Training
Fall/Winter 2008
Please help yourself to
refreshments!
1
ACT
2
EILA Credit
Ending Today
Candy
Drinks
Breakfast
Lunch
Signed in?
3
Goal
What
you will leave
with today…
4
oPlease Put Your Cell Phone on Vibrate…
oIf you do need to answer a phone, please go into the
hall/other room.
oUse The Rule of Two Feet…
•We are all adults
•We’re not responsible for students today. Thus, we
can use our two feet beyond the confines of these
walls.
oSide-bar talking
•Please limit talking with other participants unless
group work is under way.
5
Overview
of materials
Who is in the room with
us?
Administration
Middle
School Math
High School Math
Middle School Science
High School Science
6
Is it the facts they learned in
your classroom, or the skills?
7
What
is the format of the
Educational Planning Assessment
System?
3/21/2016
8
Purpose: Help 8th graders
plan for their high school
coursework as well as career
choices.
Score
Range: 1 – 25
Testing Window:
September 15 - 26
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Purpose: Helps students
measure their academic development
and make plans for remaining high
school years and beyond.
Score
Range: 1 – 32
Testing
Window:
September 15 - 26
10
Purpose:
Assess general
educational development and their ability
to successfully complete freshmen level
college courses
Score
Range: 1 - 36
Testing Window:
Administration - March 10
ACT Make-up Day - March 24
ACT Accommodations Window –March 10-24
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Why
is Kentucky administering?
What is the law surrounding this
mandate?
Senate Bill 130
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/06rs/sb130.htm
Related to the bill is KRS 158.6453
12
Science
(page 188) will take the
complete test
Math (page 164) will take either
the odd or the even…
Math folks will have 30 minutes.
Science will have 35 minutes.
13
14
Test Analysis
Math: Match problem with algebra,
geometry, or trig. Then, what strategy
did you use to solve? (pg 51)
Science: What do kids have to know and
be able to do in order to be successful
on the science portions of the ACT?
(pg 99)
15
column: What do students have
to know and be able to do in order
to be successful on the test?
2nd column: What experiences do
they then need to experience in
the classroom?
1st
(NOT TEST TAKING STRATEGIES!)
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17
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There
are sixty multiple
choice questions in sixty
minutes
It’s
the mathematics needed
for college mathematics
courses
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Algebra
Geometry
Trigonometry
• 55%
• 40% of which is pre and
elementary algebra
• 38%
• 7%
• These questions won’t make or
break a score!
20
Pre-Algebra
• 23%
• 14 Questions
Elementary Algebra
• 17%
• 10 Questions
Intermediate
Algebra
• 15%
• 9 Questions
Coordinate
Geometry
• 15%
• 9 Questions
Plane Geometry
• 23%
• 14 Questions
Trigonometry
• 7%
• 4 Questions
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There
are forty multiple
choice questions in thirty-five
minutes
The
test emphasizes
application of scientific
reasoning skills rather than
recall of content, math skill,
or reading level.
22
%
# of
Qs
38%
15
Earth/Space
Research
Summaries 45%
18
Physics
Conflicting 17%
Viewpoints
Content Area
}{
Biology
Chemistry
Format
Data Rep.
23
7
•State Performance Descriptors
st
•21 Century Skills
•College Readiness Standards
24
1.
2.
3.
Where are these happening?
Are they embedded throughout?
Are they consistent or 1-time shots
in the dark?
25
3/21/2016
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27
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College Readiness Standards and
Program of Studies Standards
Alignment
Website:
http://www.kde.state.ky.us/KDE/Instructional+Resources/C
urriculum+Documents+and+Resources/Educational+Plan
ning+and+Assessment+System+%28EPAS%29+College+
Readiness+Standards+and+Program+of+Studies.htm
Rae McEntyre, NBCT
Assessment Liaison
Kentucky Department of Education
500 Mero Street
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 564-2106 (voice)
(502) 564-9848 (fax)
Rae.McEntyre@education.ky.gov
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Depth of Knowledge Descriptors
Level 1
Basic Recall and Reproduction
Level 2
Basic Reasoning/Skills and Concepts
Level 3
Complex Reasoning/Strategic Thinking
Level 4
Extended Reasoning/Thinking
Some DOK Reminders:
Is not the same as difficulty
Focuses on the cognitive processing used to solve the problem
Used to align standards with items/tasks
It is not a taxonomy
31
Other
faculty affected
Technical Reading
 Kind and Speed
Math classes using science data
examples
Science classes including
algebra
32
One or more subjects Math English Reading
Students
with
developmental
needs
by
54%
53%
subject,
44%
41%
All Kentucky public college entrants
35%
32%
27%
25%
2002
2004
Source: CPE Comprehensive Data Base
3/21/2016
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•The Law
•Q and A
34
College
Course or
Course
Area
English
Comp.
Social
Sciences
Test
EXPLORE
Score
PLAN
Score
ACT
Score
English
13
15
18
Reading
15
17
21
Algebra
Mathematics
17
19
22
Biology
Science
20
21
24
35
According to the ACT site, www.act.org
a benchmark of 22 on the mathematics
section, a 24 on the science section means a
student has approximately a 50% chance of
earning a B or better and 75% chance of
earning a C or better in an equivalent college course.
36
What
is our responsibility for
EXPLORE, PLAN, and ACT?
What
do the statutes say about
the school’s responsibility?
37


Identified students whose scores on
the EXPLORE, PLAN, or ACT do not
meet benchmarks in English,
Reading or Math
These students shall have
intervention strategies for
accelerated learning incorporated
into his/her ILP
38
 Middle
Schools, High Schools, and School
Districts shall develop and implement
accelerated learning that….


Allows a student’s ILP to be individualized to
meet academic needs as per assessment results
May include changes in a student’s class schedule
39
Data-based
and student-
centered
Purpose
is to help students
reach identified benchmarks by
the next testing window
Systemic
Interventions
40
 Fluid
enough to allow flexibility
 Designed to address course weaknesses
 Facilitated by teachers who have been
trained
 Interventions that are more than a single
event

Formative/reoccurring assessments
41
 ILP
 Advisor/Advisee
Sessions
 Freshmen Academy
 Schedule Changes/Course Offerings
 Rigorous Courses for all students
 Extended School Services
42
School
Leadership Team
SBDM
Parents
Faculty
Professional
Learning Community
43
Look at 2007 state
results…
44
45
There is no “quick fix”
So, think crock pot, not
microwave
46
Student Strategies
Questions are arranged in order
of difficulty
47
Don’t forget to mark—in
the test booklet—the
questions you skip
48
There is no penalty for guessing and
no penalty for wrong answers!
Therefore, guess when all else fails
and guess consistently!
49
You
don’t necessarily have to use all
the information you are given
There are “Cannot be determined
from the given information”
problems
50
Sometimes
just substituting
answer choices will yield a correct
answer
This strategy is time consuming!
51
•NO NEED TO SHOW ALL
WORK!
Once you’ve determined the answer, pick
it…even if you’re not finished working it
all the way through.
52
•USE FIGURES WISELY!
An arc on an angle doesn’t necessarily
mean it’s congruent to another angle
with an arc.
53
•NARROW YOUR ANSWERS
•Eliminate obviously wrong answers
Or
•Eliminate any odd ball answers…if three are
the same and two different, get rid of the two
54
•DRAW A PICTURE IF
APPROPRIATE
•Your Method…
USE WHATEVER METHOD IS
FASTEST AND EASIEST FOR
YOU, EVEN IF IT’S ONE YOUR
TEACHER DIDN’T USE
55
•TWO PART QUESTIONS
Be sure to answer both parts
Caution…
The first answer is likely one of
the wrong answers given
56
•DON’T FORGET…
TAKE YOUR CALCULATOR
TAKE EXTRA BATTERIES
57
•Get a good
night’s sleep!
•Eat a good
breakfast!
•Take a shower
the morning of
the test…
•Wear a watch
•Answer 10 problems, then
bubble 10. Answer 10 more
problems, then bubble 10
…and so on.
How do successful
problem solvers work?
61
Math
Science
62
Use
ACT items from the ACT site
and The Real ACT Prep Guide on
each unit assessment
Label the section ACT Style
Questions
Teacher and student monitor
progress on each question
63
Integrate
more algebra in geometry
Integrate more science examples while
teaching probability and statistics
Science incorporate data interpretation in
all units
64
Remember, crock pot,
not microwave!
65
66
In math it’s not about the answer
to the question, rather the
process!
In science, it’s about “real” practice
on data interpretation!
67
 Answer
isn’t part of discussion
 Focus is on the process only
 This isn’t easy for students or teachers
 Question(s) does not always have to fit
the content
 10 minutes or less
 Department/school “buy in”
 Main strategy and used consistently
68
69
70
When
will you meet next
Who else will attend
71
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73
74
75
76
What Course Work Prepares
a Student to be Successful
on the ACT?
77
The Plan
Past years’ ACT scores
Look at Patterns
Compare Course Work
78
•www.act.org
•www.kde.com
•www.kde.state.ky.us/KDE
Then do a search for ACT and click on
ACT Alignment Study May 2007
•Senate Bill 130
http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/06rs/sb130.htm
KRS 158.6453
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•www.act.org/education/index.html
Then on the left of the page, click on EPAS
Educational Planning and Assessment
System. Once there, on the right click on
Use the EPAS Information Request form
and complete the form that appears on the
screen.
•http://www.ket.org/act
•College Readiness Standards Poster Order Form is in
your folder. Each poster is specific to one content area
and only $0.35.
80
•http://education.ky.gov/KDE/HomePageRepository
/News+Room/Current+Press+Releases
•www.act.org/path/policy/pdf/benchmarks.pdf
•www.usatoday.com
•www.education.ti.com
•
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KDE
Office of Assessment and Accountability
Phyllis Shuttleworth
Questions about modifications…
Cheryl Pulley
Bridget Stanfield
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Ky’s
ACT Representative is
Jayne Rogers
1-800-338-3282 ext. 53483
jayne.rogers@petersons.com
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Tami
Pickett
 tamipickett.pimser@windstream.net
Becky
Smith
 warf45@alltel.net
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USA Today…Graph of the Day
1. Go to www.usatoday.com
2. Go to education at the bottom of
the page
3. Go to Homepage and Daily Teaching
Guide
4. Then go to Stat Rat on far left
below the USA map
4. Click on Teacher Editions
5. Use any of the graphs on that page or
click on the archive
6. In lieu of going to Stat Rat, one could
go to Math, Math Lessons, etc.
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