Smarter Balanced Training
George Crawford
School Union 103
March 9, 2015
How We Feel As Teachers, too!
The purpose of this
presentation is to
help clear up some
of the confusion
about the Smarter
Balance Testing for
Teachers and Ed
Techs.
A Little Background………………………
•The Smarter Balanced Assessment was
developed by a consortium of states to
measure how students are achieving the
Common Core Standards.
•It is designed to measure the level of
achievement of students in Grades 3-8
and also Grade11 in Mathematics,
ELA/Literacy, and Writing.
•It has been controversial in some circles.
This is the first national “try” in giving the
tests and there may be some glitches.
The View From Maine
Maine is calling its implementation of the “Smarter
Balanced Assessment” the “Maine Educational
Assessment” recycling an old name.
The “Maine Educational Assessment” for Grades 3-8 and
11 consists of two components:
Smarter Balanced Test -(Computer Adaptive Test) and
(Performance Task)
•Used for Math and ELA/Literacy for Grades 3-8 & 11
•Testing Window is Between March 16th - March 29th
Maine Educational Assessment- (Paper & Pencil Test)
•The MEA will be used for Science in Grades 5 AND 8
•Testing Window is Between May 4th to May 22nd
Smarter Balanced for Math and ELA /Literacy
I am going to call for purposes of this
presentation the Math and ELA /Literacy
section of the MEA the “Smarter Balanced”
due to it being computerized and new for
everyone.
Assessments and Time Frame for Smarter Balanced
Two Parts for ELA /Literacy 1. Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) - 1 hour 30 minutes for
Grades 3 -8.
2. Performance Task (PT) – (Testing) 2 Hours, and Class
Activity Before Performance Task - 30 Minutes
Two Parts for Mathematics •
Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) - 1Hour 30Min for
Grades 3-5, 2 Hours for Grades 6-8
•
Performance Task (PT) – (Testing) 1 Hour, Class
Activity Before the Performance Task - 30 Minutes
Roles for School Personnel aka Alphabet Soup
Roles for Staff
1. District System Administrator (DSA)
Beals – Chris Crowley
Jonesport – Debra Lay
Moosabec CSD – Mike Kelley or Debra Lay
2. School Test Coordinator (SC)
Beals – Chris Crowley
Jonesport Elementary – Debra Lay
JBHS – Mike Kelley
3. Test Administrators (TA)
School Teachers and School Staff (Ed Techs)
Designated by School Test Coordinator
Must pass online training and certification before testing.
Food Chain: DSA --- SC --- TA --- Students
How The Smarter Balance Tests are Different
than the NECAPS and old MEAs
•Computer Adaptive (Like the NWEAs)
•Enhanced Access (Universal Tools, Designated
Supports, and Accommodations)
•“Technology Enhanced” Test Items
•Performance Tasks (Scripted Class Activities by Grade
Level and Subject) with a Follow Up Online Activity
•Writing for ALL Grades 3-8
•Tests Can Be Given to Different Students at Different
Times. Tests Can Be Started and Stopped.
•Longer Testing Window
•Recommend that Grade 3-8 Students Complete 66% of
the School Year Before Administering (After the 116th
School Day)
•Results Should Be Available in June in Reporting Portal
Smarter Balanced Tests that Will Be Available
for Teachers to Get Ready
Practice Tests - The Practice Tests allow students,
parents, educators and the public to experience a full
grade-level assessment and gain insight into how the
Maine Educational Assessment for Mathematics and
English Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium will assess students’
mastery of Maine’s mathematics and English language
arts standards. The practice tests mirror the year-end
assessment. Each grade level assessment includes a
variety of question types and difficulty (approximately 30
items each in mathematics and ELA) as well as a
mathematics and ELA performance task at each grade
level (3–8 and 11). http://me.portal.airast.org/training-tests/
Smarter Balanced Tests that Will Be Available
for Teachers to Get Ready
Training Tests - The Training Tests are designed to provide
students and teachers with opportunities to quickly
familiarize themselves with the software and navigational
tools that they will use on the upcoming Maine
Educational Assessment for Mathematics and English
Language Arts/Literacy developed by the Smarter
Balanced Assessment Consortium. The training test is
organized by grade bands (grades 3 to 5, 6 to 8 and high
school) and each test contains 14-15 questions. The
questions on the training test were selected to provide
students with an opportunity to practice a range of
question types. The training tests do not contain
performance tasks. http://me.portal.airast.org/training-tests/
Smarter Balanced Tests that Will Be Available
for Teachers to Get Ready
Practice Performance Tasks- The “Practice” Performance
Tasks include a “scripted” class activity that teachers will
complete with the students in their classroom. There are
different ones for different grade levels and for different
grade levels. Example: There is a Practice Performance
Task for Grade 3 ELA and another for Grade 3 Math.
Once the “Performance Task” is completed in the
classroom, students will asked questions about the
Performance Task online. This is to be done within a day
or two after completing the Performance Task in Class.
Actual “Smarter Balanced” Performance Tasks will
follow the same format. http://me.portal.airast.org/trainingtests
Two Types of Available Assessments – “The Real Thing”
Interim Tests - These can be used for “informative”
assessments in your classroom. Some of these must be
hand scored. There will be teacher training for hand
scoring if teachers are interested. Think of this as a bank
of assessments you can use in your classroom.
Summative Tests - These will be the tests that count for
the state and for NCLB, etc. like the regular old NECAPs
and MEAs. These are given in March to May. These
includes the Smarter Balanced for Math and ELA and the
paper and pencil MEA for Science.
THE STATE WILL NOT BE GIVING OUT THEIR ANNUAL AF REPORT CARDS NEXT YEAR (2015-2016) DUE TO THE
SMARTER BALANCED/MEA BEING SO DIFFERENT FROM
THE OLD NECAP TESTS.
Technology Aspect for Teachers
1. Teachers and Ed Techs administering the Smarter
Balanced need to become “certified” Test Administrators
by undergoing an online training. You should have received
a link in your school email to activate your account to log
into TIDE. TIDE is the (Test Information Distribution
Engine). This is what you will use to administer the Smarter
Balanced along with the TDS (Test Delivery System.)
http://me.portal.airast.org/test-administrators/
2. Student will being taking the Smarter Balanced on a Secure
Browser that has been installed on the school laptops at
Beals and the desktops in the Grades 3 and 4, Grades 5 and
6, and Special Education Classrooms.
At Jonesport Elementary, it is installed on the desktops in
the Computer Lab. It is also on all the MLTI laptops at all
schools.
Suggested Action Steps
1. Watch Powerpoints for students off State Portal to get students
used to interface and tools on tests.
http://www.maine.gov/doe/assessment/math-ela/training/index.html
2. Have Students complete practice tests to get used to tools and
testing format.
https://login4.cloud1.tds.airast.org/student/V95/Pages/LoginShell.asp
x?c=Maine_PT
Practice tests are also available in the Secure Browser.
3. Training for teachers and Ed Techs acting as TAs.
http://me.portal.airast.org/test-administrators/
4. Check the state Portal page to check for trainings and webinar
information
http://me.portal.airast.org/
LINKS FOR THE MEA AND SMARTER BALANCED SITE ARE OFF OF
THE BEALS SCHOOL HOMEPAGE AT http://www,bealsschool.org
USE THE MAINE STATE PAGES BEFORE THE NATIONAL SB ONE!
Links to Help Yourself and Your Students
All links are found on the webpage below:
http://www.maine.gov/doe/assessment/math-ela/training/index.html
1. Embedded Universal Tools and Online Features. (PPTX, 10MB) This
module will help students to prepare to use the embedded
universal tools and online features when taking the online
assessments.
2. Performance Task Overview. (PPTX, 10MB) This module provides
an introduction to the Performance Task and Classroom Activity
components of the assessment.
3. Student Interface for Online Testing. (PPTX, 13MB) This module is
designed to help Test Administrators (TAs) understand the
interface students will use to take the online test. It covers how to
log in and select a test, the test layout and tools, and test
navigation. Non-narrated version
4. Test Administration Overview. (PPTX, 9MB) This module is
designed to help participating district and school staff prepare to
administer online assessments. It will provide a high-level
overview and discuss the steps necessary to prepare for testing.
Non-narrated version
Links to Help Yourself and Your Students
All links are found on the webpage below:
http://www.maine.gov/doe/assessment/math-ela/training/index.html
5. Test Administrator (TA) Interface for Online Testing. (PPTX, 8MB)
This module is designed to help Test Administrators (TAs)
understand the interface they will use to administer the online
test. It covers how to use the TA Interface to start and run a test
session, viewing and editing student test settings and
accessibility resources, monitoring the testing process, pausing
and stopping a test session, transferring sessions between and
mobile devices, printing test session information, and exiting and
logging out of the TA Interface.
6. Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE System). (PPTX, 8MB)
This is designed to help navigate the TIDE system. This module
includes examples of all features on TIDE such as activating a
new account, login, navigating the TIDE interface, managing user
accounts, managing student test registrations and rosters. Nonnarrated version