Click to edit Master title style Smarter Assessment PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR THE REAL WORLD June 1, 2016 DelExcels.org

WHAT IS SMARTER ASSESSMENT?

Click to edit Master title style Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org The Delaware Standards are based on the Common Core State Standards. Delaware was involved in creating the Common Core State Standards. Delaware Standards are benchmarked to the best international and state standards to ensure that children can compete with peers across the country and around the world. Smarter Assessment and the SAT give a sense of student progress toward that important goal. Delaware teachers have been working hard for years to implement the new standards. Together, we can help students meet new standards and, with strong assessment systems, help our students get Ready for the Real World. 2 Ready for the real world Helping students graduate more prepared for college and careers

Click to edit Master title style Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org The Library includes more than 2,700 instructional and professional learning resources developed by teachers for teachers. Spanning K–12 and aligned to the new standards, the resources help teachers implement best practices as recommended by their peers. 3 A complete assessment system Measuring student progress and supporting improvements in learning Summative Assessment Digital Library Interim Assessments Smarter Assessment Summative assessments in English and math for grades 3–8 help teachers and parents see how well students are mastering the new standards and moving toward college and career readiness. Optional assessments let teachers check student progress and plan and improve instruction. Full Interim Comprehensive Assessments mirror the year-end assessment and Interim Assessment Blocks focus on smaller sets of related standards.

WHAT MAKES SMARTER ASSESSMENT BETTER?

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org Key improvements over DCAS testing Replaces the traditional multiple choice format with more rigorous and complex questions. Requires students to write short answers, explain their thinking, compose essays and solve problems in very different ways. Includes real-life performance tasks, requiring students to apply knowledge and skills across multiple content standards. 5 Requiring students to increase critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS Asks students to read more complex literary and informational texts across all subjects, not just English. Requires using evidence from texts to answer questions, make inferences and present argumentative essays. FOR MATHEMATICS Requires students to perform more multi-step problems with application to real-world situations. Asks students to explain how they achieved their answers. Key improvements over DCAS testing Requiring students to increase critical thinking and problem-solving skills 6 Key Takeaway These tests are designed to measure the effects of a strong, rich, engaging, varied curriculum that is taught effectively.

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org Sample ELA question — 5th grade 7 A student is writing a narrative for his teacher about a family. Read the draft of the story and complete the task that follows. One day a farmer decided to buy peaches for his three sons. He wondered what they had done with their peaches, so the next day he asked, “Children, what did you do with the peaches I gave you?” “I planted my peach outside,” said the oldest. “That way a peach tree will grow in our yard, and then we will have peaches without having to buy them.” The second said, “I sold my peach so I could get some money to buy something we need.” The last said, “I ate my peach and half of mom’s.” The children waited for the farmer to say something. They started to get a little nervous about what their father was thinking. In one or two paragraphs, write an ending for the narrative that follows naturally from the events in the narrative.

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org Sample math problem — 4th grade 8 Scott is reading a book that has 172 pages. Melanie is reading a book that has three times as many pages as Scott’s book. How many pages does Melanie’s book have? Select all the equations that represent this problem.

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org Accommodations for special needs Supporting English language learners and students with disabilities 9 Provides resources to address visual, auditory, linguistic and physical access barriers. Includes Braille and closed captioning. Contains pop-up glossaries in 10 languages and 4 dialects. Most complete suite of accessibility tools and accommodation resources ever included in K–12 assessments. Key Takeaway Allows all students, including those with disabilities and English language learners, to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org 11 FAQs Computer-adaptive testing customizes the test for each child by adjusting the level of difficulty based on how well the child is answering the questions. Q A What are computer-adaptive assessments? Q A Performance tasks are activities that include questions connected to a single theme or scenario, requiring students to use a deeper depth of knowledge. They are meant to measure level of understanding, writing and research skills, and complex analysis abilities. What are performance tasks?

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org 12 FAQs Governor Jack Markell authorized an “audit” that eliminated unnecessary testing: SAT replaced Smarter in 11 th grade so that students only take one state-level assessment The time devoted to Smarter Assessment is less than 1% of school time. Isn’t there too much time spent on testing in Delaware? Q A The testing delivers meaningful data on their child’s progress toward college and career readiness. It provides important information for improving instruction. How can teachers encourage participation from parents who want to opt-out? Q A Families will receive results – both machine-scored and hand-scored – in July. Statewide scores will be released in July. When will the assessments results be delivered? Q A

WHAT DOES A TYPICAL SCHOOL PLAN LOOK LIKE?

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org 14 Sample District/School Communications Plan APRILMAYJUNEJULYAUGUST Promote DelExcels.org on all district/school communications to provide further information and resources to all audiences Present Chief's Presentation to teachers and supporting school personnel Distribute FAQs to teachers Distribute newsletter to parents to give specific test information and suggest ways they can help prepare their children Host a Parent's Night to answer questions about the new assessments Testing for 3 rd – 8 th graders Tweet about Smarter Assessment, including testing dates, resources, tips to prepare, release of scores and meaning of results Post Facebook updates about Smarter Assessment that provide information on testing dates, resources, tips to prepare, release of scores and meaning of results Distribute Parent Mailer regarding score availability and impact Scores released to families Distribute Newsletter to teachers regarding statewide release of scores Statewide release of scores

Smarter AssessmentLearn more at DelExcels.org 15 Learn more at DelExcels.org