Testing Information 2016-2017 PTA Presentation November 3, 2016

Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) The KRA provides a framework to assess what kindergarten students should know and be able to do when they enter kindergarten to ensure they are ready to learn. It provides data that teachers can use to individually instruct students and ensure quality early learning opportunities for children by building on the strengths of every child. September 1 – 30, 2016

Primary Reading Assessment – Grades Pre-K – 2 An assessment tool designed to help teachers determine a student’s reading performance in terms of meeting benchmarks. Fall September 9 – October 11 Winter January 3 – February 1 Spring May 4 – May 31

MAP-P Measurement of Academic Progress for Primary Grades Gr. K-2 A computer-adaptive achievement test which assesses student’s skill level on different math concepts. Measures academic growth over time. Administered to grades K-2 in the fall, winter, and spring. MAP-P results identify the skills and concepts students have learned and diagnose instructional needs. Fall Window September 6 – October 28 Winter Window January 9 – March 3 Spring Window April 3 – June 9

MAP-R and MAP-M Measures of Academic Progress Assessment in Reading & Math Gr. 3-5 A computer-adaptive achievement test which assesses to student’s skill level in the different reading and mathematics achievement areas. Measures academic growth over time. Administered to grades 3-5 in the fall, winter, and spring. MAP-R and MAP-M results identify the skills and concepts students have learned and diagnose instructional needs. Schools can use this info to implement interventions to increase the likelihood of students’ scoring proficient or advanced on PARCC. Fall Window September 6 – October 28 Winter Window January 9 – March 3 Spring Window April 3 – June 9

Gifted & Talented Grade 2 Global Screening New Student Screening Gr The purpose of Global Screening is to: Recognize those students whose performance, motivation, or potential ability indicates the needs for accelerated and enriched instruction. Match student strengths with instruction and programs that will support and extend these strengths. 5 subtests administered: Sequencing, Analogies, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning (Words & Context) In View November 30– December 13, 2016

Gifted & Talented Rescreening (GR 3-5) Take another look at a student who has already been screened. Recognize those students whose performance, motivation, or potential ability indicates the needs for accelerated and enriched instruction. Match student strengths with instruction and programs that will support and extend these strengths. 5 subtests administered: Sequencing, Analogies, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning (Words & Context) In View November 30– December 13, 2016

MISA SCIENCE – Grade 5 Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) is administered to all students in fifth and eighth grade in the spring. It is made up of four “units.” In each of the first three units, students will read information about three separate phenomena and answer questions about each. One question will be a constructed response question, and the other questions will be a combination of multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and other technology-enabled item types. The fourth unit will be an extended phenomenon that may include a simulation. MISA Science Grade 5 March 13 – 31, 2017 (Online)

Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) The PARCC assessments are aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and will measure the essential literacy and problem-solving skills that students need to be successful in college and careers. PARCC will test writing skills and critical thinking and problem solving skills in depth. These critical thinking skills are an integral part of the MCPS Curriculum 2.0. PARCC Performance Based Assessment English/Language Arts/Literacy and Math (0nline) Grades 3-6 May 1 – June 2, 2017 June 5 – 9, 2017 (make-ups)

PARCC Testing Schedule DRAFT!!! PARCC English/Language Arts Grades 3 & 4 May 1 – 2, 2017 Grade 5 May 3 & 5, 2017 PARCC Mathematics Grade 3 May 8 – 9, 2017 Grade 4 May 9 – 10, 2017 Grade 5 May 10 & 12, 2017 PARCC Make-Up Tests June 5 - 9, 201 MISA Science Grade 5 March 13 & 15, 2017 March 13 – 31, 2017(Online)

PARTNERSHIP FOR ASSESSMENT OF READINESS FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS (PARCC) PARCC is an alliance of states working together to develop common assessments serving approximately 23 million students. PARCC’s work is funded through a four-year, $185 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Partners include about 200 higher education institutions and systems representing hundreds of campuses across the country that will help develop the high school component of the new assessment – and then put it to good use as an indicator of student readiness. PARCC is led by its member states and managed by Achieve Inc., a nonprofit group with a 15-year track record of working with states to improve student achievement by aligning K-12 education policies with the expectations of employers and the postsecondary community. PARCC’s ultimate goal is to ensure all students graduate from high school college- and career-ready.

The PARCC summative assessments in English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy and Mathematics will include a rich set of performance-based tasks which will enable teachers, schools, students and their parents to gain important insights into how well critical knowledge, skills and abilities essential for young people to thrive in college and careers are being mastered.

In order to promote improvements in curriculum and instruction and support various forms of accountability, the PARCC assessments are designed to measure the full range of the CCSS and full continuum of student abilities, including the performance of high and underperforming students. To effectively carry out the PARCC design, assessments in both content areas will be administered in two components: A performance-based assessment component, administered after 90% of the school year

PARCC ELA/Literacy Assessments The ELA/Literacy assessment at each grade level will include 4-5 texts, both literary and informational (including social science/historical, scientific, and technical texts at grades 6-11). A number of short-answer comprehension and vocabulary questions will also be associated with each text. Further delineation in what is being measured is indicated by the following six sub-claims: (1) Vocabulary, Interpretation, and Use (RL/RI.X.4 and L.X.4-6) a. Students use context to determine the meaning of words and phrases (2) Reading Literature (RL.X.1-10) a. Students demonstrate comprehension and draw evidence from readings of grade-level, complex literary text. (3) Reading Informational Text (RI.X.1-10) a. Students demonstrate comprehension and draw evidence from readings of grade-level, complex informational texts. (4) Written Expression (W.X.1-10) a. Students produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience. (5) Conventions and Knowledge of Language (L.X.1-3) a. Students demonstrate knowledge of conventions and other important elements of language. (6) Research (data taken from Research Simulation Task) a. Students build and present knowledge through integration, comparison, and synthesis of ideas. Results of the ELA/Literacy assessments will be reported in three major categories: (1) ELA/Literacy; (2) reading and comprehending a range of sufficiently complex texts independently (reading) and (3) writing effectively when using and/or analyzing sources (writing). ELA/Literacy results will be based on a composite of students’ reading and writing scores. Students will receive both a scale score and performance level scores for ELA/Literacy, and scale scores for the reading and writing categories. PARCC Mathematics Assessments The mathematics PBAs at each grade level will include both short- and extended-response questions focused on applying skills and concepts to solve problems that require demonstration of the mathematical practices with a focus on modeling, reasoning, and precision. The mathematics EOY assessments will be comprised primarily of short-answer questions focused on conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and application. The claims listed below are the claims that drive the design of the PARCC Mathematics Assessment. Master Claim: On Track for College and Career Readiness; the degree to which a student is college- and career-ready (or, on-track to being ready) in mathematics. The student solves grade-level/course-level problems in mathematics as set forth in the Standards for Mathematical Content with connections to the Standards for Mathematical Practice.  Sub Claim A: Major Content with Connections to Practices. The student solves problems involving the Major Content for her grade/course with connections to the Standards for Mathematical Practice.  Sub Claim B: Additional and Supporting Content with Connections to Practices. The student solves problems involving the Additional and Supporting Content for her grade/course with connections to the Standards for Mathematical Practice.  Sub Claim C: Highlighted Practices MP.3, 6 with Connections to Content: expressing mathematical reasoning. The student expresses grade/course-level appropriate mathematical reasoning by constructing viable arguments, critiquing the reasoning of others and/or attending to precision when making mathematical statements.  Sub Claim D: Highlighted Practice MP.4 with Connections to Content: modeling/application. The student solves

PARCC Mathematics Assessments The mathematics PARCC math assessments at each grade level will include both short- and extended-response questions focused on applying skills and concepts to solve problems that require demonstration of the mathematical practices with a focus on modeling, reasoning, and precision. The assessment will focus on conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and application. Discuss Field Testing One class at SMES was chosen to take PARCC Math That class will take PARCC Math and not MSA Math Paper-pencil format for this year only PBA & EOY assessments will be taken

WIDA (Worldclass Instructional Design & Assessment) ACCESS for ELL Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)legislation, states must measure the development of the English language proficiency skills of their English language learners (ELL) in grades K-12 on an annual basis within the domains of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Members of the WIDA Consortium use ACCESS of ELLs to fulfill the requirement. Therefore, the primary purpose of ACCESS for ELLs is to measure English proficiency growth tied to the criteria of the WIDA Consortium’s English language Proficiency Standards, which are aligned to the academic content area standards of every WIDA state. January 9 – February 15, 2017 Make – up dates: February 16 – March 3, 2017

Testing and Programming Gifted & Talented 2016-2017 Testing and Programming

Fall 2016 The GT Screening Process Magnet and Choice Programs Grade 5 Applications mailed to all 5th grade students in September 2016. Parent Meetings held October 2016. Deadline for applications was November 4, 2016. Magnet testing is December 3, 2016 (see application or MCPS website for details about location). Recommendations due to MCPS office by December 9, 2016. Dec. 6 Magnet testing at Clemente MS and Takoma Park MS

Highly Gifted Center Grade 4 & 5 MCPS sent applications to all Grade 3 homes in September 2016. Parents return applications directly to DCCAPS – NO applications accepted after November 4, 2016. GT Committee & Grade 3 meet to complete school recommendation and teacher surveys December 2016. Student Folders due in DCCAPS by December 9, 2016. Testing for HGC will be in January, 2017 @ SMES. Decisions made March 17, 2017. HGC Open Houses – last week in March, 2016. Deadline for accepting decisions – week after Open Houses DCCAPS = Division of Consortia Choice and Application Program Services

What are the traits of students who are successful in the Center Program for the Highly Gifted? Students who have been successful in the program come from diverse backgrounds and share the following traits: • academic performance well above grade level in one or more areas • exceptional abstract reasoning skills • continual curiosity and motivation to learn • unusual creativity • unusual commitment, persistence, and independence

InView Test: November 30 – December 13, 2016 Gifted & Talented Grade 2 Global Screening New Student Screening Gr. 3-5 InView Test: November 30 – December 13, 2016 Parent, Teacher and Staff Surveys GT Committee decisions in May 2017 Parents notified about decisions by June 2, 2017.

Gifted & Talented Rescreening (GR 3-5) Take another look at a student who has already been screened. Recognize those students whose performance, motivation, or potential ability indicates the needs for accelerated and enriched instruction. Match student strengths with instruction and programs that will support and extend these strengths. 5 subtests administered: Sequencing, Analogies, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning (Words & Context) InView November 30 – December 13, 2016

Why do we screen the students? Screen students to : Recognize students whose performance, motivation, or potential ability indicates the need for accelerated and enriched instruction. Match student strengths with instruction and programs that will support and extend these strengths.

Multiple Criteria for GT Identification Parent Survey Teacher Survey Staff Advocacy Reading and Math Levels InView― 5 subtests administered: Sequencing, Analogies, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning (Words & Context) Additional information

GT Committee Includes school administrator, classroom teachers, and other staff in the building, such as ESOL teacher, resource teacher, reading teacher, counselor Collects and analyzes student data Makes recommendations about instruction based on data Makes decisions about identification based on data

Rigorous Programming at Every School Instructional Service Options Mathematics Curriculum 2.0 with enrichment and acceleration Reading/Language Arts Jacob’s Ladder William and Mary Junior Great Books Above level texts

It is not about a label. It is about… Access to opportunity ― no gatekeeping, no barriers Equity in high expectations for all students Quality of a challenging instructional program Access + Equity + Quality = Success

Gender Myths Nature (gender) determines a person’s cognitive strengths or weaknesses. Boys are better at math and science. Girls are better at reading and writing. Time to Change A growing number of scientists are challenging the pseudo-science of “neurosexism”, as they call it, and are raising concerns about its implications. These researchers argue that by telling parents that boys have poor chances of acquiring good verbal skills and girls have little prospect of developing mathematical prowess, serious and unjustified obstacles are being placed in the paths of children’s education.

Let’s Get it Straight… Children don’t inherit intellectual differences. They learn them. They are a result of what we expect a boy or a girl to be. Boys develop improved spatial skills not because of an innate superiority but because they are expected and are encouraged to be strong in sports, which requires expertise in catching and throwing. Similarly, it is anticipated that girls will be more emotional and talkative, and so their verbal skills are emphasized by teachers and parents.

Girls and Fixed Mindset Bright girls believe that their abilities are innate and unchangeable, while bright boys believe they can develop ability through effort and practice. -Heide Grant Halvorson PH.D What Can We Do? Give specific praise – especially in a challenging situation. Praise a strategy (“You found a good way to do it.”) Praise with specificity (“You seem to really understand fractions.”) Praise effort (“I can tell you’ve been practicing.”)

Tips for Easing Test Anxiety

1. Reassure your child Tell your child that the test will be used to evaluate how well a school or school district is educating its students. It's important for kids to have a sense of the broader context.

2. Put the test in perspective Explain that test scores are looked at along with many other pieces of information in determining your child's achievement level. Threir grades and progress over time, for example, are also very important. This may be a big test, but it is still just one test!

3. Take a deep breath If your child is a very nervous test taker, have them do deep breathing exercises before the test. They can take a deep breath and count to ten. Then have them take shorter deep breaths in between passages or sections of the test -- counting to three only. This exercise is fast and simple, but it really works!

remind your child to relax and do his/her best! Finally… remind your child to relax and do his/her best!