Shifting the Focus of Assessments: From Driving to Informing Instruction Winter GACIS Conference December 2016 Melissa Fincher, Ph.D. Deputy Superintendent, Assessment & Accountability mfincher@doe.k12.ga.us

Assessment & Accountability The primary purpose of school is teaching and learning. The content standards and professional practice (pedagogy) drive instruction. Assessment and accountability plays an important role, but importantly – that role is supporting, with the primary focus being teaching and learning.

Informing Instruction Testing should not be isolated from instruction Georgia Milestones is a summative assessment Takes place after instruction Designed to certify instruction took place Designed to inform instructional practice and reflection Resources to Support Connections to Instruction Formative Instructional Practices (FIP) Georgia Online Formative Assessment Resource (GOFAR) Assessment Guides Item Samplers

Formative Instructional Practices

FIP Foundations Series 1. Introducing Formative Instructional Practices Creating and Using Clear Learning Targets Collecting and Documenting Evidence of Student Learning Using Evidence and Feedback to Increase Learning Fostering Student Ownership of Learning Leading Formative Instructional Practices

Creating Clear Learning Targets Series and Reaching Every Student Series Creating Clear Learning Targets for ELA in Elementary School Creating Clear Learning Targets for ELA in Middle School Creating Clear Learning Targets for ELA in High School Creating Clear Learning Targets for Math in Elementary School Creating Clear Learning Targets for Math in Middle School Creating Clear Learning Targets for Math in High School Non-Core:  Creating Clear Learning Targets in Physical Education Reaching Every Student Courses Formative Instructional Practices: Reaching Students with Disabilities Formative Instructional Practices: Reaching English Language Learners Formative Instructional Practices: Reaching Gifted Students

Designing Sound Assessment Series Designing Sound Assessments Overview Creating and Using Rubrics Creating and Using Master Rubrics Creating and Using Assessment Blueprints Creating and Using Written Response Assessments Creating and Using Verbal Response Assessments Creating and Using Performance Assessments Creating and Using Selected Response Assessments Designing and Critiquing Sound Assessments: Putting the Pieces Together Stand-alone Course: Implementing Evidenced-Based Grading

Making Sense of Georgia Milestones

Assessment Foundations Assessment is the systematic observation and evaluation of student performance. In simple words, assessment helps answer the following questions: Do students know? Can students do? How well do students know and can do? What do students not know? All assessments rely on a relatively small number of exercises to permit the user to draw inferences about a student’s mastery of larger domains of knowledge and skill.

Assessment Foundations Bottom Line What we assess, how we assess, and how we communicate the results sends a clear message to students about what is worth learning, how it should be learned, what elements of quality are most important, and how well we expect them to perform/achievement. This applies across all types and forms of assessment – from classroom quizzes to state-mandated.

Assessment Foundations Comprehensive Assessment System a coordinated and articulated system of multiple assessments sometimes also referred to as a balanced assessment system Components of a Comprehensive Assessment System Formative: takes place during instruction to provide feedback to teaching and learning; used by both students and teachers Interim: takes place after a sequence of instruction to evaluate students’ knowledge and skills relative to a specific set of academic goals, typically within a limited timeframe; typically used to report at a broader level than formative assessments Summative: take place at the end of instruction to certify mastery or assign grades; typically used for accountability

Assessment Foundations Criterion-Referenced Test Norm-Referenced Test

Criterion Referenced Test Achievement Standard Student Has the student mastered the content and skills? How well has the student mastered?

Representative Sample Norm Referenced Test Comparison Score How does the student’s performance compare to his/her peers? National Sample Population Representative Sample Student

Observations and Trends

General Observations These observations apply to both multiple-choice and open-ended items. Too often, students do not answer the question asked. Too often, students answer one part of a multi-part question. Perfection is not expected or required. Students more adept at recalling details rather than making inferences (CRCT vs GA Milestones). Review noteworthy trends from previous presentations.

Grade 3 English Language Arts Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 4 English Language Arts Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 5 English Language Arts Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 6 English Language Arts Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 7 English Language Arts Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 8 English Language Arts Constructed Response 2 Point Items

9th Grade Literature & Composition Constructed Response 2 Point Items

American Literature & Composition Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 3 Mathematics Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 4 Mathematics Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 5 Mathematics Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 6 Mathematics Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 7 Mathematics Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 8 Mathematics Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Coordinate Algebra Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Analytic Geometry Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Algebra I Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Geometry Constructed Response 2 Point Items

Grade 3 Mathematics Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Grade 4 Mathematics Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Grade 5 Mathematics Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Grade 6 Mathematics Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Grade 7 Mathematics Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Grade 8 Mathematics Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Coordinate Algebra Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Analytic Geometry Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Algebra I Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Geometry Constructed Response 4 Point Items

Domain Signals All Content Areas Remediate Learning Monitor Learning Accelerate Learning Domain Performance: What is the likelihood the student would achieve proficiency on the test given his/her performance in the domain? Domain performance is reported in terms of the Proficient Learner achievement level.

What’s Ahead? 2016-2017

Georgia’s Student Assessment Landscape: 2016 -2017 Grade # State Tests Test/Content Area K 1 GKIDS 3 2 GM EOG: ELA and Math 4 5 GM EOG: ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies 6 7 8 High School 7 or 8 GM EOC: 9th Grade Lit; American Lit; Coordinate Algebra or Algebra I; Analytic Geometry or Geometry; Physical Science*; Biology; US History; Economics *High school students may take either Physical Science or Physics; there is no EOC for Physics.

Required of All Students Testing Rule Amended Testing Rule amendment ‘exempts’ Dual Enrollment/MOWR students from the EOC other than those required by ESSA for accountability. To ensure high schools are not negatively impacted, use the college-issued course grade in the CCRPI for remaining EOC-related courses. Required of All Students Allowed Exemption 9th Grade Literature American Literature Coordinate Algebra / Algebra I Physical Science Analytic Geometry / Geometry US History Biology Economics SBOE Rule 160-3-1-.07 TESTING PROGRAMS – STUDENT ASSESSMENT

Reading & Evidenced Based Writing Spring 2017 Beginning in Spring 2017, students will take the 5- question section of the ELA test that contains the extended writing prompt on day 1 of testing. Within this section, students read two short passages, answer 3 multiple- choice and 1 constructed-response items, and then answer an extended- writing prompt. The structure of this section remains the same – only it’s order in the administration is being considered. This decision was made based on feedback as well as to allow additional time for scoring. Remember: Four of the items contribute to the Reading and Vocabulary domain, with only the extended writing task contributing to the Writing and Language domain.

Spring 2017 Technology Enhanced (TE) Items As planned and communicated, TE items will be included on the 2016-2017 operational forms in ELA and Mathematics these include multi-part/multi-select items examples are included as part of the Experience Online Testing website Assessment Guides are being updated TE items will be field tested in Science and Social Studies (grades 5 and 8 and EOC)

Technology Enhanced Items English Language Arts Evidence-Based Selected-Response (EBSR) items Mathematics Multiple-select items Multi-part/multi-select items

Benefits of TE Items Provides scaffolding for multi-step responses Meets demands of new standards for analysis Provides evidence of close reading/mathematical processes Encourages deeper instruction

On the Horizon… Validate College-Readiness Signal Accuplacer linking study Revise Georgia Alternate Assessment Revise GKIDS, incorporating the GKIDS Readiness Check Develop grades 1 and 2 literacy/numeracy formatives

Questions & Answers GaDOE Customer Service Survey: http://gadoe.org/surveys/AsAc-H8PBVZM