State Science Assessment Updates WERA Conference November, 2017

Welcome! Who is with us today?

Science Assessment Office Staff General e-mail account science@k12.wa.us Dawn Cope — Science Assessment Lead dawn.cope@k12.wa.us Amy Viveiros—Science Assessment Specialist amy.viveiros@k12.wa.us Jessica Cole—Administrative Assistant jessica.cole@k12.wa.us Anton Jackson-Director of Assessment Development anton.jackson@k12.wa.us

Today’s Topics Current Assessments Assessment Resources WCAS Development NGSS 101 WCAS Design and Features

Current Assessments

Why do we have state assessments? The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and state law require that we give a state science assessment once each in elementary, middle, and high school for the purpose of school and district accountability. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) continues those same requirements. November 2016

Every Student Succeeds Act

Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) Washington State 2013 K-12 Science Learning Standards Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Grade 5 Grade 8 Grade 11 3-5 band Middle School band High School band Science K-12 Learning Standards

House Bill 2224 Providing flexibility in high school graduation requirements and supporting student success during the transition to a federal Every Student Succeeds Act-compliant accountability system Revises high school graduation assessment requirements in science, english language arts, mathematics, and provisions governing alternative assessment options Discontinues the Collection of Evidence alternative assessment options Establishes an appeals process for waiving requirements for Certificates of Academic Achievement or Certificates of Individual Achievement for certain students (ELA and Math only) Addresses student interventions and academic supports Establishes new provisions for High School and Beyond plans. Revises or repeals certain accountability-related duties of the State Board of Education

For High School Science… Delays the high school graduation requirement until the class of 2021 Biology EOC is discontinued Graduation alternatives Biology Collection of Evidence is discontinued Other graduation alternatives are delayed until the class of 2021 ACT science score AP, IB test scores GPA Comparison New graduation alternatives for the class of 2021? Locally Administered Assessment

High School Science Assessment 2018+ Grade in 17-18 Class of… Science Assessment 2017-2018 2018-2019 and beyond 12 2018 N/A 11 2019 WCAS for accountability 10 2020 WCAS for accountability in 11th grade (2019) 9 2021 WCAS for accountability in 11th grade (2020) and graduation The MSPs and the Biology EOC will no longer be administered.

2018 Science Test Windows Required for federal and state accountability

Assessment Resources

Science Assessment Webpage

Science Assessment Webpage

Test and Item Specifications Describe how item clusters (stimuli and items) and standalone items for the WCAS are developed to assess the NGSS Contents Structure of the test Item Types Test organization Overview of NGSS Item specifications that Describe how students can demonstrate understanding of the PEs on the state test. The initial test and item specifications documents will be released in December: Grade 5 Front matter + 6 G5 PEs Grade 8 Front matter + 6 G8 PEs Grade 11 Front matter + 6 G11 PEs The PEs will be distributed across domains and grade bands for each grade level. An additional 55-60 individual PE item specifications will be released later this school year, distributed across grade levels and domains. The remainder of the PEs will be released in school year 2018-2019. The Item Specifications will be updated annually based on WA educator feedback. Future item specifications drafts will include modification logs that will be updated at each subsequent publication, based on input from Washington educators.

Performance Expectation

Item Specifcation

Science Training Tests Help students become familiar with the features and tools of online tests. Available on the WCAP portal in December 2017. Grades 5, 8, and high school One cluster (stimuli and items) and one standalone item at each grade All three training tests should be used at each grade level to experience most online item types Classroom instruction should align to the Washington State K–12 Science Learning Standards (NGSS) , not the WCAS.

Formative Assessment Resources Formative assessment resources are available that can help you and your students measure progress toward learning the Science K-12 Learning Standards as assessed on the WCAS STEM Teaching Tools website Includes tools that can help teach science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and is currently focused on supporting the teaching of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Each tool is focused on a specific issue and leverages the best knowledge from research and practice. Recommended tools: Prompts for Integrating Crosscutting Concepts Into Assessment and Instruction Integrating Science Practices Into Assessment Tasks How can formative assessment support culturally responsive argumentation in a classroom community? How can assessments be designed to engage students in the range of science and engineering practices? Steps to Designing a Three Dimensional Assessment

WCAS Development

Goals for WCAS Design an assessment that reflects how science content is taught and tested in the classroom. Use WA educators in assessment development. Develop high quality item clusters and standalone items that achieve alignment to the SEPs, DCIs, CCCs represented in a PE or PE bundle. Design an assessment that allows for valid and reliable inferences to be drawn from the results. Design an assessment that ensures the fair and accurate assessment of students in special populations.

Science Assessment Development Cycle

Educator Work Group Descriptions (2) Item Cluster Writing Workgroup: Teams of 2-3 educators write stimuli, items, and rubrics designed to validly measure student understanding of the NGSS. (4) Content Review Workgroup: Educators review the products of the Item Cluster Writing Workgroup to ensure that every stimulus, item, and rubric is scientifically accurate and gathers appropriate evidence about student skill with the NGSS. At the same time, a separate committee of community members reviews the items and stimuli for any bias and sensitivity issues. Recommendations from the Bias/Sensitivity Review Workgroup are considered by the Content Review Workgroup. (6) Field Test Rangefinding and Rubric Validation Workgroups: Educators look at a range of student responses to each item and decide how to score each response. This educator workgroup refines scoring rubrics and produces the materials that will be used to score the field test items. (8) Content Review with Data Workgroup: Educators use item performance data, as well as members’ science content knowledge, to decide whether each item should advance into the item bank.

Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities Event Timing Item Cluster Writing* Spring 2018 Content Review* Summer 2018 Field Test Range Finding and Rubric Validation* Content Review with Data* Fall 2018 Achievement Level Descriptor Development* November 2017 Contrasting Groups Study* Early Spring 2018 Alignment Study* Achievement Level Setting* August 2018* Science test scores will be released slightly later than usual in fall 2018 due to Achievement Level Setting.

Stay informed and get involved Sign up for GovDelivery messages Go to the Subscribe page for GovDelivery. Enter your email address. On the Subscriptions page, select Content Areas > Science, then select the grade band(s) for which you would like to receive information. Check calendar posted at: Professional Development calendar

NGSS 101

NGSS Resources Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) NGSS Appendices The K–12 Framework for Science Education

Performance Expectations per Grade Band Each Performance Expectation (PE) includes a Science and Engineering Practice, a Disciplinary Core Idea, and a Cross-cutting Concept

NGSS Performance Expectation

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematics and computational thinking Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) Engaging in argument from evidence Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information Physical Sciences PS1 Matter and Its Interactions PS2 Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions PS3 Energy PS4 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer Life Sciences LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics LS3 Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits LS4  Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity Earth and Space Sciences ESS1 Earth’s Place in the Universe ESS2 Earth’s Systems ESS3 Earth and Human Activity   Engineering, Technology, & Application of Science ETS1 Engineering Design Patterns Cause and effect Scale, proportion, and quantity Systems and system models Energy and matter Structure and function Stability and change Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts

Cluster Map

Cluster Development Process PE Bundle Cluster Development Process Phenomenon Observation that needs an explanation Context Idea/setting/background/situation related to the phenomenon that can be further developed into a stimulus Stimulus Includes data sets, graphs, tables, descriptive observations, models, and/or descriptions of investigations that can be interspersed among items to add information as needed.

WCAS Design and Features

Structure and Test Length Operational Grades 5 and 8: 5 Clusters and 6-12 Standalones High School: 6 Clusters and 6-12 standalones Counts toward a student’s score Field test items Embedded in the online administration One cluster and/or standalone items Does not count toward a student score All items are aligned to 2 or 3 dimensions of a PE Test Length Grade 5: 90 minutes Grade 8: 110 minutes Grade 11: 120 minutes Administration Can be administered in multiple sessions like the Smarter Balanced ELA and Math assessments 1 to 3 sessions recommended

WCAS Point Totals: Spring 2018 Claim Grade 5 Grade 8 Grade 11 Application of Science and Engineering Practice and Cross-Cutting Concepts in Physical Sciences 17 Performance Expectations 40 % ~14 pts 19 Performance Expectations 35 % 24 Performance Expectations 36 % ~16 pts Application of Science and Engineering Practice and Cross-Cutting Concepts in Life Sciences 12 Performance Expectations 29 % ~10 pts 21 Performance Expectations 38 % ~15 pts Application of Science and Engineering Practice and Cross-Cutting Concepts in Earth and Space Sciences 13 Performance Expectations 31 % ~11 pts 15 Performance Expectations 27 % 28 % ~13 pts Total Points 35 40 45 WCAS Point Totals: Spring 2018 ETS PEs assessed but not included here.

WCAS Features All online For clusters, one or more stimuli on left side of screen, items on the right side Item Types: Selected Response—multiple choice, multiple select Constructed Response—short answer Technology enhanced—ex: drag and drop, drop-down choices, simulations Multi-part items Parts labeled with letters A, B, and C. May have a mix of item types. Parts work together. May ask for evidence to support answer in previous part of the item.

Sample Screenshot from the WA Smarter Balanced ELA 6-8 Training Test

New WCAS Features Collapsing stimuli Locking items First stimulus is hidden when second stimulus is provided. Both stimuli are available to the student. Locking items Student can answer the question only once. Allows subsequent questions to update with correct information. An “attention” box warns student that they won’t be able to change their answer.

Standalone Items Allow more PEs to be assessed on a test Must be 2 or 3 dimensional Can have multiple parts Computer scored item types only

Learning and Teaching Science Ellen Ebert, Director Ellen.Ebert@k12.wa.us Amber McCullough, K-12 Science Specialist Amber.McCullough@k12.wa.us Rochelle Gandoor-Rood, Program Supervisor Environmental and Sustainability Education Rochelle.GandoorRood@k12.wa.us

Thank you!