Kindergarten through Third Grade Assessment Welcome! This webinar will begin at 3:30. While you are waiting, please: –mute your sound –locate the question box in the webinar task panel on the right side of your screen If you have a question during the webinar, please: –use the question box to post your question. Questions will be answered via Q&A that will be posted on the K-3 Assessment wiki. This presentation & other resources are available on the NCDPI K-3 Assessment wiki:

Kindergarten through Third Grade Assessment Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge Grant North Carolina Department of Public Instruction Office of Early Learning May 2013

Welcome & Introductions

Who’s out there?

Polling Directions

Today’s Goals Become aware of the K-3 Assessment development process Learn of recent activities related to the K-3 development process Learn about upcoming opportunities for stakeholder involvement

If you have a question…

NCDPI K-3 Assessment Wiki

K-3 Assessment Project Overview

Why?

Meeting the Needs of All Children

Race to the Top-- Early Learning Challenge Grant

From NC Session Law C-83.1E. Developmental screening and kindergarten entry assessment. –Shall address the five domains of readiness –Administered at the classroom level –Aligned to ELDS and NCSCOS –Reliable, valid and appropriate –Shall be used to inform entry status, instruction, reduction in achievement gap, and the early childhood system –Completed within 60 days of enrollment

From NC Session Law C Components of the testing program. –Assessment Instruments for K-3 The State Board of Education shall develop, adopt, and provide developmentally appropriate individualized assessment instruments for Kindergarten through Third Grade. LEAs shall use these assessment instruments… to assess progress, diagnose difficulties, & inform instruction and remediation needs

What?

Get Ready to Poll!

The K-3 Assessment will be... A.benchmark B.summative C.formative D.all of the above E.none of the above

K-3 Assessment Vision Formative Assessment –A process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to help students improve their achievement of intended instructional outcomes. CCSSO, FAST SCASS, 2008

Formative Assessment The K-3 Assessment: –will be used by both teachers and students. –will be ongoing. –will be embedded in daily instruction. –will gather information using multiple means. E.g., observations, conversations, work samples, tasks, etc. –will include data from multiple sources. Teachers & Support Staff Families Community Members (e.g., pediatricians)

Frequently Asked Question What is the purpose of the K-3 Assessment?

Q: What is the purpose of the K-3 Assessment? A: Support teachers’ efforts to improve the experiences & outcomes for students –provide a more complete picture of the whole child –provide data to inform daily instructional practices –provides information to students about their own learning

Get Ready to Poll!

Which of the following statements about the K-3 Assessment is TRUE? A.It will include a separate Kindergarten Entry Assessment. B.It does not include a Kindergarten Entry Assessment. C.It includes a Kindergarten Entry Assessment Process.

K-3 Assessment Vision The K-3 Assessment: –will include a Kindergarten Entry Assessment Process will generate a Child Profile –will be completed within 60 days of entry –will address requirements for screening for Reading & Mathematics will be the initial administration of K-3 Assessment

Get Ready to Poll!

Which statement is TRUE? A.It is not intended for use with Dual Language Learners. B.It will be accessible to the greatest number of children. C.It will be used to evaluate intervention and support programs.

The K-3 Assessment: must be constructed in accordance with the principles of Universal Design will be accessible to, valid, and appropriate for the greatest number of children. will be developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate will provide information about children with high needs to inform support programs may still need accommodations for children with disabilities, but this need should be minimized

Get Ready to Poll!

The K-3 Assessment will be designed to… A.determine teacher effectiveness B.evaluate preschool programs C.determine readiness for kindergarten entry D.all of the above E.none of the above

Guiding Principles Rather than determine teacher effectiveness, it will support teacher effectiveness by: –informing targeted professional development in multiple content areas –promoting reflective practice –encouraging collaborative decision making

Guiding Principles Rather than evaluating preschool programs, it will inform additional supports for preschool programs & teachers –Funding –Professional development –Policy development

Guiding Principles Rather than determining readiness for kindergarten entry, the data collected will: –provide a better picture of the whole child as they enter Kindergarten –support instruction –help schools be more ready for children entering Kindergarten

Guiding Principles The K-3 assessment will include safeguards to prevent misuse of information in decisions made about individual students: –Examples eligibility for kindergarten retention decisions

Frequently Asked Question Will this assessment be used to evaluate teachers (Standard 6)?

Q: Will this assessment be used to evaluate teachers (Standard 6)? A: The K-3 Assessment will not be used for high-stakes purposes –Guiding Principles #11 The K-3 will not be used for accountability or high-stakes purposes (e.g., to evaluate teachers or early learning programs). #13 The K-3 Assessment will include careful safeguards to prevent misuse of the information in decisions made about individual children.

Get Ready to Poll!

The K-3 Assessment will only assess mathematics and reading. A.True B.False

K-3 Assessment Vision The K-3 assessment will recognize the importance of all Five Domains of Learning –Approaches to Learning –Cognitive Development –Emotional & Social Development –Health & Physical Development –Language & Communication Development

The K-3 Assessment will: address the integrated nature of learning and development align with: –the NC Standard Course of Study (Common Core State Standards & Essential Standards) –the NC Early Learning and Development Standards

Frequently Asked Question What is the connection between the upcoming K-3 Assessment and mClass Reading 3D?

In Summary The K-3 Assessment: includes Kindergarten through Third Grade addresses 5 domains of learning & development formative in nature embedded in daily instruction guides planning & instructional practices collects data in multiple ways is not used to make high-stakes accountability decisions informs early grades reform

How?

K-3 Assessment Work Structures Think Tank –Researchers, scholars, practitioners, policy makers & consultants –Visionary Sparks revolutionary thinking Imagines the possibilities Generates claims identifying the big ideas Makes recommendations

Assessment Design Team –Educators, families, IHE, content specialists, psychometrician(s), DPI staff, consultants –Assessment Development Work Groups Analyze input from various stakeholders Operationalize the Think Tank Recommendations Create assessment Make revisions based on input & feedback K-3 Assessment Work Structures

Implementation Design Team –educators, families, administrators, external partners/stakeholders, consultants, DPI staff –Implementers Establish State Implementation Capacity Guide Scalability and Sustainability Focus on organization and system change –State –Region –District K-3 Assessment Work Structures

When?

Our Proposed Timeline TaskTimeline K-3 Assessment Design & DevelopmentSpring 2013 – Summer 2014 Initial Implementation (Usability Testing)Fall 2014 – Spring 2015 Statewide ImplementationSummer 2015 – ongoing

K-3 Assessment Updates

Recent Activities

Updates Stakeholder Input –Kindergarten Survey –Focus Sessions CCSA Conference Smart Start Conference

Updates Think Tank –Development of Claims for the five domains of learning and development Broad statements that identify the knowledge, abilities, and approaches –Includes a rationale, standards addressed, formative assessment means, considerations for accessibility and accommodations

Updates Planning Phase for Assessment Design Team Phase –Developing Claims –Identifying content experts –Recruiting national expertise –Defining work structures –Identifying & creating resources for this team

Updates Potential Multi-State Consortium –In response to a newly released RFP by US Department of Education –NC approached by BUILD to lead consortium due to K-3 Vision –Multi-State Conversations

Upcoming Opportunities for Working Together

Focus Groups FirstSchool –August 2, 2013 Principals –Fall, 2013 Prek-3 rd Grade Teachers –September/October, 2013

Webinars Semi-Monthly -July 25, :30-4:30 pm

Focus Sessions NCDPI Regional Summer Institutes –July 8 – 19, 2013 NCaeyc Conference –Sept 12-14, 2013 NCAEE Conference –October 20-22, 2013

Other Future Opportunities Parent Focus Groups Charter School Involvement Surveys Assessment Design Team Implementation Design Team

NCDPI K-3 Assessment Wiki

Questions… Q&A –Questions and answers will be posted on the K- 3 Assessment wiki.

Office of Early Learning Listserv

Jami GrahamLeslie Simmons Catherine Woodall Darlene Germano Cynthia Dewey Karen Lounsbury Nancy Costello Erika Beattie Regional Consultant first name.last

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