Moving Forward With Assessment and Accountability August 2011

Thinking About Assessment and Accountability

Student Assessment-SB1 A new assessment system, based on the revised content standards, will be adopted by the KBE and implemented beginning in This new system will replace the current Commonwealth Assessment Testing System (CATS). KBE will adopt an interim assessment system for (three school years). The new assessment system will be used to measure students, schools and districts achievement in all content areas, through student tests and program reviews and audits. The new tests will be valid and reliable to measure individual student achievement, providing diagnostic and longitudinal information about each student. Test results will allow comparisons to national norms and other states. Writing, the arts and humanities, and practical living and career studies will be assessed through local and state program reviews and program audits. Tests will take place during the last 14 days of school and take no more than five days. Results reported no later than 75 days following the first day of assessment. KBE must adopt regulations prohibiting inappropriate test prep activities. KBE must study alignment of NRTs with the revised content standards. If they are aligned, KBE may reduce CRTs

Primary… Senate Bill 1 mandates that schools measure the reading and mathematics readiness of primary students beginning in the school year. KRS (9) Assessment of primary students should always reflect best practice. This means that the assessment is administered by familiar adults who are adequately trained in the implementation of the developmentally appropriate assessment tool / protocol / process. The purpose of a diagnostic assessment as outlined in Senate Bill 1 is “to inform teachers, parents (guardians) of each student’s skill level.” Within this context, use of prompts in addition to the assessment is permissible to determine accurate skill levels of students. The assessment results are then used to determine individualized, instructional needs of the students and used to plan instruction.

Components of Primary Diagnostic Testing. Assessments should be research-based, developmentally appropriate, reliable and valid. Developmentally appropriate Reliable Valid There should be a variety of ways for children to demonstrate knowledge and skills across multiple data points and sources. Assessments should be aligned with reading and math standards. Assessments should be sensitive to and appropriate for differing cultures and needs.

K-PREP “The New Assessment” The new assessments in Grades 3-8 will be called Kentucky Performance Rating for Educational Progress. K-PREP

K-PREP Grades 3-8 (State Test) Vender is NCS Pearson S ubjects and Grades Reading (3-8) Math (3-8) Science (4,7) Social Studies (5,8) Writing (5,6,8) Writing Mechanics (4,6) * Norm-Referenced Test (NRT) portion is the Stanford Achievement Series (Stanford 10).

Grades 3-8 (Continued) Format Paper/Pencil Multiple Choice and Constructed Response CR items may be 2 points (short answer) or 4 points (open response) items. On-Demand Writing assessments use passage-based and situational prompts. Resources Ky. Core Academic Standards (English/Language Arts & Math Kentucky Model Curriculum Frameworks Kentucky Core Content for Assessment Kentucky Program of Studies Core Content for Assessment Pearson Materials

K-PREP Assessments District will administer K-PREP assessments within a five-day testing window during the last 14 days of the district’s instructional calendar. The assessment swill be administered in a paper and pencil format. Schools will receive both individual student and school-based reports. Reports will include national percentile scores from the NRT portion of the test as well as Novice, Apprentice, Proficient and Distinguished student performance levels from a combined NRT and CRT items.

What EOC Assessments Are Required? ACT QualityCore English II Algebra II Biology U.S. History  These courses are graduation requirements.

Alternate Assessment Alternate Assessment Plan (standards and assessment design) was released on May 16 through a Special Alternate Assessment sent to district assessment coordinators. Alternate Assessment teachers encouraged to access the 6 standards for reading, math, and writing and incorporate them into instruction beginning Fall of Standards assessed in science and social studies will continue to follow core content 4.1

ACCOMMODATION DISCUSSIONS Changes recommended include: eliminate readers on the reading test, prohibit prompting/cueing for all students, and remove assistive technology and student- generated glossaries for English learners. The Kentucky Board of Education is expected to discuss this topic in October 2011.

ACCOMMODATION DISCUSSIONS Changes recommended include: eliminate readers on the reading test, prohibit prompting/cueing for all students, and remove assistive technology and student- generated glossaries for English learners. The Kentucky Board of Education is expected to discuss this topic in October 2011.

Program Review 16 technical assistance sessions provided across the state by KDE. KVEC Regional Group formed and in process of developing tools. State-wide work underway includes Rubric refinement and feedback Implementation Timeline Implementation for accountability Survey (Would it make more sense to pilot PR in all schools in 2011/2012 and include in accountability in 2012/2013)

Program Review Update Program Reviews will be included in the accountability system through field testing and public reporting of results. Full accountability for Program Reviews will begin in the school year. Schools will implement Program Reviews in the upcoming school year to get a baseline measure of where they stand.

Currently proposed Under current proposal, schools would receive up to 100 points for each of the three Program Reviews. Each score would be multiplied by 33.3 percent. Program Reviews in world language and elementary primary programs will be implemented in coming Schools will likely will have four Program Reviews, as elementary schools likely will not have world language Program Reviews and middle and high schools will not have primary Program Reviews.

Program Review All Program Reviews will be weighted equally. In the regulation that proposes an overall accountability score for schools and districts, direction was given to increase the percentage that program reviews would count from 20% to 30% in a 100-point overall score. This indicates the board’s viewpoint that these content areas are critical to effective teaching and learning. These decisions are pending final approval at the August 3-4 KBE meeting.

Timelines for Deployment of Program Reviews Phase 1 ( _ Pilot Phase 2 ( ) Voluntary Implementation 48 Schools piloted. Feedback collected. Revisions made to tools and process School/districts were encouraged to use Program Reviews. Additional data were collected. Revisions made to tools and process. Phase 3 ( ) Field Test Phase 4 ( ) Implementation Mandatory implementation in all schools. Professional development provided by KDE and partner organizations. Feedback collected. Rubrics revised to validate. Results publicly reported for accountability Statewide implementation Full accountability in spring 2013.

Continuous Instructional Improvement Technology System (CIITS) Every teacher in Kentucky will have access to this tool prior to the school year. Fully realized System will provide access to: Exemplary lesson/unit plans Podcasts from master teachers on key concepts Social networking promoting professional dialogue Student learning data.

We are here to help! Kentucky Valley Education Cooperative