Welcome to the PARCC and the Common Core State Standards Workshop An Overview

Background: The Common Core

Before the 2014 school year NJ State Standards NJ ASK District monitors its students’ successes Common Core Standards PARCC Exam State monitors our students’ successes 2014 school year

Changing the standards Came about as a response to concerns from universities about college freshmen readiness (varying from state-to-state) Created by a national panel to create national standards Raised the required levels of performance approximately a grade and a half (1.5)

In Language Arts… One widely accepted method of discussing a student’s reading level is by assessing his/her Lexile. Now, in order to be “on grade level,” every student must rise significantly, immediately. Before (as per the Common Core) 735 to to 1120 Acceptable Lexiles of Seventh Graders Formerly 9 th - 10 th grade lexile

In Math… SkillNJ State Standards, Grade Learned Common Core State Standards, Grade Learned FractionsGrades 4 and 5Grades 3 and 4 Ratios and Proportions Grade 7Early Grade 6 Algebra Grade 8, Accelerated Students Grade 7, General Education From various educators when asked to highlight some of the biggest shifts

SMARTER Balanced Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) New assessments of the standards

New Jersey chose the PARCC States that also chose the PARCC: ArkansasMassachusetts ColoradoMississippi District of ColumbiaNew Mexico IllinoisNew York LouisianaOhio MarylandRhode Island

The PARCC  Computer-based assessment  Taken twice per academic year  Four to five days of testing, per student, each assessment  Major departures from NJ ASK

“Performance-Based Assessment” Testing Dates are set for the month of March March 2-March 27 Four days per student Assesses: Literary and textual analysis Essay writing (3) Variety of math questions “Summative Assessment” Testing Dates are set for the end of April through mid-May April 2-May 22 Assesses: Reading comprehension growth in multiple genres (fiction and non-fiction) Variety of math questions, all computer scored Two computer-based assessments

Content Departures Language Arts Three major departures Technology- dependent Depth of knowledge (nonfiction) Rigor (complex texts) Math Three major departures Technology- dependent Depth of knowledge (conceptual understanding) Rigor (complex manipulation)

Stylistic Departures Will no longer be mostly multiple choice Will have more than one right answer Will test for longer periods of time per sitting Will require evidence, always, of new skills Will require the use of computerized “tools” to answer questions

Question Analysis

New Language Arts sections Prose Constructed Response Literary Analysis task Narrative Writing task Simulated Research task Evidence-Based Selected Response Technology-enhanced Constructed Response

ELA PARCC terminology Literary Analysis Task (80 minutes) Read a text (or texts) closely, and write an analysis Narrative Task (50 minutes) Use narrative writing to write about experiences, could be based on a fictional or historical account, or based on a scientific process Research Simulation Task (85 minutes) Analyze a topic through a variety of texts, answer questions, and compose an essay which synthesizes the information

New Math question goals Type 1 Conceptual understanding, fluency, and application Type 2 Written (prose) arguments/justifications, critique of reasoning, or precision in mathematical statements Type 3 Modeling/application in a real-world context or scenario

New Math question styles Multiple choice Multiple select (Select all that…) Inline choices (drop-down menus) Fill in the blank Hot spots (Plot points, create graphs) Combination text and equation editor All on the computer

NJ ASK style question (ELA) This article would be most useful for a student A. learning about animal genomes. B. studying the characteristics of mammals. C. writing a report on animals native to Australia. D. preparing a presentation on recent scientific discoveries.

PARCC, Grade 7

PARCC sample writing task (PCR- Research Simulation Task)

NJ ASK style question (Math) Which number makes 54 when multiplied by 9? A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8

PARCC sample Math question

Preparation Academic support, exposure to quality, rigor, and technology, and teacher contact time will make the biggest differences for our students on this year’s PARCC. Nonfiction reading Comparative reading Technology-enhanced responses Complex text, analysis, problem-solving and strategies to help students determine meaning and answers Use of evidence to support answers

Preparation, II Language Arts Teacher-student one- on-one time Complex texts Texts with parallel themes, structure, bias Identifying evidence Analytical essay structures Math Teacher-student one- on-one time Multi-step, complex problem solving Number sense Stamina Rigor Evidence-based responses

Helpful websites www. parcconline.org (most updated explanations, practice tests) (Common Core website) (for explanations of the Math alignment to the Common Core)

THANK YOU FOR COMING! Together we can help our students succeed!