PRECONFERENCE SESSION ASSESSMENT LITERACY STANDARDS February 18, 2014 MSTC Pre-conference Session

Session Purpose & Outcomes  Build the case Assessment Literacy is needed and lacking in our field  Familiarize with NEW MI Assessment Literacy Standards  Explore implications of assessment literacy for variety of stakeholder groups  Highlight existing resources/tools  Gather your feedback regarding desired/necessary future PD, resources, tools.

Session Overview  Set the Stage: Our context  Introduce Assessment Literacy Standards  Quick Primer: Quality Classroom Assessments  Explore Standards and Implications for Stakeholder Groups  Current Resources and Future Possibilities

OUR CONTEXT Setting the Stage…

Remember society’s demands of its school:  ALL students lifelong learners  Narrow achievement gap among students  Universal graduation for students  All students ready for colleges or workplace training  Raise achievement levels students excerpted Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

So, how are we doing so far?  NAEP scores have flat-lined for decades  Drop out rates remain stable and high; some are astronomical  USA’s place in international rankings stable  Excellent teachers and new teachers are leaving the profession in unprecedented numbers excerpted Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

Our Context: assessment in all of this…  Public accountability for test scores supposed to improve schools (local, state, national, international)  Linking federal funding to test scores supposed to improve schools  Writing tougher standards & tests—raising the bar supposed to improve schools  Competing for federal $ -- RtT, NCLB, -- supposed to improve schools…  Evaluating teachers based on annual test scores is supposed to improve schools Adapted from Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

How is this possible?  No assessment training for teachers or admins  Lack of assessment literacy among policy makers at local, state, and federal levels  Little awareness throughout of how to link assessment to teaching and learning  No norm for quality assessment in higher ed.  Aggressive selling of test services to unqualified users  Standards of quality ignore 99% of assessments  Technical apps exacerbate quality problems excerpted Rick Stiggins MDE- DAS 2013 Fall Conference presentation

What is “Assessment Literacy”?  When thinking about a person being assessment literate, what might he/she believe, know, and be able to do?

Pause and Self-Assess

ASSESSMENT LITERACY STANDARDS Overview…

ALS Development  The MAC has developed assessment literacy standards  These standards will describe the dispositions, knowledge and skills needed by all parties regarding student assessment  The goal is to provide a common basis for work to help all become more assessment literate

ALS Development  After internal review and revision, several external reviewers were asked to comment on the standards. These included:  Susan Brookhart  Carol Commodore  Margaret Heritage  Ken O’Connor  Jim Popham  Rick Stiggins  MASSP, MEMSPA and MASCD

Students and Parents Teachers Building Administrators District Administrators Local and State Policymakers Assessment Literacy Standards Pre-service teachers Administrator Certification

Assessment Literacy Standards I. Dispositions II. Knowledge III. Performance

Standards are lettered and numbered for easy reference.

Quick Primer Quality Classroom Assessments Assessment Literacy…

Think…Pair…Share… What elements are necessary to ensure quality classroom assessments? List these qualities Discuss why these are important

Thoughts From an Expert

What does assessment involve?  Making expectations explicit and public  Setting appropriate criteria and high expectations for learning quality  Systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards….and

What does assessment involve?  Using the resulting information to document, explain, modify, and improve performance.

Essential Questions to Dialogue Around…  As you develop quality assessments, keep the following questions in mind…  What is the purpose of the assessment?  Who will use the information?  How will it be used?  Is the use formative or summative?

A Formative View  As you develop quality assessments, keep the following questions in mind…  What is the purpose of the assessment? To provide teachers immediate information on student learning  Who will use the information? Teachers and students in the classroom  How will it be used? To inform next steps in the learning process  Is the use formative or summative? Formative

A Summative View  As you develop quality assessments, keep the following questions in mind…  What is the purpose of the assessment? Educator Evaluation / Accountability  Who will use the information? Teachers and Administrators  How will it be used? To certify the learning process  Is the use formative or summative? Summative

Quality Assessments…  are Reliable and yield Valid data.  In order for these two requirements to be met assessment developers must pay special attention to the following: Standard/Item Alignment Balance of Representation Target-Method Match Quality Items  The best way to ensure your assessment is reliable and valid is to create a test blueprint and follow the blueprint while developing the assessment.

Implications for the Classroom  Assessments will evolve to be more rigorous and real world relevant, must match our teaching to this same standard  Assessment data must be used in the moment to inform “next steps” in the learning process  Schools must have a balanced assessment system in place within their classrooms

Implications for the Classroom  All stakeholders must be assessment literate  Students (Parents and Public)  Teachers  Administrators  Policymakers

STUDENTS Assessment Literacy for…

Student Assessment Literacy The documentation of student learning and progress now plays a primary role in how our schools and educational programs are evaluated. Assessment in all its forms (e.g., formative, summative, self-assessment) has become one of the biggest discussion points in education today. Educational accountability, must now be demonstrated in the classroom through the documented collection of student learning evidence. -- Dr. Raymond Witte

Student Assessment Literacy  Review the Standards  Reflection Activity  See Handout

In the words of Popham… “…assessment illiteracy is professional suicide…” James Popham

Consider this…  Research suggests that teachers spend from one- quarter to one-third of their professional time on assessment related activities.  Almost all do so without the benefit of having learned the principles of sound assessment.  Rick Stiggins, 2007

TEACHERS Assessment Literacy for…

Teacher Assessment Literacy  Educator Evaluation  Danielson Observation Tools

Teacher Assessment Literacy  Review the Standards  Reflection Activity  See Handout

Article Read  Read the short article by James Popham √ = Makes sense; affirms my thinking ! = “aha”; new insight. ? = Raises a question, challenges my thinking.

Final Reflection  “A solid understanding of assessment issues should be part of every teachers’ knowledge base, and teachers should be encouraged to equip themselves with this knowledge as part of their ongoing professional development.”  Dr. Sara Cushing Weigle, Georgia State University

Final Reflections  “We owe it to ourselves and our students to devote at least as much energy to ensuring that our assessment practices are worthwhile as we do to ensuring that we teach well”  Dr. David Boud, University of Technology, Sydney

Questions

PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS Assessment Literacy for…

Pre-service Training & Accreditation of Programs NCATE and TEAC consolidated on July 1, 2013 Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning. CAEP’s vision is to create a model unified accreditation system and elevate teacher education preparation to the level of excellence that the public & policymakers have come to expect. In 2013, the CAEP Commission on Standards & Performance Reporting has been charged to transform the preparation of teachers by creating a rigorous system of accreditation that demands excellence and produces teachers who raise student achievement.

CAEP Accreditation Standards for Teacher Prep Programs Standard 1: Content and Pedagogical Knowledge Postsecondary institutions ensure that graduates use research and evidence to develop an understanding of the teaching profession and use both to measure their P-12 students’ progress and their own professional practice. 1.3 Graduates apply content and pedagogical knowledge as reflected in outcome assessments in response to standards of Specialized Professional Associations (SPA), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), states, or other accrediting bodies(e.g., National Association of Schools of Music – NASM). 1.4 Graduates demonstrate skills and commitment that afford all P-12 students access to rigorous college- and career-ready standards (e.g., Next Generation Science Standards, National Career Readiness Certificate, Common Core State Standards).

CAEP Accreditation Standards for Teacher Prep Programs Standard 4 of 5: Program Impact Postsecondary institutions demonstrate the impact of its graduates on P-12 student learning and development, classroom instruction, and schools, and the satisfaction of its graduates with the relevance and effectiveness of their preparation. Impact on P-12 Student Learning and Development 4.1 Postsecondary institution providers, using multiple measures, that graduates can contribute to an expected level of student-learning growth. Multiple measures shall include all available growth measures (including value-added measures, student-growth percentiles, and student learning and development objectives) required by the state for its teachers and available to educator preparation providers, other state-supported P-12 impact measures, and any other measures employed by the provider.

BUILDING and DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS Assessment Literacy for…

 There are different purposes for student assessment.  The definitions of and uses for different types of assessment  The differences between the types of assessment tools.  Promoting assessment literacy for self and staff

 Providing time and support for staff to implement a balanced assessment system by providing opportunities to develop skills in: Scoring/Analyzing results  Leading dialogues with staff in interpreting results  Clearly explaining how to analyze and use assessment results  Clearly communicating results to various constituents

 There are different purposes for student assessment.  The definitions of and uses for different types of assessments  The different types of assessment methods and when educators should use each  How to develop or select high quality assessments  Promoting assessment literacy with staff

Assuring that each and every staff member is:  A confident, competent master themselves of the targets that they are responsible for teaching  Sufficiently assessment literate to assess their assigned targets Assisting teachers to collaboratively analyze and use data Leading dialogues with staff in interpreting results and creating goals for improvement Clearly communicating results to various constituents

STRAND 1: TEACHING FOR LEARNING Standard 1: Curriculum A. Alignment B. Coherence Standard 2: Instruction C. Instructional Design D. Effective Instructional Practices E. Learning Environment F. Reflection Standard 3: Assessment

STRAND II: LEADERSHIP FOR LEARNING Standard 4: Instructional Leadership K. A Vision for Learning L. Guidance and Support for Teaching and Learning M. Results Focused Standard 5: A Climate for Learning N. Safe and Supportive Environment O. Shared Leadership for Learning STANDARD 6: ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT P. Communication Systems Q. Intentional Practices R. Resource Allocation

STRAND III: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING STANDARD 7: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CULTURE S. Collaborative Teams T. Collective Responsibility STANDARD 8: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SYSTEM U. Purposeful Planning V. Impact of Professional Learning

STRAND IV: SCHOOL, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS STANDARD 9: COMMUNICATION W. Approaches and Tools X. Cultural Responsiveness STANDARD 10: ENGAGEMENT Y. Learning Opportunities Z. Partnerships

Standard 3:Assessment G.Assessment System Implements a balanced assessment system and ensures that summative and on-going formative assessments are aligned to curriculum and instruction Classroom assessments are designed to be developmentally appropriate and are aligned to the depth of knowledge required to demonstrate proficiency with standards Assessment Literacy Standards: Teachers Knowledge The definitions of and uses for different types of assessments How to unpack standards into clear learning targets and that are written in student-friendly language and that are used as the basis for the everyday curriculum.

H.Shared Understanding All educators can communicate the appropriate purposes and uses of assessment. Reports of student data are communicated to students and parents in a manner that they can understand. Dispositions An effective assessment system must balance different purposes for different users and use varied methods of assessment and communication. Performance Communicate effectively with students, parents, other teachers and administrators about student learning.

I. Data Analysis and Decision-Making Educators use a combination of student achievement, demographic, process and perception data over time to make informed instructional decisions to meet individual student needs Assessment data are used to place students, monitor progress and drive timely interventions. Knowledge There are different purposes for student assessment: Student improvement; Instructional program improvement; Student, teacher or system accountability: Program evaluation; Prediction for future performance or achievement Different users have different assessment purposes Different assessment purposes may require different assessment methods

J. Student Involvement in the Assessment Process Students understand the criteria and expectations for demonstrating their learning. Students receive descriptive feedback based on student performance, as well as guidance on how to improve. Students are taught how to self-assess and plan for improvement. Students learn to track and use their own achievement data and related feedback to monitor, evaluate, and reflect on how to improve their own performance. Knowledge How to engage students in using their own assessment results for reflection and goal setting How to provide effective feedback from assessments suitable for different audiences: descriptive vs. evaluative Performance Support student use of assessment feedback to improve attitudes, aspirations, mindsets and achievement.

POLICYMAKERS Case Study…

Balance is needed in an assessment system because: 1. Different users have different assessment purposes 2. Different assessment purposes may require different assessment methods There are different purposes for student assessment: 1. Student improvement 2. Instructional program improvement 3. Student, teacher or system accountability 4. Program evaluation 5. Prediction of future performance/achievement

The differences between the types of assessments in a balanced system of assessment: 1. Summative Assessments 2. Interim Benchmark Assessments 3. Formative Assessment There are different ways to measure student achievement; each has advantages and challenges.

There are different ways to report results: 1. Norm-referenced interpretations 2. Criterion-referenced interpretations 3. When each type of interpretation may be more useful There are several essential technical standards for high quality assessments: 1. Reliability – Do the assessments produce replicable scores? 2. Validity – Is there evidence that supports the intended uses of the assessment? Assessments can be purchased or developed locally; each approach has advantages and challenges.

There are a number of steps in the assessment development process to produce high quality assessments. Quality assessment of any type requires adequate funding and time. Users of the assessment require time to learn to administer and use the assessment results appropriately, and resources may be needed to carry out these activities. Should know which student measures are appropriate for teacher and administrator evaluation.

RESOURCES AND NEXT STEPS Assessment Literacy…

Individual Reflection on the Standards Silently read and record on the standards document:  Feedback on the standards:  Clarifications/suggested revisions  Deletions  Additions  Strengths/positives regarding the standards

What are the Implications?  What are your thoughts about implications of the Assessment Literacy Standards … For you? For your building? For your district? For higher education? Silently record your thoughts on an index card.

A Method to Review Multiple Standard Sets  If you want to have your group look at more than one set of standards, you could do a JIGSAW. Jigsaw  Groups of 3 or 4 receive a specific set of standards. The group jigsaws reading and reports the assigned reading to their group.  Once each group has read and reviewed their entire assigned set of standards, they report out to the whole group what their set of standards included.  WHILE READING, the group members record their feedback on the standards (clarifications, additions, etc.).  They discuss this and report it to the whole group.

Time to Process  Now, think about two questions:  If Michigan educators had achieved these standards, what would be different in Michigan’s students?  If this is a preferred future, what would need to be done to push this vision forward?  You may wish to turn and talk about this for a few minutes

Putting the Standards to Use  Professional development for K-12 teachers, administrators, etc.  Workshops, full-length courses, tools and resources, etc.  Higher Education  Pre-Service Teachers, Administrator Certification  Future collaboration with other organizations (PD, development of public policy, etc.)

Thank You! For copies of draft Assessment Literacy Standards, as well as an opportunity to respond to an electronic survey about the standards – go to the MAC website, in a column on left hand side of home page – click on hyperlink for Assessment Literacy Standards