Hal Sanderson, Ph.D. Director, Research & Assessment A DISCUSSION ABOUT STUDENT ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE Canyons Board of Education February 4, 2014

 Why SAGE?  What is the SAGE assessment?  What does it look like?  What is our implementation of SAGE?  Can we compare SAGE to previous tests? LEARNING TOPICS

 The state needed an assessment system to measure Utah’s new core standards in Math and English Language Arts  The new standards were approved by the State Board of Education in August 2010 WHY SAGE?

 The Criterion-Referenced Tests (CRTs) no longer match these new standards  New assessment: Student Assessment for Growth and Excellence WHY SAGE?

 November 2012: American Institutes for Research awarded state contract  Fall 2013: Utah educators helped develop test questions  Fall 2013: Utah parents reviewed test questions SAGE IS A CUSTOM-BUILT TEST Developing SAGE Test Questions in Utah

 SAGE is an online adaptive test that will measure the full range of grade-level knowledge and skills.  Each question a student receives is dependent on the correctness of answers to previous questions. Therefore, the order of test questions and specific questions posed are unique to each student.  Although questions answered may differ between students, SAGE will assess all students on all core standards equally. WHAT IS THE SAGE ASSESSMENT?

 SAGE is more than a multiple-choice test  With SAGE, students will be writing, constructing math equations, building graphs, and conducting experiments on the computer  SAGE practice-training test: WHAT IS THE SAGE ASSESSMENT?

SAGE DEMO

 SAGE is a major project for Canyons District and the state  SAGE preparation includes more than 10 Canyons departments  Thanks to the hard work of these groups, we will be ready to administer SAGE in April and May 2014 PLANNING FOR SAGE

KEY TASKDATE Increase computers and technology in Canyons schoolsOngoing Communicate with school leaders about SAGE information Spring 2013 (ongoing) Provide schools SAGE sample test questions and test blueprints Fall 2013 IT reviews and implements SAGE Technical Requirements districtwide Nov – Jan SAGE Summative Grade-Level Practice Tests released; school leaders assure Research and Assessment that all teachers will take a practice test by Jan. 31, 2014 Dec. 18, 2013 SAGE teacher accounts createdJanuary 2014 Ear bud headphones purchased for students and schoolsJanuary 2014 CANYONS SAGE IMPLEMENTATION

NEXT STEPS IN IMPLEMENTATION KEY TASKDATE Conduct secure practice tests with teachers and students February - March Communicate SAGE to parents and communityFebruary - May Train school leadershipFebruary Train teachers to administer SAGEFebruary Students take SAGE Writing testApril Students take SAGE Math, Science, English Language Arts test April - May

 Results are not comparable  SAGE serves as a new baseline for students, teachers and schools Old Core Standards ≠ New Core Standards CAN SAGE BE COMPARED TO THE CORE CRTS?

 New state standards are more rigorous  Performance benchmarks not yet set  Coming in July 2014 CAN SAGE BE COMPARED TO THE CORE CRTS?

A DISCUSSION ABOUT STUDENT ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE