RCSD Testing Guidance 2013 February 20,

Goals Provide clarity regarding format and content of 2013 NYS Math Exams Discuss content emphases and impact on prioritizing instruction Discuss tasks and instructional implications of using NYSED Sample Items

Where We Are Going by

What do we know about Assessment… TODAY!! PARCC Pearson

What is PARCC? Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) – 24 States

PARCC’s Recommendations to prepare our students: Focus strong on areas where the standards focus (critical areas) Coherences—pay attention across grades and link major topics within grades Rigor, fluency, application and deep understanding The assessments are anchored in college and career readiness.

This Year, Start Here!

NYS Assessment Time-line : NYS developed assessments (“parallel” to the PARCC assessments) measuring CCSSM – right now, the “test structure” is slated to look exactly like what we have, just measuring new content/practices : PARCC field testing will occur : CCSS PARCC assessments operational nationally

What did we learn from “Item Review” with Pearson & NYSED? Highlights of Committee Review Work in Albany: NYSED plans on releasing 3-4 more items/grade level in January and/or February as additional examples of items; Some field test questions will be embedded in the operational tests; will also be field testing

More Review Scoring Guide carefully – lots of information in there (testing times, number of questions, scoring rubrics, reference tables) Multiple Choice items will be secure; decision has not been made about whether constructed response items will be “Simplify” is not in the Common Core! But may be used at grades 7 or 8 Pay attention to details of each Standard

More Review revised rubric for scoring considerations; most noteworthy edit is that students’ work does NOT have to be “perfect” to earn the highest score – must demonstrate understanding (e.g., students will not be penalized for “mathematical run-ons” if it shows correct thinking and student arrives at correct answer; Standards requiring “fluency” will not be tested by NYSED – this should be done in class, but cannot be assessed on State Exam assessment

More Calculator CHOICE at 6 th grade – basic 4-function OR scientific calculator – we would strongly recommend scientific calculators if you can afford them for 6 th graders! Multiple representations/understand concepts from multiple perspectives While Standards for Mathematical Practice are not tagged to specific assessment items, students NEED to have learning opportunities to engage in the Practices in class, or they will not have the strategies to reason and problem solve and communicate clearly on the state

Recently released NYS Test Guides Things to pay attention to: – Use of calculators and multiple choice questions – Math content emphases – Slight changes in scoring rubric – Changes in scoring policy changes – Reference tables

Testing Guides Shifts Content Emphases Testing Times and Format Items – Mult-step and Multi-Standard

Content Emphases Grade 3 Interpret products and quotients of whole numbers, solve problems Understand part-whole relationship, unit fraction, and building fractions from unit fractions, locating fractions on number line, simple equivalent fractions

Sample Question Grade 3 (3.OA.3)

Sample Question Grade 3 (3.OA.1-2)

Sample Question Grade 3 (3.NF.2-3)

Content Emphases Grade 4 Multiplicative comparison, solve-multi-step problems Base ten structure, comparing numbers, rounding, fluently add and subtract Equivalent fractions, compare fractions with different numerators or different denominators, decompose fractions, add and subtract fractions with like denominators, solve word problems with fractions

Sample Question Grade 4 (4.OA.3)

Sample Question Grade 4 (4.OA.3,4.NF.4)

Sample Question Grade 4 (4.OA.2)

Tutorial Guidance

Questions