Technology and The Smarter Balanced Assessment System One State’s Perspective TJ Bliss, Ph.D.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment System Idaho Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness All students leave high school college and career ready Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning Interim assessments Flexible, open, used for action feedback Digital Library Teacher resources in formative assessment to improve instruction Summative assessments Benchmarked to college and career readiness

The Smarter Balanced Governance Structure

Idaho Involvement in the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Governing Board Member (Supt. Tom Luna) Former Executive Committee Co-Chair (Carissa Miller) Executive Committee Member (Luci Willits) K-12 State Lead (TJ Bliss) Higher Ed State Lead (Chris Mathias/Roger Stewart) Teachers/ Administrators Higher Education Faculty State Department and State Board Staff

Common Core Math Standards Balance conceptual understanding and procedural fluency Connect these two types of knowledge Maintain high cognitive demand Communicate reasoning about concepts Engage students in mathematical practices: o Reason abstractly and quantitatively o Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others (Moschkovitch, 2012)

Common Core ELA Standards Reading: Engage with complex texts to build knowledge across the curriculum Writing: Use evidence to inform, argue and analyze Speaking and Listening: Work collaboratively, understand multiple perspectives, and present ideas Language: Develop and use the linguistic resources to do all of the above (Bunch, Kibler & Pimental, 2012)

Assessing Deeper Knowledge Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design Multiple ChoiceMatching Short Answer Performance Tasks (Essay)

Assessing Deeper Knowledge Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design ISAT 90% 10% Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design Smarter Balanced 30% 70%

Summative assessments Benchmarked to college and career readiness A Balanced Assessment System All students leave high school college and career ready Idaho Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning Interim assessments Flexible, open, used for action feedback Teacher resources for formative assessment practices To improve instruction

Formative Assessment Assessment FOR learning Daily/weekly at classroom level Answers questions like: –Where are my students in relation to learning goals (for this lesson)? –What is the gap between students’ current learning and the goal (for this lesson)? (Heritage, 2013)

Smarter Balanced Formative Digital Library State Networks of Educators (SNE): –2000+ educators contributing, reviewing, and approving materials for the library using a Quality Criteria Checklist / System –Educators will review and pilot materials in their classrooms and schools to provide feedback. Library will be available for use in beta in April 2014 States may purchase access after August 2014

Summative assessments Benchmarked to college and career readiness Teacher resources for formative assessment practices To improve instruction A Balanced Assessment System All students leave high school college and career ready Idaho Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning Interim assessments Flexible, open, used for action feedback

Interim Assessment Assessment OF learning Periodically at classroom, school or district level Optional Answers questions like: –What have my students learned? –Is there evidence improvement strategies are working? –How should we allocate resources at the district and school levels? (Heritage, 2013)

Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments Non-secure interim item bank is flexible; can be used at district, school, classroom levels. Ready for use in Fall 2014 States may purchase access going forward

Teacher resources for formative assessment practices To improve instruction A Balanced Assessment System All students leave high school college and career ready Idaho Core State Standards specify K-12 expectations for college and career readiness Teachers and schools have information and tools they need to improve teaching and learning Interim assessments Flexible, open, used for action feedback Summative assessments Benchmarked to college and career readiness

Summative Assessment Assessment OF learning Annual at state level Answers questions like: –Have students met the standards? –How are subgroups performing over time? –Is there evidence improvement strategies are working? –How should state and districts allocate resources? (Heritage, 2013)

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment Developed with broad input from stakeholders in every consortium state Computer Adaptive Test –Multiple choice –Short answer Performance Tasks –Theme and scenario-based sets of materials –Measure higher-order thinking skills

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment Students who pass 11 th grade test will receive exemption from remediation in first year of college

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment MATH Multiple Choice/Short Answer MATH Performance Task ELA Multiple Choice/Short Answer ELA Performance Task

Smarter Balanced Item Types Selected Response Constructed Response Extended Response Performance Task Technology Enhanced ER CR PT TE SR

Assessing Deeper Knowledge Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design ISAT 90% 10% Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design Smarter Balanced 30% 70%

DOK 1: Selected Response ER CR PT TE SR Grade 6 Math – Selected Response

Assessing Deeper Knowledge Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design ISAT 90% 10% Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design Smarter Balanced 30% 70%

DOK 2: Drag and Drop (Matching) ER CR PT TE SR

Assessing Deeper Knowledge Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design ISAT 90% 10% Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design Smarter Balanced 30% 70%

DOK 3: Constructed Response ER CR PT TE SR

Assessing Deeper Knowledge Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design ISAT 90% 10% Identify Define Memorize Organize Classify Compare Critique Revise Investigate Create Evaluate Design Smarter Balanced 30% 70%

DOK 3-4: Performance Tasks ER PT TE SR

Other Item Types: Manipulatives

Other Item Types: Embedded Video

Essential Elements for a Quality Next-Gen Assessment System Full alignment to Common Core Standards Computer-based summative assessments in grades 3-8/HS Computer-based interim assessments Formative assessment tools for teacher development Assessment of lower & higher-order thinking skills State involvement in development and quality assurance Sole ownership of student data Data availability to states for further analysis Cost neutrality or savings Extensive accommodations and accessibility options

Michigan Study on CCSS Assessments

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR A HIGH QUALITY ASSESSMENT IN IDAHO SBACACTSAT Full alignment to Common Core StandardsX Computer-based summative assessments in grades 3-8 & HSX Computer-based interim assessmentsX Formative assessment tools for teacher developmentX Balanced assessment of lower & higher-order thinking skillsX~~ State involvement in development & quality assuranceX Sole ownership of student dataX Data availability to states for further analysisX Cost neutrality or savingsX?? Extensive accommodations & accessibility optionsX

Devices Software Other Hardware Network BYOD Smarter Balanced Technology Specifications

Device Compatibility PC: MAC: Laptop: Tablet:

Software Specifications

Future Software Considerations

Other Hardware Requirements 10” Screen size Headphones External keyboards Pointing device (finger) Printers (for accommodations)

Network Requirements 10–20 Kbps per student or less Bandwidth Test: ion=sectionDiagnostics&c=SBAC_PT ion=sectionDiagnostics&c=SBAC_PT Bandwidth test can be accessed using most browsers, except Internet Explorer

Idaho Tech Readiness Meeting Minimum Operating System: 98.5% Meeting Minimum Display Size: 96.6% Meeting Minimum Screen Resolution: 96%

Questions? Dr. TJ Bliss Director of Assessment and Accountability, SDE SBAC State Lead for Idaho (208)