Assessment and Accountability Overview Chris Domaleski, Georgia Department of Education December 5, 2007

GaDOE Office of Assessment and Accountability Goal We will provide well-designed assessments, aligned to the curriculum, with timely delivery of useful results.

The Assessment and Accountability Team Chris Domaleski Associate Superintendent for Assessment and Accountability Jeff Barker Director, Division of Assessment Administration Melissa Fincher Director, Division of Assessment Research and Development Joanne Leonard Director, Division of Accountability Joni Briscoe Administrative Specialist Dee Davis Program Manager for Assessment Research and Development Shirley Millicans Assessment Specialist, CRCT Paula Rufus Assessment Specialist, EOCT Kay Ellen Rutledge Assessment Specialist, GHSGT, Writing Assessments Bobbie Bable Assessment Specialist, NAEP, ITBS, GKAP Deborah Houston Assessment Specialist, ACCESS, GAA Nancy Haight Accountability Specialist Cowen Harter Accountability Specialist Donna Kelly Accountability Specialist Joanna Vahlsing Accountability Specialist Joseph Blessing Assessment Specialist, OAS Amanda Ferster Assessment Specialist Adrienne Walker Assessment Specialist Connie Caldwell Admin Assistant Debbie Moss Administrative Specialist

Assessment Programs Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) – Reading, ELA, and Math in grades 1-8 – Science and Social Studies in grades 3-8 – Administered each spring – Retests in reading grades 3, 5, and 8 and math grades 5 and 8 offered each summer

Assessment Programs Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) – Language arts, math, science, and social studies – Students tested first in spring of 11 th grade – Retests offered in summer, fall, and winter

Assessment Programs End of Course Tests (EOCT) – Taken following completion of any of the eight core courses: 9 th grade literature American literature Biology Physical Science Algebra Geometry U.S. History Economics – Results count as 15% of student’s course grade – Administered in spring, summer, fall and ‘mid-month’

Assessment Programs Writing Assessments – Grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 tested – Grades 3, portfolio based, submitted in spring – Grades 5, informational persuasive, or narrative – Grade 8, expository or persuasive topic – Grade 11, assesses persuasive writing

Georgia Alternate Assessment NCLB and IDEA require – Students with significant cognitive disabilities be assessed in the same content areas as their peers. – Students must be assessed on the same curriculum, not an alternate curriculum. – Students may be assessed via alternate achievement standards, linked to the same curricular standards at the students’ grade level.

Elements of the GAA The GAA is a portfolio of student work provided as evidence that a student is making progress toward grade-level academic standards The portfolio is flexible to allow for the diversity of the students participating in the GAA

Portfolio Requirements Grades K-2 will develop a portfolio in ELA and Math -2 standards per content area Grades 3-8 and 11 will develop a portfolio in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies -2 standards each for ELA and Math -1 standard each for Science and Social Studies For each standard, there are two collection periods – one to show the student’s initial skill - the second to show achievement/progress. The focus is on academic content and skills

Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS) Core Development Team (Jan 2007) Advisory Committee (Feb-March 2007) Professional Development (summer 2007) Field Testing ( School Year) Bias Review (May/June 2008) Standard Setting (May/June 2008) Assessment and Instructional Guide (summer 2008) Professional Development (summer 2008) Operational Assessment ( ) Professional Development (on-going)

Elements of GKIDS The primary purpose of GKIDS is to provide ongoing diagnostic information about kindergarten students’ mastery of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) GKIDS will also provide a summary of student performance on those elements and standards of the GPS that are indicators of first grade readiness GKIDS will serve both a formative and summative role in assessing kindergarten students.

Domains of Learning Throughout the school year, teachers will observe and record student performance in each content area specified in the GPS: ELA, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. GKIDS will also include the Social/Emotional and Approaches to Learning dimensions of early development and optional recommendations for assessing Physical/Motor Development The summary report at the end of the school year will include diagnostic information on four domains of early learning: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social and Emotional Development, and Approaches to Learning.

Other Assessment Programs Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) – Norm-Referenced Test (NRT) required in grades 3, 5, and 8 Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS) for English Language Learners (ELL) – Tests speaking, listening, reading, and writing by grade cluster National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Online Assessment System (OAS) A web-based system that provides tests using the same kind of items that appear on the end-of-year assessments. – Originally developed for the CRCT. Includes items in all grades and content areas (36) the CRCT covers. – Expanded in spring 2005 to include high school science Items – added high school language arts, mathematics, and social studies items. – Additional content added in as well as a new ‘Level 3’ for benchmark tests.

Overview Two kinds of tests are provided: – Student tests Grade-specific tests assigned automatically Completely under students’ control – Teacher-created and assigned tests Teacher determines the nature of test, who takes the test, when the test is taken

OAS Enhancements New item bank content A new look and feel for the site Constructed Response items Training Resources

Using the Online System to Improve Student Achievement Make tests short and frequent Make tests focused Make tests a part of instruction – don’t just wait until you’ve covered a topic – include items at varying levels of difficulty this will give you information about how well each student knows the material

Accountability Essentials

Georgia’s AYP Determination Steps I.Participation at 95% in reading/English language arts and math based on students continuously enrolled during state testing window; II.Academic performance in reading/English language arts and math based on Full Academic Year (FAY) students; 1.Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) Absolute Bar 2.Confidence Interval 3.Multi-year Average 4.Safe Harbor 5.Federal Flexibility for schools and districts not making AYP based solely on SWD group scores (approved for 2007 AYP) III.Second Indicator;  Menu of Indicators for Elementary & Middle Schools  Graduation Rate for High Schools

Academic Performance 2 nd looks: Confidence Interval (see GaDOE Accountability website for interactive worksheet) Confidence Interval is a simple statistical test that determines whether the observed percentage of a group meeting a proficiency criterion is significantly lower than the AMO for that test. Multiyear Averaging (averages three years data) The evaluation is based on the following data: (#2005 proficient + #2006 proficient + #2007 proficient) / (#2005 tested + #2006 tested + #2007 tested) Example: ( ) / ( ) = 33.1% For CRCT Math(2007) the AMO bar is 58.3% This reporting group does not meet the Multiyear Average criteria for academics. Safe Harbor ( Decrease “Did Not Meet” by 10%) The evaluation is based on the following data: Example: 2006 Percent did not meet = 68% Safe Harbor Target = (68-(.10(68)) = Percent did not meet = This reporting group does not meet the Safe Harbor criteria for academics.

Enhanced GHSGT - Performance Levels for AYP Purposes  Mathematics Basic: Scale scores 400 to 515 Proficient: Scale scores 516 to 524 Advanced: Scale scores 525 to 600  Language Arts Basic: Scale scores 400 to 510 Proficient: Scale scores 511 to 537 Advanced: Scale scores 538 to 600 In spring 2008, a new scale score where one standard indicates both pass and proficient will be established for ELA. This will be used for both academic performance and diploma eligibility.

Assessment and Accountability Future Directions and Updates

Curriculum Transition What’s coming up? – EOCT US History and Economics transitions in Math I and Math II developed in – CRCT : Math grades 3-5, 8; Science grade 8; Social Studies grades : Social Studies grades 3-5 – GHSGT ‘Transitional’ test in Social Studies Fully GPS-based test in ELA and Science – GHSWT Starting in fall 2007, will be GPS based

What changes can you expect in a test when it transitions from QCC to GPS? A new reporting scale is created Domains (and content weights) are revised – Please refer to the website for updated content descriptions and resources Important: performance on the new GPS test is not comparable to the former QCC test. The GPS test sets a new baseline.

Ideas for Changing Secondary Assessment Starting the Conversation

All students take at least two EOCT in each of four content areas: English/ Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Tests are given immediately following the applicable course or courses Tests count for both diploma eligibility and NCLB accountability Retests will be offered without limit Possible Elements of New Model

Assessments 9 th Grade Literature 10 th Grade ELA Math I Math II Math Biology Physical Science OR Physics Science World History US History & American Government Economics Social Studies

Tests that are already developed or that are on schedule to be developed – 9 th Grade Literature (Fall 2005) – Physical Science (Fall 2005) – Biology (Fall 2005) – Economics (Fall 2007) – Math I (Fall 2008) – Math II (Spring 2009) Test that will need to be revised – American Literature revised to be ‘genre-neutral’ 10 th grade literature Tests that will have to be newly developed – Physics – U.S. History/ American Government – World History Assessment Development

Four performance levels established for each test: – Below Proficiency – Basic Proficiency – Advanced Proficiency – Honors Accountability

This ‘proposal’ is in the very early stages of consideration. We will move forward by soliciting feedback from stakeholders around the state. Your input is critical.

Contact Information: Chris Domaleski