Developing Proficiency Rubrics and Aligned Assessment Tasks: The Foundation of Standards-Based Grading School Administrators of Iowa February 23, 2016 Tim Westerberg, Ph.D.

Intended Outcomes Participants will… 1.Identify, analyze, and organize the roles and responsibilities (along with attendance knowledge and skills) of administrators in supporting the development of proficiency rubrics and aligned assessment systems. 2.Construct a proficiency rubric/scoring scale that:  Addresses the essential elements contained in a targeted standard(s),  Is unidimentional, and  Reflects an appropriate balance of DOK levels (cognitive demand). 3.Construct a summative assessment package that:  Is valid and reliable, and  Is aligned to the proficiency levels and cognitive demands of the companion proficiency rubric/scoring scale. 4.Articulate the role of formative assessment and aligned instruction in a guaranteed and viable curriculum.

Charting a Course to Standards-Based Grading: Your Destination, Your Pace Destination 1: Addressing Counterproductive Practices & Beliefs Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Destination 3: Standards-Reference Reporting Destination 4: Competency-Based Education

Year One: Inquiry & Communication Year Two: Capacity Building Year Three: Development Year Four: Implementation Review & disseminate research on best practices. Establish a grading practices leadership committee.  Conduct focus group sessions re school/district grading practices—teachers, students, parents.  Conduct a gap analysis—best practice/current practice.  Develop a communication plan. Build a rationale/moral purpose for change. Determine the need for outside consultants/resources. Educate teachers & administrators on the tenants of SBE. Provide PD re necessary prerequisite knowledge. Provide time & tech support for teams of teachers to develop learning goals, scoring scales, and leveled assessments for a unit of instruction. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the pilot units. Equip teachers/administrators to explain the initiative & it’s purposes & answer FAQs. Educate students, parents, & BOE members re grading issues, best practices, & SBE. Begin exploration of report card formats. Continue developing SBE units of instruction. Align instructional materials. Develop core beliefs. Develop a school/district grading policy. Explore/create SBE-grading software alignment. Determine project evaluation criteria & processes. Adapt/adopt/pilot SBG report card. Continue student, parent, BOE education. Continue implementation of communication plan. Ongoing training of new teachers. Carry out project formative assessment activities. Continue implementation of communication plan. Monitor implementation and provide ongoing support, modeling, & coaching.

Questions? Clarifications? What needs clarification in order for you to have at least an initial understanding of the suggested tasks? What needs explanation: Placement in the plan? Necessity for inclusion? Missing components? Initial reactions? Other comments/questions?

Review & Disseminate Research on Best Practices Admin. Roles & ResponsibilitiesAttendant Knowledge & Skills

Establish a Grading Practices Leadership Committee Admin. Roles & ResponsibilitiesAttendant Knowledge & Skills

Grading Committee: Qualifications Do they have high influence with others? Do they bring a complimentary gift to the table? Do they hold a strategic position in the organization? Do they add value to the organization? Do they positively impact other committee members? Do they contribute to inclusiveness/diversity— representing all stakeholders?

Grading Committee: Roles and Responsibilities  Oversee the SBG Implementation Plan  Serve as a conduit of information and feedback to and from the larger community  Make recommendations to district leadership regarding key implementation decisions  Pilot proposed SBG procedures, practices, and tools.

Build a Rationale/Moral Purpose for Change Admin. Roles & ResponsibilitiesAttendant Knowledge & Skills

Overcoming Resistance  Go for the heart, not the brain. Tell stories. Put a human face on SBG.  Listen to complaints. Identify underlying concerns. Build on/focus on strengths.  Invite participants to tell their stories. Handout: “Have you Ever….”)

Structure the Message to Parents (Vatterott)  Focus on school improvement, not grading  Parents are concerned about their children—not the features of the system  “The changes we propose for our students’ learning: are research based, are about improving student achievement, and Will better prepare our students for college and careers. As a result of our goals, it makes sense that we would change these things about grading.”

Elevator Speech “As you may know, the role of our staff is to educate all students to proficient levels. In order to do so, we are revising our grading practices to be aligned to the standards students must meet. That way, grades will be a clearer indication of what students have learned, not simply a measure of how much work they can turn in or how hard they might try in class. Learning is the indicator of success.” A School Leader’s Guide to Standards-Based Grading. Heflebower, Hoegh, & Warrick. Marzano Research, P. 95.

Need for Outside Consultants/ Resources? Admin. Roles & ResponsibilitiesAttendant Knowledge & Skills

PD for Teachers & Admin. On SBE & Prerequisite Knowledge Admin. Roles & ResponsibilitiesAttendant Knowledge & Skills

Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Rethinking, repackaging, and redeveloping curriculum, instruction, and assessment  Course units of study that encompass essential elements of relevant state/national standards.  Descriptive scoring scales/proficiency rubrics (0-4) for each measurement topic of each unit of study.  Formative and summative assessments targeting each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.  Instruction (materials, activities, assignments) aligned with each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.

Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Rethinking, repackaging, and redeveloping curriculum, instruction, and assessment  Course units of study that encompass essential elements of relevant state/national standards.  Measurement topics for independent skills and content within each unit.  Descriptive rubrics (2-4) for each measurement topic of each unit of study.  Formative and summative assessments targeting each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.  Instruction (materials, activities, assignments) aligned with each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.

Grade 6, Writing Standard 8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources; assess the credibility of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and providing basic bibliographic information for sources. How many essential elements do you see? Adapted from Jan Chappuis. Educational Leadership 71, NO 6 (March 2014)

Identifying Essential Elements Unpack ( if necessary) Delete Combine

Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Rethinking, repackaging, and redeveloping curriculum, instruction, and assessment  Course units of study that encompass essential elements of relevant state/national standards.  Measurement topics for independent skills and content within each unit (15-20 for a year-long course).  Descriptive rubrics (2-4) for each measurement topic of each unit of study.  Formative and summative assessments targeting each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.  Instruction (materials, activities, assignments) aligned with each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.

Unidementionality Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work, Marzano—”…a single score on a test represents a single dimension or trait that has been assessed.” Content and/or skills that are co-dependent— learning about one component results in learning about another; demonstrating proficiency regarding one component implies that same level of proficiency on another component Apples and apples, not apples and oranges.

Unit Measurement Topics Algebra 1 Example

Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum Structure Units of Study: 3-4 per semester? – Topics: 1-3 per unit? Scoring scale/rubric for each topic : 6-9 per semester? Aligned assessments for each level (2-4) of each rubric

Measurement Topics: Life Science Principals of Heredity Structure and Function of Cells and Organisms Relationships between Organisms and Their Physical Environment Biological Evolution and Diversity of Life Marzano and Haystead. Making Standards Useful in the Classroom. ASCD, 2008

Measurement Topics: Geometry Shapes Lines and Symmetry Pythagorean Theorem Congruency and Similarity Transformations Geometric Modeling Marzano, Yanoski, Hoegh, Simms. Using Common Core Standards to Enhance Classroom Instruction & Assessment. Marzano Research Laboratory, 2013

Measurement Topics: Social Studies The Civil and Criminal Legal Systems* The Nature and Influence of Culture* Spatial Thinking and the Use of Charts, Maps, and Graphs* Personal Economics* Supply and Demand Reconstruction The Cold War *Marzano and Haystead. Making Standards Useful in the Classroom. ASCD, 2008

Measurement Topics: Language Arts Text Structures and Features Argumentative Writing Revising and Editing Point of View/Purpose Collaborative Discussions Research ? Marzano, Yanoski, Hoegh, Simms. Using Common Core Standards to Enhance Classroom Instruction & Assessment. Marzano Research Laboratory, 2013

Application… What measurement topic will you develop today?

Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Rethinking, repackaging, and redeveloping curriculum, instruction, and assessment  Course units of study that encompass essential elements of relevant state/national standards.  Measurement topics for independent skills and content within each unit.  Descriptive rubrics (2-4) for each measurement topic of each unit of study.  Formative and summative assessments targeting each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.  Instruction (materials, activities, assignments) aligned with each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.

Cognitive Rigor DOK Levels of Complexity Recall/Reproduction – Recall a fact, information, or procedure; process information on a low level Skill/Concept – Use information or conceptual knowledge, two or more steps Strategic Thinking – Requires reasoning, developing a plan or a sequence of steps, more than one reasonable approach Extended Thinking – Requires connections and extensions, high cognitive demands and complex reasoning

EL: March 2014 | Volume 71 | Number 6 Using Assessments Thoughtfully Pages New Assessments, New Rigor Joan Herman and Robert Linn Figure 1. The Percentage of Smarter Balanced Test Items at Each of the Four Levels of Norman Webb's Depth-of-Knowledge Framework. Depth-of-Knowledge Level Level 1. Draws on basic knowledge and rote learning 25% (ELA) 24% (Math) Level 2. Requires some application of what's been learned and some cognitive processing 38% (ELA) 40% (Math) Level 3. Requires the ability to research, synthesize, reason with evidence, and communicate effectively 26% (ELA) 25% (Math) Level 4. Requires extended planning, research, and problem solving that call on students' self-management and metacognitive skills 11% (ELA) 11% (Math)

Proficiency Levels and DOK Levels Proficiency Level 2 DOK Levels 1& 2 Proficiency Level 3 DOK Levels 2 & 3 Proficiency Level 4 DOK Levels 3 & 4

Sample Rubrics (HS) Algebra 1 Geometry 1 Child_Dev_1-2Pregnancy and Childbirth… OPS Civil Rights 1960 Science 8-05_Rubric [1] LA Rubric Music 2

Sample Rubrics (K-8) Making Standards Useful in the Classroom Marzano and Haystead

Where Do You Start? 1.Level 3—Proficient Prepared to be successful at the next level without remediation Meets grade-level expectations Instructional targets for all students 2.Level 2—Basic (building blocks) 3.Level 4—Advanced/Exceeds Grade-Level Expectations

Construction Time Questions ? Build a proficiency rubric (levels 2-4) for a topic you teach.

Constructive Feedback 1.Gather in cross-district disciplinary groups, elementary and secondary 2.Form sub-groups of 3 people, preferably from 3 districts 3.Share your rubrics with specifics regarding:  The essential standards/essential elements addressed  The progression of content and/or skills--levels 2-4  The DOK levels of the rubric contents—levels Ask for feedback from your new best friends

Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Rethinking, repackaging, and redeveloping curriculum, instruction, and assessment  Course units of study that encompass essential elements of relevant state/national standards.  Measurement topics for independent skills and content within each unit.  Descriptive rubrics (2-4) for each measurement topic of each unit of study.  Formative and summative assessments targeting each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.  Instruction (materials, activities, assignments) aligned with each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.

Three Types of Items Level 2 items: Simpler details and processes that have been explicitly taught. Level 3 items: Complex ideas and processes that have been explicitly taught. Level 4 items: Inferences and applications that go beyond what was taught

Standards-Based Education Math Assessments  Level 2: 1.Identify the degree of this polynomial and classify it by its number of terms: 3x ²-2x-8 2.Is -4 a solution to -8 <3x+5?  Level 3: 1.Factor completely: 3x ²-2x-8 2.Solve this inequality and graph its solution on a number line: -8 <3x+5.

Standards-Based Education Math Assessments Level 4: 1.Given that (x +2) is a factor of x ³–5x² – 2x + 24, factor the polynomial completely. 2.Describe a situation from business, industry, sports, entertainment, or a similar field where inequalities could be used to model a method of solution to that situation.

Standards-Based Education ENGLISH Assessments  Level 2: 1.How would you define "relationship"? "Love"? 2.How would you describe the relationship between the Capulets and the Montagues? 3.How does the balcony scene begin?  Level 3: 1. Create a picture to illustrate the relationship between the Capulets and the Montagues. 2.What qualities do you see in Romeo's and Juliet's relationship? 3.In what ways are the two families similar? Different?

Standards-Based Education ENGLISH Assessments  Level 4 1.What would have happened if the couple had not married in secret? 2. If Romeo and Juliet had not died, would the families' relationship be better or worse? Explain your answer. 3.What might you say about groups/families that have been feuding/not getting along?

Standards-Based Education Science Assessments  Level 2: 1.What are the substances formed in a chemical reaction called? 2.Identify the two subatomic particles in the nucleus.  Level 3: 1.How does the development of the atomic model compare to the development of other scientific models? 2.Compare and contrast cations and anions.

Standards-Based Education Science Assessments  Level 4: You are an environmental toxicologist and the local authorities have called on you to investigate the potential effects of a spill on the highway. Two semis, one hauling Sodium Carbonate and one hauling Acetic Acid, collided. The chemicals appear to be reacting and authorities are concerned that the byproducts might be harmful. Perform a controlled experiment with these two chemicals to determine the potential impact on the surrounding area. Write a report explaining the results of your experiment to authorities.

Social Studies: Level 2 The study of economics focuses on: A. Production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. B. Earth and its relationship to our environment. C. Different types of governments and how they operate. D. Past cultures of different peoples.

Social Studies: Level 2 What was the most significant economic impact of the transcontinental railroads during the late 1800s? A. Eliminating overseas trade with Europe. B. Expanding interstate commerce nationwide. C. Decreasing the influence of big business. D. Rapid rebuilding of the South after the Civil War.

Social Studies: Level 3 Investigate the causes for and reactions to the Great Depression. Compare the Great Depression causes and reactions to today’s economic situation. Identify the differences and explain why those strategies may or may not work.

Social Studies Level 2: Identify the Democratic and Republican party platforms by viewing the series of debates. Level 3: Justify the Democratic and/or Republican party platforms expressed in the series of debates. Level 4: Create your own party and party platform. Include three to five issues and be prepared to present and debate those issues.

SBE Table of Specifications Level 2Level 3Level 4 Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 4

Proficiency Levels and DOK Levels Proficiency Level 2 DOK Levels 1& 2 Proficiency Level 3 DOK Levels 2 & 3 Proficiency Level 4 DOK Levels 3 & 4

Sample Leveled Assessments Albebra_1_Unit_1[1] Child_Development_Birth_defects_quiz_[1] English 3 Final Exam Fall English VIII Summative Assessment flana… Geomety_Unit_1 [1] Kindred Exam flanagan SC12_3_2 nd _B04R[1] So Be It Exam

C. Item Two items that asks for application in novel situations that go beyond what was explicitly taught Total for section= A. Items 1-10 Ten items that require recall of important but simpler content that was explicitly taught B. Items Four items that ask for application of complex content that was explicitly taught AND in situations similar to what was taught. Total /100

+ + All correct None correct A. Items 1-10 Level 2.0 Ten items that require recall of important but simpler content that was explicitly taught B. Items Level 3.0 Four items that ask for application of complex content that was explicitly taught AND in situations similar to what was taught. C. Item Level 4.0 Two items that asks for application in novel situations that go beyond what was explicitly taught Rubric Score:

Construction Time Questions ? Develop assessment tasks for your proficiency rubric (levels 2-4).

Constructive Feedback 1.Reconnoiter with your new best friends from the last sharing session 2.Share your assessment tasks with specifics regarding:  Alignment with the content and/or skills in your rubric  The DOK levels of the assessment tasks—levels Ask for feedback from your new best friends

Year One: Inquiry & Communication Year Two: Capacity Building Year Three: Development Year Four: Implementation Review & disseminate research on best practices. Establish a grading practices leadership committee. Conduct focus group sessions re school/district grading practices—teachers, students, parents. Conduct a gap analysis—best practice/current practice. Build a rationale/moral purpose for change. Develop a communication plan. Determine the need for outside consultants/resources. Educate teachers & administrators on the tenants of SBE. Provide PD re necessary prerequisite knowledge. Provide time & tech support for teams of teachers to develop learning goals, scoring scales, and leveled assessments for a unit of instruction. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the pilot units. Equip teachers/administrators to explain the initiative & it’s purposes & answer FAQs. Educate students, parents, & BOE members re grading issues, best practices, & SBE. Begin exploration of report card formats. Continue developing SBE units of instruction. Align instructional materials. Develop core beliefs. Develop a school/district grading policy. Explore/create SBE-grading software alignment. Determine project evaluation criteria & processes. Adapt/adopt/pilot SBG report card. Continue student, parent, BOE education. Continue implementation of communication plan. Ongoing training of new teachers. Carry out project formative assessment activities. Continue implementation of communication plan. Monitor implementation and provide ongoing support, modeling, & coaching.

Selection of Development Team Members Admin. Roles & Responsibilities Attendant Knowledge & Skills

Providing Time Admin. Roles & Responsibilities Attendant Knowledge & Skills

Providing Tech Support Admin. Roles & Responsibilities Attendant Knowledge & Skills

Monitor & Evaluate Pilot Unit Implementation Admin. Roles & Responsibilities Attendant Knowledge & Skills

Plan & Provide for the Development of SBE Units of Instruction Admin. Roles & Responsibilities Attendant Knowledge & Skills

Develop a Plan for the Alignment of Instructional Activities and Materials Admin. Roles & ResponsibilitiesAttendant Knowledge & Skills

Formative Assessment The most powerful factor over which the school has control, by far. Requires the active involvement of teachers and students. The most important information coming out of formative assessment is what the teacher learns from the student. Promotes and facilitates students taking ownership in their own learning—”Where do I need to go?” “Where I’m I now?” “How do I close the gap?” Improves student motivation.

Destination 2: A Guaranteed & Viable Curriculum Rethinking, repackaging, and redeveloping curriculum, instruction, and assessment  Course units of study that encompass essential elements of relevant state/national standards.  Measurement topics for independent skills and content within each unit.  Descriptive rubrics (2-4) for each measurement topic of each unit of study.  Formative and summative assessments targeting each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.  Instruction (materials, activities, assignments) aligned with each level (2-4) of each measurement topic.

Year One: Inquiry & Communication Year Two: Capacity Building Year Three: Development Year Four: Implementation Review the research on best practices. Establish a grading practices leadership committee. Conduct focus group sessions re school/district grading practices—teachers, students, parents. Conduct a gap analysis— best practice/current practice. Build a rationale/moral purpose for change. Develop a communication plan. Determine the need for outside consultants/resources. Educate teachers & administrators on the tenants of SBE. Provide PD re necessary prerequisite knowledge. Provide time & tech support for teams of teachers to develop learning goals, scoring scales, and leveled assessments for a unit of instruction. Monitor and evaluate the implementation of the pilot units. Equip teachers/administrators to explain the initiative & it’s purposes & answer FAQs. Educate students, parents, & BOE members re grading issues, best practices, & SBE. Begin exploration of report card formats. Continue developing SBE units of instruction. Align instructional materials. Develop core beliefs. Develop a school/district grading policy. Explore/create SBE-grading software alignment. Determine project evaluation criteria & processes. Adapt/adopt/pilot SBG report card. Continue student, parent, BOE education. Continue implementation of communication plan. Ongoing training of new teachers. Carry out project formative assessment activities. Continue implementation of communication plan. Monitor implementation and provide ongoing support, modeling, & coaching.

Scale 1: Slope, distance, and equation of line Scale 2: Function evaluation Scale 3: Reasonable graph or graphic representation Scale 4: Graphing equations Scale 5: Quadratics Chapter Chapter 1 (pages 38-45) Score 4.0 pages Score 3.0 pages Score 2.0 pages 38-39

DOK 1DOK 3 DOK 2DOK 4 Unit/Lesson Design and Cognitive Demand

Tim Westerberg School Improvement Coach P.O. Box 2901 Dillon, CO timwesterberg.com