1. Smarter Balanced Assessments: What do families need to know?
[INSERT DATE]
[CUSTOMIZE FOR STATE]
[WELCOME SLIDE – TRANSITION AT BEGINNING OF EVENT]

2. Overview of Discussion
What the new state tests mean for your child
What your child can expect
How to interpret test results
Additional resources for parents
[CUSTOMIZE FOR STATE]
Welcome! I’m {Name}, and I’m {Position}. We know many of you wanted to learn more about the [STATE NAME] State Tests– especially given the changes this year. That’s why PTA and {School} partnered to host this information night for families – parents and guardians – to learn the basics about the tests, as well as ways you can help prepare your children.
Today we will cover:
What the new state test means for your child
How to interpret the results
And additional resources
We’ll begin with a presentation and then have a question and answer session.
At this time, I’d like to welcome {Name}, {Title}, who will share more about the assessments.
[INSERT BIO SLIDE WITH NAME/PHOTO OF SPEAKER IF SPEAKER IS SOMEONE THE AUDIENCE MAY NOT KNOW, SUCH AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADER]

3. How Do I Know What My Child is Expected to Learn This Year?
The PTA developed grade-specific “Guides to Student Success” so you know the skills your child should master and what he or she is expected to know every year:
Before we go into the assessments, I want to make you aware that National PTA has released grade by grade guides on what students should know by the end of each school year. These guides are a great place to start as you think about helping prepare your child to take the assessments. These guides detail what your child should be working on in every grade in Mathematics and English Language Arts.

4. What the New Smarter Balanced Tests in English and Math Mean for Your Child
CUSTOMIZE TITLE FOR STATE
Welcome! I’m {Name}, and I’m {Position}.
{Insert comments about importance of families knowing more about the standards, curriculum, and state assessments as families are the most important education partner. Thank the audience for taking the time to learn more – and support their children’s academic success.}   

5. New Statewide Tests
These are better tests not more tests. The Smarter Balanced test replaced existing [Insert Test Name] tests in English and math in grades 3-8 and writing in grades 5 and 8. The tests include two components that can each be taken online.
Computer Adaptive Test
Short-answer, technology-enhanced, and multiple choice questions
Test is customized for each student
Performance Task
Longer multi-step questions, including essays
Students solve real-world problems
[Insert State Name] adopted higher, more focused standards–[Insert State Standards]–to better prepare students for college, technical schools, and careers. These new standards require new state tests that better measure these skills and allow students to show what they know and what they can do.
The assessments are fully aligned to the [Insert State Standards] to more accurately measure a student’s skills in English language arts and math. The Smarter Balanced Test replaced the existing [Insert Test Name] tests in English and Math.
The Smarter Balanced test is broken into two sections. Both test can be taken online, but not every students in every grade will take the online version.
The first component is a computer-adaptive test. The Smarter Balanced test isn’t just an online version of a paper and pencil test. The computer changes the level of rigor based on how the child answers each question. This determines where a child falls in terms of advanced learning It also produces more accurate results, especially for advanced and struggling students.
The second component is a performance task. This is a multi-step assignment that asks students to apply a variety of knowledge and skills to address real-world problems. In English, the performance task requires students to use their research and writing skills. In math, students solve a complex problem and then describe and defend their reasoning.
Scores from both the computer-adaptive test and the performance task are combined for a student’s overall score.

6. What is Smarter Balanced?
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
A group of states that have worked together to develop high quality tests in English and Math that are aligned to the new standards.
[STATE] joined Smarter Balanced to create a new test aligned to our standards.
The tests were field-tested in
Spring 2014 by more than
4 million students in 21 states,
including [STATE].
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is a group of states that joined together to develop state tests that were aligned to higher standards. These tests gives parents and teachers better information on where students are excelling or need more help.
[STATE INSERT NUMBER] [Insert State Name] educators reviewed test questions and reading passages, and were involved in the development of the test.

7. What Will My Child Be Tested On This Year?

8. What’s Different About the Tests?
The new tests go beyond the “bubble test.”
Students show their work through:
Extended writing, and multi-step questions which require students to apply the skills they have learned.
They measure:
Problem-solving
Writing
Critical thinking
Reading and listening comprehension
Students will no longer just select the right answer. They will be asked to think critically and explain how they got their answer, with less random guesswork.
They will read and analyze complex texts and write essays. Both the Math and English tests will have many different types of questions – such as multiple choice, essay, and short answer.

9. What Were Students Tested on in English?
Can students read closely to comprehend a range of complex literary and informational texts?
Can students write effectively for a range of purposes and audiences?
Can students listen effectively for a range of purposes?
Can students use research skills to investigate topics, analyze, and present information?
The new [Insert Test Name] tests measure progress on the skills outlined in the standards. For example, in English Language Arts – can students read and comprehend texts literary and informational texts? Can they write and listen effectively? Can they research a topic and effectively present their findings?

10. EXAMPLE: 7th Grade ELA Question
New [Insert State Assessment Name] Example:
You have read several sources about the production of pennies in the United States. Using your sources, write a multi-paragraph argumentative essay either for or against the continued production of the penny in the United States. Make sure you establish a claim, address counterarguments, and support your claim with evidence from the sources you have read. Develop your ideas clearly and use your own words, except when quoting directly from the sources. Be sure to reference the sources by title or number when using details or facts directly from the sources.
[CUSTOMIZE SLIDE & SCRIPT FOR STATE]
In this example, you’ll see how much deeper students need to go to read, comprehend, and write a response.
[READ QUESTION]
Students read more complex texts and then they are asked to write about them. They are also reading informational text, and learning about history, science, health, or other life-relevant topics. Then they write with a purpose – thinking about a problem, analyzing what happened, and considering possible solutions.
Students demonstrate research and writing skills, and their abilities to analyze, compare, and think critically about problems and solutions. .

11. What Were Students Tested on in Math?
Can students explain and apply math concepts and perform math procedures?
Can students solve problems using their knowledge of concepts and problem solving strategies?
Can students analyze real-world scenarios and create models to solve problems?
Can students build practical arguments to support their own reasoning?
In Math, the [Insert Test Name] have questions that test if students not only get the right answer, but also explain how they got that answer. They will be asked to apply mathematical concepts, and use their understanding of these concepts along with problem solving strategies to solve real-world problems. Not only will they have to solve the problems, but in some cases, they will be asked to create models of how they solve it. In the higher grades, students may create mathematical arguments to support their reasoning.

12. EXAMPLE: 5th Grade Math Test
New Nevada State Assessment Example:
[READ QUESTION; GIVE A FEW MINUTES. GIVE PRIZE FOR CORRECT ANSWERS]
There are no random selections, which means students cannot use guesswork. They have to apply what they know about fractions to solve the problem. It will take students more time per question than simply choosing the best answer. .

13. How To Interpret Test Results
After the test, you are wondering – what does this all mean? How does this help my child?

14. New Tests, Different Results
These upgraded tests are harder.
With a greater emphasis on deeper learning, we have raised the bar for our students, parents, and teachers.
We can expect that fewer students will clear this higher bar than have in the past. That doesn’t mean that students know less or are doing worse.
Simply put, these tests are harder. Students answered more complex questions and solved more complex problems. We can expect that at least initially fewer students will meet these new, higher standards.
This does not mean that students learned less. We have raised the bar for our students by requiring them to understand concepts more deeply. This year’s test will establish a new baseline to measure student progress going forward. (check with [insert state name] DOE about this)

15. How Will Scores be Used? Test results will help schools to:
Make instructional decisions.
Determine individual needs of students:
Extra support?
More challenging work?
Recommendations for future classes?
Scores do not impact GPA, class ranking, or college admission.
The test results will allow parents, teachers, and students to know whether students are on track each year. The goal is to ensure that we know when students need more challenging work or more support. This will help your child to get a more personalized education that will best fit their needs. You will also be able to compare your student’s performance with students in other schools and districts. The test scores do not impact GPA, class ranking, or college admission.
[ADD STATE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON TEST SCORE USE BY HIGHER EDUCATION.]

16. Resources for More Information
Tonight, we are only scratching the surface and I’m sure many of you have more questions. So we have a number of handouts that you can take with you to reference. I’d also like to point you to some great websites that have more information.

17. PTA’s Custom Assessment Guides
The PTA developed state-specific assessment guides with helpful information:
National PTA has released custom state-by-state assessment guides which gives more detailed information about each state’s test, including test type, sample questions and accountability information. To see our state’s guide, visit pta.org/AssessmentGuides.

18. Where Can I Find More Info?
Great Web Sites
Smarter Balanced Practice Tests: Reading, Writing, Math Practice Tests Smarter Balanced Info:
Parent Friendly Information and Resources:
[Insert State Department of Education] [Insert State DOE website]
[Insert State PTA Name] : [Insert State PTA Website]
Visit the Smarter Balanced site where you will find practice tests, tutorials, and more specific information about test formats and features.
You can also find parent-friendly information on BeALearningHero.org, Univision and on the [Insert State Name] Department of Education’s website.
Finally, visit PTA’s Common Core web pages where you will find guides, videos, webinars, etc.
Now I’d like to open it up for questions.

19. [Insert State Name] New State Assessments: Questions?
[SEE ANTICIPATED QUESTIONS IN DIGITAL TOOLKIT TO SUPPORT YOUR RESPONSES]