1. AACC 1 Helping States and Regional Centers Meet NCLB Goals: State Accountability Systems Stanley Rabinowitz, Ph.D. WestEd CRESST Conference January 22-23, 2007

2. AACC 2 Comprehensive Centers (CC): Brief Overview CC Types of Activities CC Guiding Criteria Improving Assessment and Accountability Systems: Examples

3. AACC 3 Comprehensive Centers (CC) Office of Elementary and Secondary Education Old versus New Model Old model –Decentralized –Each CC focused on own priorities/issues –Problems with repetition and quality assurance New model –Centralized (USED) –Focus on main NCLB issues –No development without USED approval

4. AACC 4 Comprehensive Centers (continued) Five Content Comprehensive Centers –Assessment and Accountability –High Schools –Innovation and Improvement –Instruction –Teacher Quality Sixteen Regional Comprehensive Centers Dissemination through Regional Comprehensive Centers and States –No direct contact with schools

5. AACC 5 Assessment and Accountability Comprehensive Center (AACC) Strands: Key Areas of Focus Special Populations Data Use Support for Quality State Assessment and Accountability Systems

6. AACC 6 Key Activities: General Identify information/resources Review Disseminate

7. AACC 7 Key Activities: More Detail Research, analysis, and dissemination of evidence-based products, services, etc. linked to key NCLB initiatives and goals Synthesis of evidence in selected, high- need NCLB areas Strategic responses to requests from RCCs and SEAs on high-need NCLB areas

8. AACC 8 Key Activities: More Detail (continued) Respond to USED requests on high-need NCLB areas Limited development in high-need NCLB areas determined by both the AACC and USED as lacking in key information and products Assist states with Peer Reviews (preparation, response) Disseminate information

9. AACC 9 Activities: General Criteria High quality in terms of grounding in sound technical theory, research, and practical experiences. High relevance that is appropriate for states and regional comprehensive centers (RCCs) and responsive to their immediate and long-term needs. High utility to RCCs and state educational agencies (SEAs), keeping up with recent research developments in assessment and accountability and thereby supporting decision making and improvement of student performance.

10. AACC 10 Activity Example 1 Peer Review Workshops –Response to initial Peer Review: Key Areas Comparability Special Education (Alternate Assessment—1%) Alignment Reporting

11. AACC 11 Activity Example 2 LEP Partnership Meetings: Key Topics –Accommodations –Plain English Assessments –Native Language Assessments –Title I/Title III Crossover –Portfolios/Alternative Assessments

12. AACC 12 Example 2 (continued) LEP Partnership Meetings: Key Activities –Dissemination of best practices and research findings –National workshops on ELL assessment issues for state assessment teams –Facilitating workgroups of states re: technical issues for specific assessment methods –Research to expand the knowledge and procedural basis for ELL assessments –Direct technical assistance

13. AACC 13 For more information: Stanley Rabinowitz, Ph.D. srabino@wested.org or www.aacompcenter.org