1. Connecting Assessments to Instruction- ELA
Kasey Dunlap
Clermont County Educational Service Center

2. Learning Targets Participants will
recognize the shifts necessary for teaching and thinking
understand the claims driving the assessment design
have a working knowledge of the resources and tools available

3. Next Generation Assessments
English language arts- End of Year
English I
English II
English III
Mathematics – End of Course
Math I
Math II
Math III
PARCC-Developed Assessments
Science – End of Course
Biology
Physical Science
Social Studies – End of Course
American History
American Government
State-Developed Assessments
Talking Points:
ODE is finalizing the graduation requirements for the next generation assessments.
Ohio’s Next Generation Assessments includes both PARCC-developed and state-developed assessments.
PARCC is developing assessments based on the CCSS in English language arts and mathematics for grades 3 – 8 and high school.
Ohio is developing assessments based on the Ohio-developed standards in science for grades 5, 8, and high school, and social studies for grades 4, 6, and high school. Or
Algebra I
Geometry
Algebra II

4. 2 Optional Assessments/Flexible Administration
Assessment Design English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3-11
Performance-Based
Assessment (PBA)
Extended tasks
Applications of concepts and skills
Required
End-of-Year
Assessment
Innovative, computer-based items
Required
2 Optional Assessments/Flexible Administration
Diagnostic Assessment
Early indicator of student knowledge and skills to inform instruction, supports, and PD
Non-summative
Mid-Year Assessment
Performance-based
Emphasis on hard-to-measure standards
Potentially summative
PARCC states are developing an assessment system comprised of four components: a Diagnostic Assessment, Mid-Year Assessment, Performance Based Assessment and End-of-Year Assessment. Each component will be computer-delivered and will leverage technology to incorporate innovations. *not all available assessments have been adopted by ODE *RFP for speaking and listening assessment is out but no news yet
Speaking And Listening Assessment
Locally scored
Non-summative, required

5. Next Generation Assessments
Two – Part Summative Assessment
Includes a performance-based assessment and an end of year or end of course exam
Administered at the elementary, middle school and high school level
Applies to PARCC (math and ELA) and state- developed assessments(science and social studies)
Talking Points:
The two components in the two-part summative assessments will be developed for both state revised and PARCC developed assessments.

6. PARCC Test Specifications Blue Prints Evidence Tables

7. Assessment Blueprints vs Evidence Statements
Test Specifications
Evidence Statements /
Tables
Blueprints are a series of documents that together describe the content and structure of an assessment. These documents define the total number of tasks and/or items for any given assessment component, the standards measured, the item types, and the point values for each.
Evidence tables and evidence statements describe the knowledge and skills that an assessment item or a task elicits from students.

8. Performance Based Assessment Form Specifications for Grades 3
This is a screen shot of Grade 3 Performance Based Specifications. See the section titled “Form Specifications” in the Item Guidelines for more information.
Partial piece, what is not included is the research simulation task for grade 3

9. End of Year Form Specifications for Grades 3
This is a screen shot of Grade 3End Of Year Form Specifications. See the section titled “Form Specifications” in the Item Guidelines for more information.

10. Integral pieces to the ELA assessments…. What you need to know
The ELA assessments are rooted in text.
Additional specifications are necessary…
Clear guidelines on selection of passages/texts
Relationship of reading to writing
How to assemble passages/texts with questions together to form cogent performance-based tasks

11. Evidence Centered Design: Claims

12. The claims for the PARCC assessments reinforce these instructional shifts.

13. Key Shifts of the New Assessments
Writing always connected to reading.
Vocabulary in context.
Evidence, evidence, evidence!

14. Evidence Centered Design: Evidence
So, how will we know if students have mastered the standards? Assessments!

15. What are ELA Evidence tables?
The tables contain the Reading, Writing and Vocabulary Major claims and the evidences to be measured on the Next Generation Assessments.
Evidences are attached to the Reading, Writing and Vocabulary claims.
Evidences describe what students might say or do to demonstrate mastery of the standards.
An item on the assessment may measure multiple standards and multiple evidences.
The evidences are attached to the Reading, Writing and Vocabulary claims presented by PARCC which will be shared on the following slide.
Evidences describe what students might say or do to demonstrate mastery of the standards and on the PARCC assessment an item may measure multiple standards and multiple evidences.

16. Reading an Evidence Table
Grade
Claim
Standards:
RL –Reading Literary
RI – Reading Information
On each evidence chart the first line indicates the grade. This is followed by the second line which lists the claim for reading literature or reading informational text or vocabulary. Next is a statement that the standards and evidences listed below may be reflected in the items designed to measure the claim.
In the first column on the left is a list of the standards. If it is a reading literature standard it be identified with the letters RL and if it is an reading informational text standard it will be identified with the letters RI.
In the next column are the evidences to be measured on the PARCC Summative Assessment. The evidences can serve as a basis for guiding classroom instruction when teaching reading.
Evidences

17. Instructional uses of the evidence statements/tables for teachers
To help determine alignment of a complex text with standards for instructional passage selection
To develop the stem for questions/tasks for instruction aligned with the standards
To determine and create instructional scaffolding (to think through which individual, simpler skills can be taught first to build to more complex skills) 
To develop rubrics and scoring tools for classroom use

18. Key Points to Remember
In all Evidence Tables for Grades 3 – 11 Standard 1 is always combined with the teaching of any of the other standards.
More than one evidence may be combined with Standard 1.
Texts need to be complex literary or informational text (s)that students will use as a basis for their answers.
Effective text dependent questions require students to draw evidence from a text to support their answers.
Careful and close reading is required in order to determine meaning and answer questions.
Written tasks should require writing to sources rather than to a de-contextualized or generalized prompt and should require students to apply the knowledge of language and conventions.

19. Standard 1 on the Evidence Tables
Reading: Anchor Standard 1
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
All items measuring this claim require students to read a text prior to responding to the items (i.e. the item is text dependent)
This standard is always combined with other standards.
All questions are text dependent.

20. Evidence Centered Design: Tasks
Although the content of our standards has not changed significantly (we are still reading and writing) the types of tasks that students need to be able to complete has changed – therefore instruction need to change accordingly.

21. Item Types EBSR = Evidence-Based Selected Response
(on PBA and EOY)
TECR = Technology-Enhanced Constructed Response
PCR = Prose Constructed Response
(on PBA only)

22. Text Dependent Questions
Good text dependent questions will often linger over specific phrases and sentences to ensure careful comprehension of the text—they help students see something worthwhile that they would not have seen on a more cursory reading.
An effective set of text dependent questions delves systematically into a text to guide students in extracting the key meanings or ideas found there.
They typically begin by exploring specific words, details, and arguments and then moves on to examine the impact of those specifics on the text as a whole.
Along the way they target academic vocabulary and specific sentence structures as critical focus points for gaining comprehension.

23. Grade 3 EBSR from EOY
Read all parts of the question before responding Part A What is one main idea of “How Animals Live?” a. There are many types of animals on the planet. b. Animals need water to live. c. There are many ways to sort different animals. d. Animals begin their life cycles in different forms.

24. Grade 3 EBSR from EOY
Part B Which detail from the article best supports the answer to Part A? a. “Animals get oxygen from air or water." b. "Animals can be grouped by their traits." c. "Worms are invertebrates." d. "All animals grow and change over time." e. "Almost all animals need water, food, oxygen, and shelter to live."

25. Technology-Enhanced Constructed-Response Grade 3

26. Grade 6 Technology-Enhanced Constructed-Response
Part A
Choose one word that describes Miyax based on evidence from the text. There is more than one correct choice listed below.
reckless
lively
imaginative*
observant*
impatient
confident
This is a sample of a TECR
Not divorced from EBSR the difference is how they provide their evidence. One they select from choices/one they drag and drop.
This is a sample of a narrative task within the Performance Based Assessment portion of the PARCC assessments
860 L
Range: Example of assessing literature and helping to satisfy the 55%-45% split of informational text to literature at the 6-8 grade-band.
Quality: Julie of the Wolves was a winner of the Newbery Medal in This text about a young Eskimo girl surviving on her own in the tundra by communicating with wolves offers a story rich with characterization and imagery that will appeal to a diverse student population.

27. Grade 6 Technology-Enhanced Constructed-Response
Part B Find a sentence in the passage with details that support your response to Part A. Click on that sentence and drag and drop it into the box below. Part C Find a second sentence in the passage with details that support your response to Part A. Click on that sentence and drag and drop it into the box below.
This is a sample of a TECR
Not divorced from EBSR the difference is how they provide their evidence. One they select from choices/one they drag and drop.
This is a sample of a narrative task within the Performance Based Assessment portion of the PARCC assessments
860 L
Range: Example of assessing literature and helping to satisfy the 55%-45% split of informational text to literature at the 6-8 grade-band.
Quality: Julie of the Wolves was a winner of the Newbery Medal in This text about a young Eskimo girl surviving on her own in the tundra by communicating with wolves offers a story rich with characterization and imagery that will appeal to a diverse student population.

28. TECR – Grade 5 (multiple select)
Question: Choose the two main ideas and drag them to the empty box labeled “Main Ideas.” Then choose one detail that best supports each main idea. Drag each detail into the empty box labeled “Supporting Details.”
Possible Main Ideas
Possible Supporting Details
Jonathan has his own 1000-yard zipline.
“In fact, as a tree house architect…”*
Johnathan is an experienced tree house builder.
“Jonathan’s love of tree-house living began when he was a kid.”
Johnathan works carefully so that tree houses do not hurt the trees.
“It was the most fun I ever had.”
Johnathan lived in a tree house when….*
“I build a tree house so it helps the tree’…”*

29. Prose Constructed Response Questions
Questions that require a written response:
Allow students to elicit evidence demonstrating that they have understood a text or texts read
Allow students to demonstrate that they can communicate that understanding well both in terms of written expression and knowledge of language and conventions
Allow teachers the opportunity to provide feedback on how individual pieces of writing meet or do not meet the criteria for quality writing
Written tasks such as this require writing to sources rather than to a de-contextualized or generalized prompt and requires students to apply the knowledge of language and conventions.
The emphasis on writing to sources will support the implementation of asking students to demonstrate the critical college- and career-readiness skills of presenting credible evidence from texts, crafting coherent and well-developed prose, and writing clearly with sufficient command of academic English. Learning to present important information from text in an organized piece of writing helps students generate a deeper understanding of a text. Indeed, whether taking notes, answering questions about a text, or crafting a summary or an extended response regarding what they have read, students improve both their reading comprehension and their writing skills as they write in response to texts.
Teachers will be able to provide feedback on how individual pieces of writing meet or do not meet the criteria for quality writing.

30. Prose Constructed Response Sample Grade 4
Question: You have read two stories where one family member saves another. Write an essay describing the mosquito from “Cricket and Cougar” and one of the main characters from “Kira-Kira.” For each character described,
Explain how the thoughts, words, and/or actions of the character help you understand what the character is like.
Explain why the character chooses to save his or her family member.
Be sure to include specific details from each story* to support your ideas.
*does not mean direct quote! That is nice, but not required. If they only put in a bunch of quotes it is considered unscorable because there is no original writing

31. Prose Constructed Response Narrative Writing Task, Grade 6
In the passage the author developed a strong character named Miyax. Think about Miyax and the details the author used to create that character. The passage ends with Miyax waiting for the black wolf to look at her.
Write an original story to continue where the passage ended. In your story, be sure to use what you have learned about the character Miyax as you tell what happens to her next.

32. Prose Constructed Response Research Simulation Task, Grade 7
Question: You have read a website entry and an article and watched a video describing Amelia Earhart. All three include information that supports the claim that Earhart was a brave, courageous person. The three texts are: “The Biography of Amelia Earhart” “Earhart’s Final Resting Place Believed Found” “Amelia Earhart’s Life and Disappearance”(video)
Consider the argument each author uses to demonstrate Earhart’s bravery.
Write an essay that analyzes the strength of the arguments related to Earhart’s bravery in at least two of the three supporting materials. Remember to use textual evidence to support your ideas.

33. Prose Constructed Response Literary Analysis Task, Grade 10
Student Directions:
Use what you have learned from reading “Daedalus and Icarus” by Ovid and “To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph” by Anne Sexton to write an essay that provides an analysis of how Sexton transforms “Daedalus and Icarus.”
As a starting point, you may want to consider what is emphasized, absent, or different in the two texts, but feel free to develop your own focus for analysis.
Develop your essay by providing textual evidence from both texts. Be sure to follow the conventions of standard English.

34. Putting it all Together
Instructional Considerations

35. Key Elements of the ELA Model Content Frameworks
Note...the newest version of the Framework is interactive - and searchable.

36. Sample Model Content Framework Chart ELA
They focus on framing the critical advances in the standards:
Reading complex texts
Teaching close reading strategies
Reading a range of texts—literature and informational
Writing effectively when using and/or analyzing sources
Conducting and reporting on research - and writing to inform
Speaking and listening
Using knowledge of language effectively when reading, writing, and speaking

37. Content Framework Planning Tool
My version – word doc can be edited

38. Writing Standards Progression
Highlights the changes from one grade to the next – helpful for planning, to focus instruction and assessments
(share idea of grammar calendars)

39. Instructional Uses of Standards Progressions
Understand where your grade fits into the continuum of skills
Focus unit and lesson planning on progressions
Writing expectations for students
Grammar calendars

40. parcc-model-content-frameworks
parcc-model-content-frameworks

41. for assessment and instruction
Text Complexity
for assessment and instruction

42. Text Selections for Assessment and Instruction
It is important when selecting texts that:
Texts stem from across the disciplines (e.g. ELA, history, science and technical subjects), are written by authors with diverse backgrounds, reflect the CCSS prescribed balances of literature and informational text, and appeal to a wide range of student audiences.
Texts are authentic works of exceptional craft and/or rich repositories of ideas and information
The foundation for preparing students for the linguistic rigors of college and the workplace lies in the texts with which students interact. By the time they graduate, students should be prepared to successfully read and analyze the types of complex texts they will encounter after high school. Selecting passages of appropriate type and complexity for use in assessment is integral to this preparation.
Since the CCSS call for students to comprehend a range of complex texts, it is important to balance texts written by authors with diverse backgrounds, including a balance of authors by gender and ethnicity.
The texts students encounter should be worthy of careful attention, be content rich and challenging, and exhibit professional published quality. Texts should also be of sufficient quality and complexity that students can demonstrate that they are the path to achieve college and career readiness.
Paired or multiple texts should be selected with the same care as all texts. It is important to expose students to grade-level texts of appropriate complexity—including texts from the domains of ELA, science, history/social studies, technical subjects, and the arts.
There are several additional criteria for selecting the passages for the standards that require more than one text. These criteria are based on the language of the standard and depend on the explicit purpose of the standard—what it is that students are being asked to do with the text. For more information about selecting texts you may refer tp the Passage Selection Guidelines for Assessing the CCSS drafted by PARCC.
It is equally important to select texts that appeal to students interests and diverse populations. It is important to avoid any topics or issues that are highly controversial or they may be troublesome for some students, For more information about bias and sensitivity when selecting texts you may refer to the Boas and Sensitivity Guidelines drafted by PA RCC.

43. Text Selections for Assessment and Instruction
Text pairings, where required by the CCSS, have meaningful and significant points of comparison that invite questions beyond superficial observations
Texts appeal to student interest and appeal to a wide audience
Texts avoid highly controversial topics that may be troublesome to students
Refer to Passage Selection Guidelines for Assessing CCSS and the Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines for more detailed information about the selecting of passages for students.

44. PARCC - Literary Complexity Analysis Worksheet
Here is the Literary Complexity Analysis Worksheet.
This form looks cumbersome however, on further analysis it is a translation of the Complexity Triangle found in Appendix A
The Yellow portion is the quantitative measure (lexile)
The Blue is the qualitative measure that is more detailed than the outline that we were introduced to in Appendix A
The third leg of the triangle is the reader/task considerations which is not included as part of this form however will inform your completion of the Green section providing justification for your passage recommendations.

45. Text Complexity
Qualitative
Quantitative
Reader and Task

46. Proposed Writing Rubrics
Three primary components to the rubrics:
A reading assessment component
A written expression component (which has several sub-components)
A knowledge of language and conventions component.
The use of this single rubric—regardless of task purpose
Allows for the focus of evaluation of the quality of a written response to be on key traits of quality of reading comprehension (including providing strong evidence from texts)
Allows for focus on quality writing rather than on any single, discrete criterion
Reinforces student preparation for prose to be written in college and careers, where quality is defined by addressing the demands of a task, rather than on an isolated skill
A proposed writing rubric for grades is now available to teachers. It has three primary components: a reading assessment component; a written expression component (which has several sub-components); and a knowledge of language and conventions component. (Item specific scoring guides will further define how to score specific prompts.) The use of this single rubric—regardless of task purpose—allows for the focus of evaluation of the quality of a written response to be on key traits of quality of reading comprehension (including providing strong evidence from texts) and on quality writing rather than on any single, discrete criterion. Consequently, the use of the rubric will reinforce student preparation for prose to be written in college and careers, where quality is defined by addressing the demands of a task, rather than on an isolated skill.
Teachers will be able to provide feedback on how individual pieces of writing meet or do not meet the criteria for quality writing. Consistent use of a common rubric will allow students to internalize the criteria as they take on different writing assignments throughout their academic careers.

47.
Then search “rubrics”

48. What are Performance Level Descriptors?
Performance Level Descriptors or PLDs describe what students at each performance level know and can do relative to grade-level or course content standards assessed.
What are Performance Level Descriptors?
Performance Level Descriptors or PLDs describe what students at each performance level know and can do relative to grade-level or course content standards assessed.

49. Performance Descriptor Levels
PARCC will report students achievement using PLDs and scaled scores.
In October 2012 PARCC established 5 performance levels
Level 5: Students performing at this level demonstrate a distinguished command of the knowledge, skills, and practices embodied by the Common Core State Standards assessed at their grade level.
Level 4: Solid command…
Level 3: Moderate command…
Level 2: Partial command…
Level 1: Minimal command…
Cut Scores will be determined in the Summer of 2015 using multiple stakeholders in the decision making process.
PARCC Governing Board and Advisory Committee on College Readiness vote in October 2012 established 5 performance levels
Level 5: Students performing at this level demonstrate a distinguished command of the knowledge, skills, and practices embodied by the Common Core State Standards assessed at their grade level.
Level 4: Solid command…
Level 3: Moderate command…
Level 2: Partial command…
Level 1: Minimal command…
Policy-level PLDs serve as a foundation for grade- and subject-specific performance level descriptors

50. Performance Level Descriptor Grade 3 Reading
Explain how to read the PLDs – combination of text complexity and student accuracy in responses. Implications for level 2 – note that no level needs to be perfectly accurate…

51. Grade 11 ELA PLD

52. Teaching to the Depth of the New Learning Standards/Next Generation Assessments

53. Depth of Knowledge
DOK was guiding PARCC development…NOT Blooms!

54. Cognitive Rigor – Hess Matrix

55. Rigor Redefined Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Collaboration and Leadership
Agility and Adaptability
Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
Effective Oral and Written Communication
Accessing and Analyzing Information
Curiosity and Imagination
Rigor – goes beyond the idea of complexity or just giving students more work or more difficult work.

56. Top Ten Guiding Principles for ELA Instruction…
READING
1. Make close reading of texts central to lessons.
2. Ask text-dependent questions.
3. Structure majority of instruction so all students read complex texts; scaffold instruction not texts.
4. Balance non-fiction with fiction. Balance short and long texts.

57. Top Ten Guiding Principles for ELA Instruction…
WRITING
5. Write! Write! Write!
Focus on types not genres
Writing is always connected to reading

58. Top Ten Guiding Principles for ELA Instruction…
SPEAKING AND LISTENING
6. Talk it out. Facilitate academic conversations.

59. Top Ten Guiding Principles for ELA Instruction…
LANGUAGE
7. Teach vocabulary acquisition, not just words.
8. Embed grammar instruction in writing AND reading.

60. Top Ten Guiding Principles for ELA Instruction…
PLANNING
9. Design units backwards from the writing task. Use mentor texts to anchor reading lessons.
10. Choose wisely – both materials and activities. .

62. No instruction manual can teach as much as careful attention to the sounds in even one great poem.
Robert Pinsky

63. Clermont County Educational Service Center
Kasey Dunlap, ELA/School Improvement Consultant
Clermont County Educational Service Center
@clermontELA