1. Possible Evaluation Model: Reactions from the Field David T. Conley, Ph.D. Professor, University of Oregon

2. 2 Summary of Responses

3. 3 Some Key Observations Educators want certainty and consistency regarding what is assessed Core standards State-level scoring criteria and guides They expect the state to provide clarity in all areas where the state is establishing assessment requirements

4. 4 Some Key Observations Educators are concerned about comparisons among schools Not surprisingly, educators favor formative assessment over accountability assessment Educators are split on whether they want a great deal of discretion to develop some aspects of the assessment system locally Many educators still believe the state should not be “tinkering in the classroom”

5. 5 Some Key Observations Implementation challenges are fully predictable, but complex and difficult nevertheless Assessment, however well embedded in the classroom, will always be viewed as a departure from instruction by some, perhaps many, educators

6. 6 Some Key Observations Issues related to special learner populations are essentially the same under these options, but any new system provides an opportunity to address the needs of these students better and more appropriately

7. 7 Some Key Observations Regardless of what is implemented, the Board will face the realities of Oregon’s locally controlled schools Limited professional development capacity locally No really effective networks of educators Deprivation mentality

8. 8 Some Key Observations The issue of what exactly constitutes an “unfunded mandate” probably needs to be considered Is any part of a statewide assessment system a local responsibility to fund and operate, or is the state responsible for all expenses related to assessment?

9. 9 Some Key Observations Whatever choice the Board makes, it will have to communicate its rationale and purposes clearly and unambiguously At some point, decisive action will be required, and the field will never be fully ready for such decisiveness

10. 10 Some Key Observations Undertaking any new direction in assessment requires a long-term commitment from policy makers and policy implementers to work through the inevitable unforeseen problems that will arise

11. 11 Some Key Observations The implicit assessment demands of the diploma requirements are significant The key decision is the degree to which all of the components will be assessed or whether some will be educational goals that are not necessarily measured

12. 12 Some Key Observations Whatever option is pursued (or not pursued), it is important to remember that the schools are suffering a CIM/CAM/TESA “hangover” and will view with extreme skepticism any assessment policy, regardless of its merits

13. 13 Some Key Observations A key policy decision is the degree of consistency the state wants in what is taught and learned in Oregon classrooms The state has been unwilling to take a clear stand on this fundamental issue from the beginning of real statewide assessment in the early 1990s

14. 14 Some Key Observations For educators, it’s all about the details Even if consensus can be gained on the general structure of the assessment system, much will hinge on myriad details of implementation

15. 15 Some Key Observations The problem of conflicting arguments: If the system is too simple, it’s criticized for not being a valid measurement of what’s happening in the classroom If it’s focused on validly measuring what’s happening in the classroom, it’s criticized for being too complex, time- consuming, expensive

16. 16 Possible Simplification One possibility is to have some sort of key assessment activity each year of high school that provides a range of info specific to diploma requirements College readiness test Term paper Research paper Senior project State would set the conditions of each NCLB test would be standard for reading, math

17. 17 Summary While respondents are cautiously supportive of the options, it’s all about the specifics and the details: Rationale for each requirement Uses of the data Implementation schedule Professional development resources Alignment with current district practice Time requirements Special needs populations

18. 18 Recommendation The Board would need a very detailed operational plan that addressed the following for any new assessment: Political support and sustainability Detailed operational requirements Adequate funding Professional development needs Involvement and acceptance by key constituencies

19. 19 Assessment Type by Purpose

20. 20 Essential Skills by Assessme nt Type