Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Summative Assessment1

PARCC is designed to reward quality instruction aligned to the Common Core State Standards, so the assessment is worthy of preparation rather than a distraction from good work.

PARCC’s Fundamental Advance

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Questions Worth Answering: Sequences of questions that draw students into deeper encounters with texts are the norm (as in an excellent classroom), rather than sets of random questions of varying quality.

Texts Worth Reading: The assessments use authentic texts worthy of study instead of artificially produced or commissioned passages. 

Better Standards Demand Better Questions: Instead of reusing existing items, PARCC is developing custom items to the Standards.

Fidelity to the Standards: PARCC evidence statements are rooted in the language of the Standards so that expectations remain the same in both instructional and assessment settings.

PARCC’s Core Commitments to ELA/Literacy Assessment Quality

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PARCC assessments will be tightly aligned to the Common Core State Standards and grounded in the key shifts at the heart of the Common Core State Standards.

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There are 3 shifts in English language arts (ELA)/literacy.

1.Complexity: Regular practice with complex text and its academic language.

2.Evidence: Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text, literary and informational.

3.Knowledge: Building knowledge through content rich nonfiction.

What Are the Shifts at the Heart of PARCC’s Design (and the Standards)?

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Nine Specific Advances in the PARCC ELA/Literacy Summative Assessment Demanded by the Three Common Core Shifts. . .

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1. PARCC builds a staircase of text complexity to ensure students are on track each year for college and career reading.

2. PARCC rewards careful, close reading rather than racing through passages.

3. PARCC systematically focuses on the words that matter most—not obscure vocabulary, but the academic language that pervades complex texts.

Shift 1: Regular practice with complex text and its academic language

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4. PARCC focuses on students rigorously citing evidence from texts throughout the assessment.

5. PARCC includes questions with more than one right answer to allow students to generate a range of rich insights that are substantiated by evidence from text(s).

6. PARCC requires writing to sources rather than writing to de-contextualized expository prompts.

7. PARCC also includes rigorous expectations for narrative writing, including accuracy and precision in writing in later grades.

Shift 2: Reading and writing grounded in evidence from text, literary and informational

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8. PARCC assesses not just ELA but a full range of reading and writing across the disciplines.

9. PARCC simulates research on the assessment, including the comparison and synthesis of ideas across a range of informational sources.

Shift 3: Building knowledge through content rich nonfiction

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SO. . .Two standards are always in play—whether items are focused on reading or writing. These standards are:

Reading Standard One (Use of Evidence)

Reading Standard Ten (Complex Texts)

Students’ Command of Evidence with Complex Texts is at the Core of Every Part of the Assessment!

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RigorousComplexTexts

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High-Quality Passages Are a PARCC Priority!

Rigorous passage selection (texts worth reading) is essential to

PARCC: Texts shape both the nature

and the quality of the questions students can be

asked.

Five PARCC Criteria for Selecting Texts Worth Reading

I. Texts Are Complex: PARCC assessments follow the staircase of text complexity in the CCSS to ensure assessments track student progress each year towards college and career readiness.

II. Texts Are Diverse: PARCC 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.

III. Texts Are Authentic: PARCC texts are authentic works of exceptional craft and/or rich repositories of ideas and information rather than commissioned-for-the-test passages lacking sufficient evidence, organization, and style.

IV. Texts Are Paired Effectively: PARCC text pairings, where required by the CCSS, have meaningful and significant points of comparison that invite questions beyond superficial observations.

V. Texts Meet Demands of Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines: PARCC texts are carefully vetted to ensure that while they pique student interest and appeal to a wide audience, they avoid highly controversial topics that may be troublesome to students.

Common Core Band

The Lexile Framework Reading Maturity SourceRater

2nd – 3rd 420 - 820 3.53 – 6.13 0.36-5.624th-5th 740 - 1010 5.42 – 7.92 3.97-8.406th-8th 925 – 1185 7.04 – 9.57 5.85-10.879th-10th 1050 – 1335 8.41 – 10.81 8.41-12.2611th-CCR 1185 – 1385 9.57 – 12.00 9.62-13.47

PARCC will use the following quantitative measures:

• The Lexile Framework For Reading by MetaMetrics• Reading Maturity by Pearson• SourceRater by Educational Testing Service

PARCC will use the updated text complexity grade bands and associated ranges of multiple measures from Appendix A of the CCSS

1. TEXTS are COMPLEX

2. TEXTS are DIVERSE

PARCC passages will be of exceptional craft, will span eras, cultures, and genres, and/or be a rich repository of accurate ideas and information

Overall, the assessment will align to the balance of literary to informational texts as required by the CCSS

Specific texts (or text types) named in the standards will be included:

Literary Text Types: poetry, drama, fiction, and multimedia

Informational Text Types: literary nonfiction, history/social science texts, science/technical texts, and multimedia

Specific Texts Named in the CCSS: for example, U.S. foundational documents, American literature, etc.

3. TEXTS are AUTHENTIC

1. Texts will illustrate superior, professional-quality literary or informational writing, e.g., demonstrate coherence, thorough development of ideas, clear use of evidence and details, and effective structure.

2. Texts will reflect a professional editing process, e.g., demonstrate mature use of syntax and diction and be polished and error-free.

3. If an excerpt from a larger work, the text will carry a sense of completeness and maintain the author’s original intent.

4. Graphics, photographs, and other visual images (artwork) within an authentic text will usually accompany the text to maintain authenticity.

4. TEXTS are PAIRED EFFECTIVELY

Paired passages on PARCC will occur sparingly. They will treat the same general topic but also contain more focused ideas related to the broader topic (e.g., not two texts simply about bees but texts that treat ideas like the beneficial effects of bees).The passage pairs will have discernible and significant points of comparison that invite questions beyond superficial observations, e.g., questions about authors’ points of view or focus and quality of evidence, differences in emphasis, significant omissions and/or inclusions of ideas, or changes original to derivative text.They will lend themselves to synthesis of ideas so students can develop a coherent understanding of the topic.

1. Comparing literary elements, including theme (e.g., RL.3.9, RL.4.5, RL.6.9, RL.11-12.9)

2. Comparing central ideas, topics, including same event and point of view (e.g., RI.3.9, RI.4.6, RI.8.9, RI.9-10.9, RH.11-12.6)

3. Comparing and/or analyzing different versions of the same text (e.g., RL.4.7, RI. 7.7, RI.8.7, RL.11-12.7)

4. Analyzing how ideas are transformed from one text to another (RI.6.9, RL.7.9, RST.6-8.9, RL.9-10.9, RH.9-10.9)

5. Integrating information for a purpose (e.g., RI.4.9, RI.5.9, RH.11-12.9)

6. Comparing structure of texts (e.g., RI.5.5, RL.8.5)

7. Analyzing supplemental elements (e.g., RL.3.7, Ri.3.7, RI.4.7, RI.5.7)

Standards Call for Seven Types of Paired Passages (often also requiring certain genres or works)

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5. TEXTS MEET DEMANDS of BIAS and SENSITIVITY GUIDELINES

The Common Core Standards have broadened the construct of reading to include reading for information across many disciplines.As a result, the texts on the PARCC literacy assessments will cover a broad range of topics. Although extremely controversial topics (e.g., abortion) will be avoided, other formerly “taboo” topics (e.g., the Civil War, dinosaurs, divorce) may be part of the PARCC assessments. PARCC recognizes it is vital to handle all topics in a way that is respectful of students’ potential reactions.

Other Considerations for Selecting Quality Texts

Research Tasks: For tasks that simulate research, one text serves as the anchor text, providing foundational knowledge and leading naturally to additional reading and exploration.

Multimedia: If a video or audio stimulus is used, it meets the same quality criteria as for other texts, and its quality of sound and/or video are appropriate for use on assessments.

• PARCC states first developed Model Content Frameworks to provide guidance on key elements of excellent instruction aligned with the Standards.

• Then, those Frameworks informed the assessment blueprint design.

What is Different About PARCC’s Development Process?

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PARCC Task Prototypes

andSample Items

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ELA

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• Evidence-Based Selected Response (EBSR)—Combines a traditional selected-response question with a second selected-response question that asks students to show evidence from the text that supports the answer they provided to the first question. Underscores the importance of Reading Anchor Standard 1 for implementation of the CCSS.

• Technology-Enhanced Constructed Response (TECR)—Uses technology to capture student comprehension of texts in authentic ways that have been difficult to score by machine for large scale assessments (e.g., drag and drop, cut and paste, shade text, move items to show relationships).

• Prose Constructed Responses (PCR)—Elicits evidence that students have understood a text or texts they have read and can communicate that understanding well both in terms of written expression and knowledge of language and conventions. There are three of these items of varying types on each annual performance-based assessment.

Three Innovative Item Types That Showcase Students’ Command of Evidence with Complex Texts

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Questions Worth Answering

Items demonstrate:Sequences of questions that draw students into

deeper encounters with texts (as in an excellent classroom), rather than sets of random questions of varying quality.

Opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know, rather than what they don’t know; items allow for partial credit

Purposeful options for student expression of divergent thinking

Use of technology to allow students to construct meaning for machine-scorable items

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Grade 6Performance-Based Component

Literary Analysis Task Narrative Task Research Simulation TaskThe Literature Task plays an important role in honing students’ ability to read complex text closely, a skill that research reveals as the most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-ready readers. This task will ask students to carefully consider literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay.

The Narrative Task broadens the way in which students may use this type of writing. Narrative writing can be used to convey experiences or events, real or imaginary. In this task, students may be asked to write a story,  detail a scientific process, write a historical account of important figures, or to describe an account of events, scenes or objects, for example.•Grade 6, New Sample Items #1 and #2 with Annotations

•Grade 6, Passage #1•Grade 6, Text Complexity•Grade 6, Item #3•Grade 6, Item #4•Grade 6, Item #5•Grade 6, Item #6

The Research Simulation Task is an assessment component worthy of student preparation because it asks students to exercise the career- and college- readiness skills of observation, deduction, and proper use and evaluation of evidence across text types.In this task, students will analyze an informational topic presented through several articles or multimedia stimuli, the first text being an anchor text that introduces the topic.  Students will engage with the texts by answering a series of questions and synthesizing information from multiple sources in order to write two analytic essays.

End-Of-Year AssessmentOn the end-of-year assessment, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to read and comprehend complex informational and literary texts. Questions will be sequenced in a way that they will draw students into deeper encounters with the texts and will result in more thorough comprehension of the concepts.

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Grade 7Performance-Based Component

Literary Analysis Task Narrative Task Research Simulation TaskThe Literature Task plays an important role in honing students’ ability to read complex text closely, a skill that research reveals as the most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-ready readers. This task will ask students to carefully consider literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay.

The Narrative Task broadens the way in which students may use this type of writing. Narrative writing can be used to convey experiences or events, real or imaginary. In this task, students may be asked to write a story,  detail a scientific process, write a historical account of important figures, or to describe an account of events, scenes or objects, for example.

The Research Simulation Task is an assessment component worthy of student preparation because it asks students to exercise the career- and college- readiness skills of observation, deduction, and proper use and evaluation of evidence across text types.In this task, students will analyze an informational topic presented through several articles or multimedia stimuli, the first text being an anchor text that introduces the topic.  Students will engage with the texts by answering a series of questions and synthesizing information from multiple sources in order to write two analytic essays.•Grade 7 Prose Constructed Response from Research Simulation Task (Summary)

•Grade 7 TECR from Research Simulation Task

•Grade 7 Prose Constructed Response from Research Simulation Task (Analytical Essay)

End-Of-Year AssessmentOn the end-of-year assessment, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to read and comprehend complex informational and literary texts. Questions will be sequenced in a way that they will draw students into deeper encounters with the texts and will result in more thorough comprehension of the concepts.

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Grade 8Performance-Based Component

Literary Analysis Task Narrative Task Research Simulation Task

The Literature Task plays an important role in honing students’ ability to read complex text closely, a skill that research reveals as the most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-ready readers. This task will ask students to carefully consider literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay.

 The Narrative Task broadens the way in which students may use this type of writing. Narrative writing can be used to convey experiences or events, real or imaginary. In this task, students may be asked to write a story,  detail a scientific process, write a historical account of important figures, or to describe an account of events, scenes or objects, for example.

The Research Simulation Task is an assessment component worthy of student preparation because it asks students to exercise the career- and college- readiness skills of observation, deduction, and proper use and evaluation of evidence across text types.In this task, students will analyze an informational topic presented through several articles or multimedia stimuli, the first text being an anchor text that introduces the topic.  Students will engage with the texts by answering a series of questions and synthesizing information from multiple sources in order to write two analytic essays.

End-Of-Year AssessmentOn the end-of-year assessment, students have the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to read and comprehend complex informational and literary texts. Questions will be sequenced in a way that they will draw students into deeper encounters with the texts and will result in more thorough comprehension of the concepts.

This item is pending fall release. 

• Students carefully consider two literary texts worthy of close study.• They are asked to answer a few EBSR and TECR questions about each text to

demonstrate their ability to do close analytic reading and to compare and synthesize ideas.

• Students write a literary analysis about the two texts.

Understanding the Literary Analysis Task

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Grade 6 Literary Analysis Task

PassagesQuestions

• Students begin by reading an anchor text that introduces the topic.

• EBSR and TECR items ask students to gather key details about the passage to support their understanding.

• Students read one (Grade 3) or two additional sources (Grades 5 and 6) and answer a few questions about each text to learn more about the topic, so they are ready to write the final essay and to show their reading comprehension.

• Finally, students mirror the research process by synthesizing their understandings into a writing that uses textual evidence from the sources.

Understanding the Research Simulation Task

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