Hal Sanderson, Ph.D.Director, Research & Assessment

A DISCUSSION ABOUTSTUDENT ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE

Canyons Board of EducationFebruary 4, 2014

Why SAGE?What is the SAGE assessment?What does it look like?What is our implementation of SAGE?

Can we compare SAGE to previous tests?

LEARNING TOPICS

The state needed an assessment system to measure Utah’s new core standards in Math and English Language Arts

The new standards were approved by the State Board of Education in August 2010

WHY SAGE?

The Criterion-Referenced Tests (CRTs) no longer match these new standards

New assessment:Student Assessment for Growth and Excellence

WHY SAGE?

November 2012: American Institutes for Research awarded state contract

Fall 2013: Utah educators helped develop test questions

Fall 2013: Utah parents reviewed test questions

SAGE IS A CUSTOM-BUILT TEST

Developing SAGE Test Questions in Utah

SAGE is an online adaptive test that will measure the full range of grade-level knowledge and skills.

Each question a student receives is dependent on the correctness of answers to previous questions. Therefore, the order of test questions and specific questions posed are unique to each student.

Although questions answered may differ between students, SAGE will assess all students on all core standards equally.

WHAT IS THE SAGE ASSESSMENT?

SAGE is more than a multiple-choice testWith SAGE, students will be writing, constructing

math equations, building graphs, and conducting experiments on the computer 

SAGE practice-training test: www.sageportal.org

WHAT IS THE SAGE ASSESSMENT?

SAGE DEMOWWW.SAGEPORTAL.ORG

SAGE is a major project for Canyons District and the state

SAGE preparation includes more than 10 Canyons departments

Thanks to the hard work of these groups, we will be ready to administer SAGE in April and May 2014

PLANNING FOR SAGE

KEY TASK DATEIncrease computers and technology in Canyons schools

Ongoing

Communicate with school leaders about SAGE information

Spring 2013 (ongoing)

Provide schools SAGE sample test questions and test blueprints

Fall 2013

IT reviews and implements SAGE Technical Requirements districtwide

Nov. 2013 –Jan. 2014

SAGE Summative Grade-Level Practice Tests released; school leaders assure Research and Assessment that all teachers will take a practice test by Jan. 31, 2014

Dec. 18, 2013

SAGE teacher accounts created January 2014Ear bud headphones purchased for students and schools

January 2014

CANYONS SAGE IMPLEMENTATION

NEXT STEPS IN IMPLEMENTATION

KEY TASK DATEConduct secure practice tests with teachers and students

February - March

Communicate SAGE to parents and community

February - May

Train school leadership FebruaryTrain teachers to administer SAGE FebruaryStudents take SAGE Writing test AprilStudents take SAGE Math, Science, English Language Arts test

April - May

Results are not comparable 

SAGE serves as a new baseline for students, teachers and schools

Old Core Standards ≠ New Core Standards

CAN SAGE BE COMPARED TO THE CORE CRTS?

New state standards are more rigorous 

Performance benchmarks not yet setComing in July 2014

CAN SAGE BE COMPARED TO THE CORE CRTS?

A DISCUSSION ABOUTSTUDENT ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND EXCELLENCE