Assessment Update2008 GACIS Fall Conference

Transition of Assessments to the GPS

Two major tasks:1. Content alignment

“What students must know”Make sure all test items reflect the content described in the GPS.

2. Standard alignment

“How well students must perform”Insure that performance standards reflect the mastery level described by the GPS.

Curriculum Transition

• Timeline for Transition– EOCT

• All content areas except Mathematics have transitioned• Mathematics I Fall 2008• Mathematics II Spring 2009

– CRCT• All content areas except Social Studies have transitioned• Social Studies in grades 6 & 7 revised/ redeveloped • Social Studies grades 3-5 Spring 2009

– GHSGT • ELA and Science have fully transitioned to GPS• 2008-2009 is year 2 of a ‘transitional’ test in Social Studies• QCC Mathematics continues in 2008-2009

CRCT

• Grades 6 & 7 Social Studies– 2008-2009 results invalidated– Summer 2008, panel revised curriculum– New items are being written and reviewed in fall 2008– Field testing planned for spring 2009; individual student

results will not be reported• Grades 3-5 Social Studies

– Implementation schedule is currently on track– New GPS based tests planned for Spring 2009

GHSGT

• ELA and Science are fully aligned to the GPS and have four performance levels– Below proficiency– Basic proficiency – Advanced proficiency– Honors

• Social Studies continues to be dually aligned to QCC and GPS and will fully transition to GPS in Spring 2010

• Mathematics continues to be QCC based and will fully transition to GPS in Spring 2011

What changes can you expect in a test when it transitions from QCC to GPS?

• A new reporting scale is created• Domains (and content weights) are revised

– Please refer to the website for updated content descriptions and resources

• Important: performance on the new GPS test is not comparable to the former QCC test. The GPS test sets a new baseline.

Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS)

• 2008-2009 is the first year of statewide roll-out of GKIDS• Formative and summative assessment system aligned to the GPS• There are seven areas or domains of learning that are assessed as part of

GKIDS:– English Language Arts – Mathematics – Social Studies (optional) – Science (optional) – Approaches to Learning – Personal and Social Development – Motor Skills (optional)

Norm-Referenced Testing

• New NRT law permits greater flexibility to reduce testing burden

• State will provide an NRT to systems in one grade each in grades 3-5 and 6-8.

• Systems decide whether or not to test and/or which grades to select

• Contract is extended with Riverside for the ITBS this year

Lexile Framework• In spring 2006 a study was conducted to link scores on the Reading

CRCT and Language Arts GHSGT to the Lexile Framework• This study was updated in spring 2008 to reflect the new ELA GHSGT• Lexiles are a widely used measure of both reader ability and text

difficulty• Students now receive Lexile scores in addition to their traditional

scale score on these tests. This better enables students, educators, and parents to make meaning of test results.

• Can be used to set a target range (100 below and 50 above) for reading material across the curriculum.

Lexile Data from Spring 2008 CRCT & GHSGT

Grade LevelN Count

w/ LexilesMean

Range DistributionLexile Associated with

Cut Scores

Minimum Lexile

Maximum Lexile

25th Percentile

50th Percentile(Median)

75th Percentile

Lexile at Meets

Lexile at Exceeds

1 130410 142.77 BR* 550 BR* 80 225 BR* 205

2 128221 409.64 BR* 780 270 395 540 130 510

3 127385 644.83 BR* 890 515 670 820 410 790

4 124297 764.64 BR* 990 630 770 915 570 915

5 121829 844.06 90 1085 730 870 985 650 1040

6 120941 938.19 190 1155 810 955 1120 685 1120

7 120744 987.91 265 1210 870 995 1130 800 1210

8 122129 1061.31 295 1265 950 1080 1225 805 1265

11 99920 1184.63 465 1545 1070 1200 1330 960** 1200**

Lexile Data Grade Level Text and Reader Lexile Boundaries,

Median Lexiles, & Lexiles at Test Cut Scores

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8Grade 11

Text -Lower 200 300 500 650 750 850 950 1000 1100

Text - Upper 400 500 700 850 950 1050 1075 1100 1300

Meets 0 130 410 570 650 685 800 805 960

Exceeds 205 510 790 915 1040 1120 1210 1265 1200

Reader - Lower 0 140 330 445 595 665 735 805 940

Reader Upper 300 500 700 810 910 1000 1065 1100 1210

2008 Median 80 395 670 770 870 955 995 1080 1200

Grade Level Text and Reader Lexile Boundaries with Median Lexiles and Lexiles at Cut Scores

Interpreting the Graph• The graph illustrates the relationship of reader ability, text difficulty, and

the cut scores on the CRCT and GHSGT.

• The blue lines represent the range of Lexiles for typical texts at a grade level. We might call this the “river of text.”

• The red lines represent the range of Lexiles for readers that comprise the middle 50% of readers within a grade level.

• The green line with triangles shows the Lexiles associated with Meets on CRCT (grades 1-8) and Basic Proficiency on GHSGT (grade 11).

• The green line with squares shows the Lexiles associated with Exceeds on CRCT (grades 1-8) and Advanced Proficiency on GHSGT (grade 11).

• The yellow line represents the 2008 median Lexile for students at each grade.

Update on Secondary Assessment Plan

• Last fall, a plan for redesigning the high school assessment system was drafted. This plan described phasing out the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GHSGT) and replacing it with a modified the End of Course Test (EOCT) system.

• A steering committee was formed to review and refine the proposal. The steering committee is made-up of a broad based group of stakeholders and experts from education agencies and school systems across the state.

• A final proposal will be submitted to the Superintendent and the State Board of Education this fall.

• All students take at least two EOCT in each of four content areas: English/ Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies

• Tests are given immediately following the applicable course or courses

• Tests count for both diploma eligibility and NCLB accountability

• Retests will be offered each term

Possible Elements of New Model

Recommended Assessments

• Tests that are already developed or that are on schedule to be developed– 9th Grade Literature (Fall 2005)– American Literature (Fall 2005)– Physical Science (Fall 2005)– Biology (Fall 2005)– Economics (Fall 2007)– Math I (Fall 2008)– Math II (Spring 2009)

• Tests that will have to be newly developed– Physics– U.S. History/ American Government– World History

Assessment Development

Assessment of Modified Academic Achievement Standards (“The 2% Assessment”): An Update

• Per federal regulations, 2% tests are intended for students with disabilities who are unable to achieve grade level expectations in the same time period as their peers, even with the best of instructional interventions

• Georgia has received two federal grants in support of developing a 2% test

Assessment of Modified Academic Achievement Standards (“The 2% Assessment”): An Update

• Committees of Georgia educators have recommended revisions and enhancements to items on state tests

• A field test of proposed revisions is planned for February of 2009

Using Assessments to Understand and Promote Student Achievement

• Use ongoing formative assessment in the classroom– Make tests frequent and focused– Vary item type and cognitive complexity– Not constrained to summative test format

• Evaluate student achievement with respect to the full range of the scale• Evaluate subgroup and longitudinal performance data• Rarely does one single factor make the difference between success and

failure. Nor does “one size fit all.” The key is to find the combination of factors that work together to make a difference.

• Promoting achievement is a marathon – not a sprint. There are no quick fixes or short cuts. A steady diet of engaging standards based instruction is essential.

Questions?

Contact information:

• Dr. Chris Domaleski

cdomales@doe.k12.ga.us

404-656-2688.