PARCCNational Title I Conference

February 2, 2014Doug Sovde, Director Content and Instructional Supports

PARCC, Inc.

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• Disseminate actionable advice and information to support implementation of PARCC assessments and field test administration

• Provide a deeper understanding of the PARCC design and supports

• Engage with PARCC items, first hand

Session Objectives

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PARCC Overview

Where We Started, Where We Are and Next Steps

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SEPTEMBERStates launch

PARCC

DECEMBERGoverning

Board meets

SUMMERModel Content

Frameworks Released

OCTOBERCollege and

Career Ready Determination Policy Adopted

AUGUST Item

Prototypes Released

APRIL Test

Blueprints released

SUMMEREducator

Leader Cadres Launched

SUMMERPARCC becomes

independent nonprofit

AUGUST Sample Items

Released

We are here!

WINTER/SPRING Field

Testing/Release of Practice

Test

SPRINGFirst

Administration of New Tests

SUMMEREstablishment of Cut Scores

FALLRelease of

Diagnostic and Formative

Assessments

2010 2011

2012 2013

2014 2015

FALLUse of Cut

Scores for IHE Placement

2016

Next year

The PARCC Consortium

• 18 states and the District of Columbia

• 15 million students in tested grades

• Aligned to the Common Core State Standards

• Developed by educators in nearly two dozen states

• 2013-14 field testing

• 2014-15 roll out

PARCC’s Priorities

1. Determine whether students are college and career ready or on track

2. Measure the full range of the CCSS and full performance continuum

3. Support educators in the classroom with timely data4. Make better use of technology in assessments 5. Advance accountability at all levels 6. Provide comparable data from school-to-school and

state-to-state7. Be affordable and sustainable

Assessment DesignELA/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3–11

Beginning of School Year

End of School Year

DiagnosticAssessment

Mid-Year Assessment

Performance-Based

Assessment

End-of-Year Assessment

Speaking and Listening

Assessment

Optional Required

Key:

Flexible administration

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Content Focus of PARCC Assessments

ELA/Literacy

Read and comprehend literary and informational texts independently

Write effectively to sources

Math

Demonstrate conceptual understanding and fluency

Reason mathematicallyModel real-world problems

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PARCC Field Test

• The field test will generate the data needed to allow PARCC to ensure item quality and to select items/build forms for operational assessments in 2014-2015

• PARCC will use the field test data to evaluate:– Accessibility/Fairness: Are items accessible to SWDs and ELs? – Comparability : Can computer-and paper-based tests, desktop and tablet-based

tests be put on the same reporting scale?– Construct validity: Do the assessments measure the concepts they were designed to

measure?– International benchmarking: What are the best ways to link PARCC assessments

with national and international assessments?– Quality of test administration: Are the manuals and directions clear?– Various psychometric studies: What are the best ways to combine PBA and EOY

results? Is vertical scaling feasible?

The Purpose of the Field Test: Ensuring Test Quality

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• “Testing the Test”• 14 States and DC

– AR, AZ, CO, DC, IL, LA, MA, MD, MS, NJ, NM, NY, OH, RI, TN

• Approximately 1.2 million students PARCC-Wide• 10,000 items covering 21 different tests

– ELA, grades 3-11– Math grades 3-8 and high school end-of-course (Algebra, Geometry, and

Algebra II, Integrated Math I, II, III)

• Field Test Window– Performance-based component: March 24-April 11– End-of-Year component: May 6-June 6

Field Test: Scope

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• Most students participating in the PARCC Field Test will take one component (Performance Based Assessment or End of Year) in one content area (ELA or mathematics).

• A small percentage of students will take both components (Performance Based Assessment and End of Year) in one content area only (ELA or mathematics).

• Some students will take the field test on a computer, while others will take it on paper.

Field Test Administration: Participating Schools

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PARCC Field Test Preparations

• Tutorial and Sample Items (January 17)– Familiarize students with how to navigate in the TestNav 8 computer-

based environment (e.g., advancing, going back, flagging and reviewing items, calculators, tool bar, accessibility features)

– Familiarize students with new item types (PCRs, EBSRs, Type II, Type III) and item functionalities /tools (drag and drop, hot spot, multiple select, text extraction, equation editor, rulers, protractors, calculators, and accessibility features).

• Practice Tests – The practice test will enable students and teachers who are not

participating in the field test to become familiar with the PARCC assessments and to practice with the different item types and computer-based interactions that students will encounter with PARCC items.

Preparing Students

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• System Check Tool (Available Now)– Audience: PARCC States, LEA’s, Schools, and Technology Staff– Verifies whether the school’s devices meet the requirements for running

TestNav 8 – Evaluates capacity of school’s bandwidth for testing directly over the

Internet or through Proctor Caching

• Full-Scale Infrastructure Trial (January 17)– Audience: Computer-based PARCC Field Test Participants– Designed to be a ”dress rehearsal” exercise where LEAs will simulate their

full testing environment before the operational test administration– Performed by the school using a full size model test form and mocked up

student information to simulate a full testing load with the devices and network configuration at the school.

TestNav 8 Readiness Tools and Materials

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• Proctor Caching Software and Proctor Caching Users’ Guide (Available Now)– Audience: Any PARCC States, LEA’s, Schools, and Technology Staff– Proctor Caching is a a low bandwidth test administration solution

available to all PARCC schools as part of the Pearson TestNav 8 delivery platform.

– Caching places secure test content on a designated administrative computers that then serves test forms to student devices through the local school network.

– PARCC encourages broad use of Proctor Caching as a strategy to manage against possible Internet connection disruptions during testing. Caching is also recommended for student forms requiring accommodations.

TestNav 8 Readiness Tools and Materials

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• Compatible Assistive Technology List (Available Now)– Audience: Any PARCC States, LEA’s, Schools, and Technology Staff– Additional assistive technologies may be needed for students requiring

accommodations. PARCC has published a list of Assistive Technologies that have no known compatibility conflicts with the TestNav 8 test delivery system.

– The list will be continually updated as ongoing assistive technology usability research is conducted and can be found here:

www.pearsononlinetesting.com/AssistiveTechnology or www.pearsononlinetesting.com/AT

TestNav 8 Readiness Tools and Materials

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• State Teams: Building local capacity to sustain implementation • 24 members per state totaling almost 600 across PARCC States

– Members include: K-16 educators and district-level administrators– Provided with training and tools to understand, support and own the

implementation of the CCSS and PARCC assessments• Models of State Engagement:

– New Mexico: Classroom and district level ELCs have presented at over 75 functions, events or trainings to date.

– Louisiana: Expanded ELC teams locally by training and placing PARCC and CCSS advocates in every state school—bringing the number of ELC members to almost 2,000 across the state.

• Building Collaboration and Partnerships – Item reviewer partnership with NEA and AFT– iTunes U Common Core Resources Project with ELC members

Professional Development and Supports for Teachers: Educator Leader Cadres

Implementation Resources for Teachers

• Model content frameworks– www.parcconline.org/parcc-model-content-frameworks

• Blueprints– http://www.parcconline.org/assessment-blueprints-test-specs

• Sample items for every tested subject and grade– http://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#

• Educator Leaders Cadres– Public ELC portal for educator resources!

o http://parcc.nms.org/

• Practice Test– Spring 2014, PARCC practice test will be available to students, teachers and

parents via PARCConline.org

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The PARCC consortium’s Data Privacy and Security Policy is designed to ensure that PARCC and any PARCC contractors:• Only have access to personally identifiable student

information for specific purposes authorized by states needed to carry out assessment programs

• Implement specific stringent policies and procedures that protect the security of data

• Limit access to personally identifiable student information to only those contractors who need it for specific purposes authorized by states

• Ensure compliance with federal privacy laws, including FERPA20

Data Privacy and Security Policy

Establishes the purposes for which states would disclose

PII to PARCC or PARCC contractors

Establishes physical, administrative, and technical

safeguards for management and control of risks– and

accountability for any breaches of security

Sets basic privacy protections and limits on access to PII that

states provide to PARCC or PARCC contractors, such as access rules and electronic data encryption

requirements

Sets guidelines for the enforcement of this policy by

PARCC and PARCC states, including disciplinary actions

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Major Provisions of Data Privacy & Security Policy

PARCC Accessibility Features And Accommodations Manual

– Guidance for Districts and Decision-Making Teams to Ensure that PARCC Mid-Year, Performance-Based, and End-of-Year Assessments Produce Valid Results for All Students

PARCC Translation Policy:– PARCC will develop translations of its mathematics

assessments in Spanish and other languages for states requesting the translations

– Use of the translated assessments will be a state decision. The additional costs associated with translating and administering assessments in languages other than English will be shared by the states that use them

Accessibility and Accommodations

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Supporting All Students

All students will have equitable opportunities to access and

respond to PARCC assessment items and tasks.

Accessibility

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• Provide clear guidelines for writing unbiased items

• Utilize Equity Technical Working Group expertise

• Use principals of Universal Design

• Conduct bias and sensitivity reviews and statistical procedures

• Develop common test accommodation and participation policies for SWDs and ELLs

• Use technology

• Conduct research

Strategies for Increasing Student Access

Timeline for Increasing Access Strategies

Summer 2012 Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines

Ongoing Bias and Sensitivity Reviews

Summer 2012 Accessibility Guidelines

Winter 2013 Common Definition ELL

Spring 2013 Common Participation Policies (SWD/ELL)

Spring 2013 Common Accommodation Policies (SWD/ELL)

Summer 2014 Statistical Reviews

Spring 2013, 2014 Research

Committees on Accessibility

• Operational Working Group

• Technical Working Group– There are three sub-groups: (1) Students with disabilities(2) English learners(3) Equity

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Accessibility, Accommodations, & Fairness Operational Working Group

Operational Working Group members represent the following states:

* Co-chairs of the AAF OWG28

Operational Working Group

ArizonaColorado*

FloridaIllinoisIndiana

LouisianaMaryland*

MassachusettsNew Jersey

New Mexico

New YorkOhio

OklahomaRhode Island

Tennessee

Accessibility, Accommodations, & Fairness Students with Disabilities Sub-TWG

Subgroup Members AffiliationDave Edyburn University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Claudia Flowers University of North Carolina-Charlotte

Dianne Piche Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

Alba Ortiz The University of Texas at Austin

Diane Spence Region 4 Education Service Center, Braille Services

Martha Thurlow National Center on Educational Outcomes

Daniel Wiener* Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

*Chair of the AAF TWG and liaison to the AAF OWG

Accessibility, Accommodations, & Fairness English Language Learner Sub-TWG

Subgroup Members AffiliationDiane August Center for Applied Linguistics

H. Gary Cook University of Wisconsin-Madison

Kenji Hakuta Stanford University

Alba Ortiz The University of Texas at Austin

Charlene Rivera George Washington University

Daniel Wiener* Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

*Chair of the AAF TWG and liaison to the AAF OWG30

Accessibility, Accommodations, & Fairness Equity Sub-TWG

Subgroup Members AffiliationAmy Epstein Leadership Public Schools

Keena Arbuthnot Louisiana State University

Edward Bosso Gallaudet University

Yvette Jackson National Urban Alliance for Effective Education

Carol D. Lee Northwestern University

Teresa L. McCarty Arizona State University

Daniel Wiener* Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Dianne Piche Leadership Conference on Civil Rights

*Chair of the AAF TWG and liaison to the AAF OWG31

Accessibility as Part of the Development Process

Accessibility guidelines Design review and feedbackTest blueprint developmentTechnology development and selectionPassage and media review committee involvement

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Accessibility as Part of the Development Process

Item review & bias and sensitivity committee involvement

Review for bias and sensitivityState leads with diverse backgrounds

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Accessibility as Part of the Development Process

Cognitive labs & item development research

Testing efficacy of assessment items with accommodations in pilot and field testingIncluding sufficient number of students with identified needs Data review committee involvement

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Examples include:• Highlighting• Customized colors• Graphic organizers or representations• Home language supports/tools• Captions for audio• Braille (tactile/refreshable)• Signing supports (ASL)• Assistive technology

Embedded Supports Being Discussed

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PARCC Sample Itemshttp://practice.parcc.testnav.com/#

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ELA/Literacy, Grades 3-5

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Mathematics, Grades 6-8

Questions and Discussion

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Learn More About & Follow PARCC

Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careerswww.parcconline.org

On Twitter:@PARCCPlace

#askPARCC & #PARCCELC

ELC Portal:http://parcc.nms.org

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• Summative Assessments – Performance-based (PBA) component– End-of Year (EOY) component– Speaking and Listening component

• Optional Assessments– Diagnostic – Mid-year assessment (MYA)

Overall Design of the PARCC Assessment System

Summative Assessment Components

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Performance-Based

Assessment

End-of-Year Assessment

After 90 percent of the school year

Short-answer items ELA/literacy: Reading

comprehension Math: Concepts, skills,

and fluency (grades 3-6)

After 75 percent of the school year

Short and extended tasks ELA/literacy: Writing

effectively when analyzing sources

Math: Solving multistep problems with an emphasis on the mathematical standards for practice: reasoning and modeling

Beginning of School Year

End of School Year

Results of both the PBA and EOY will be

combined to generate a student’s

overall score (performance level)

Optional Assessments

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DiagnosticAssessment

Mid-Year Assessment

Flexible administration

Design will be similar to required Performance-Based Assessment

Could serve as a benchmark or interim assessment

Computer-based Target grades 2-8 in

reading, writing, and mathematics

Determine students’ learning needs in order to tailor instruction

Beginning of School Year

End of School Year

PARCC Assessment SystemELA/Literacy and Mathematics, Grades 3–11

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Beginning of School Year

End of School Year

DiagnosticAssessment

Mid-Year Assessment

Performance-Based

Assessment

End-of-Year Assessment

Speaking and Listening

Assessment

Optional Required

Key:

Flexible administration

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• At each grade level include three tasks– Research Simulation Task– Literature Analysis Task– Narrative Writing Task

• Each task will require students to – Read one or more passages, one of which may be a multi-

media stimulus (e.g. video)– Answer short answer reading comprehension questions, and– Write an extended response to a prompt that requires the

student to draw evidence from the passage(s) to support their response

ELA/Literacy: Performance-Based Assessments

• Hardware– 1 GHz or faster processor– 1 GB of RAM or greater memory– 9.5 inch (10 inch class) or larger screen– 1024 X 768 of better screen resolution

• Operating System– Windows 7– MAC 10.7– Linux (Ubuntu 11.10, Fedora16)– Chrome OS– Apple iOS– Android 4.0

• Networking– Wired or wireless Internet connection

• Devices– Desktops, laptops, netbooks, thin client, and tablets that meet the hardware, operating system, and

networking specificaitons

Minimum Guidelines for Hardware Purchases

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