Curriculum Chronicle for Parents - August 2014 Edition

W HAT I S HAPPENING WITH THE N EW STATE TESTING LANDSCAPE —G EORGIA M ILESTONES A SSESSMENTS ... 1

ISSUE

AUGUST

2014

B LUEPRINT FOR NEW TESTING L ANDSCAPE & RESOURCES .................. 2

Curriculum Chronicle Understanding the Changes: The new system will span grades 3 – 12 and consist of summative assessments in the content areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students in grades 3 – 8 will take an end-of-grade (EOG) assessment in each content area, while high school students will take an end-of-course (EOC) assessment for each of the eight courses designated by the State Board of Education.

Georgia Milestones Assessment System What to expect: Inclusion of open-ended (constructedresponse) items in language arts and mathematics (all grades and courses) Inclusion of a writing component (in response to text) at every grade level and course within the language arts assessment – writing may be a domain of the ELA assessment, but not a separate score Inclusion of norm-referenced items in all content areas and courses, to complement the criterion-referenced information and to provide a national comparison transition to online administration over time, with online administration considered

the primary mode of administration and paper-pencil back-up until transition is completed – the minimum is 30% next year, but MCS should surpass that goal.

CRCT- M is eliminated, but GAA for a limited % of SWD will continue.

There will be changes in accommodations for ELL and SWD. The state should be able to calculate student growth in the transition to the new system.

Kindergarten GKIDS will remain in place Students will need to take the 8th grade EOG and EOC if taking the high school EOC course.

What will GMAS Communicate?

Georgia Milestones will provide: –criterion-referenced performance information in the form of four performance levels, depicting students’ mastery of state standards –norm-referenced performance information in the form of national percentiles, depicting how students’ achievement compares to peers nationally

R ESOURCES :

Blueprint for Testing

Samples, Practice, PD

Blended: Criterion-Referenced and NormReferenced- Only aligned NRT items will contribute to proficiency designations.

General Test Parameters: ELA

General Test Parameters •ELA will consists of 3 sections, 1 of which will focus mainly on writing •Mathematics will consist of 2 sections •Science will consist of 2 sections •Social Studies will consist of 2 sections

Writing at Every Grade –All students will encounter a constructed-response item allowing for narrative prose, in response to text, within first or second section of the test.

–Within the writing section of the test, students will read a pair of passages and complete a series of “warm-up” items: o3 selected-response items asking about the salient features of each passage and comparing/contrasting between the two passages o1 constructed-response item requiring linking the two passages o1 writing prompt in which students must cite evidence to support their conclusions, claims, etc.

General Test Parameters: Science

Criterion-Referenced Criterion-Referenced Total Number Total Number of of Items: 44 / Items: 55 / GEORGIA MILESTONES IS Total Number Total Number of PRIMARILY A CRITERIONof Points: 55 Points: 55 Breakdown REFERENCED TEST, REFLECTBreakdown ING THE CONTENT STANDARDS

by Item Type:

by Item Type: –40 Selected –55 Selected FOR EACH GRADE AND COURSE Response Response (worth (worth 1 point each; 10 of which 1 point each; approximately 10 are aligned NRT) of which are aligned NRT) –2 Constructed Response (2 Norm-Referenced points each) –Total Number of Items: 20 –1 Constructed Response (worth (approximately 10 of which 4 points) contribute to CR score) –1 Extended Response (worth 7 Embedded Field Test points) –Total field test items: 10 General Test Parameters: Norm-Referenced Social Studies –Total Number of Items: 20 (10 Criterion-Referenced of which contribute to CR score) Total Number of Items: 55 / Embedded Field Test Total Number of Points: 55 –Total field test items: 6 General Test Parameters: Breakdown by Item Type: Mathematics –55 Selected Response (worth 1 Criterion-Referenced point each; approximately 10 of Total Number of Items: 53 / which are aligned NRT) Total Number of Points: 58 Norm-Referenced Breakdown by Item Type: –Total Number of Items: 20 –50 Selected Response (worth 1 (approximately 10 of which point each; 10 of which are contribute to CR score) aligned NRT) Embedded Field Test –2 Constructed Response (worth –Total field test items: 10 2 points each) –1 Constructed Response (worth 4 points) Norm-Referenced –Total Number of Items: 20 (10 of which contribute to CR score) Embedded Field Test –Total field test items: 10

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Resources Available –frameworks, formative lessons, PARCC evidence statements •Sample items –formative items/benchmarks via Georgia OAS→GOFAR; –released items via PARCC, SBAC, other states (KY, NY), NAEP –parent’s guide to Georgia’s new assessment developed by the National PTA [http:// www.pta.org/advocacy/ content.cfm?

ItemNumber=3816 ] •CRCT Readiness Indicators •Lexiles (as one indicator of text complexity) •Technology Specifications •Eliciting Evidence of Student Learning Modules

Resources Available Soon •Sample items specific to Georgia Milestones •Ancillary support resources, such as –Assessment Guides –Student Study Guides –Accommodations Guidelines –Informational videos [parents & public /educators] –Online Practice Center

About OAS- http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/ default.aspx

Lexile Framework for Reading- http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/ Pages/Lexile-Framework.aspx