Using Interim Assessments to Support Teaching and Learning Throughout the Year

1. Using Interim Assessments to Support Teaching and Learning Throughout the Year

2. Learning Goals Participants will understand • the features and different uses of the two different types of interim assessments; • how nonstandardized uses of the interim assessments and related resources are a powerful tool in supporting improved teaching and learning; and • how to support teachers in professional learning through the use of the Interim Assessment Viewing System and the Hand Scoring Training Guides and Exemplars. California Department of Education

3. Success Criteria Participants can • identify multiple uses of ICAs and IABs; • explain how different uses of the interim assessments can enhance student and teacher learning; and • provide information and training to others on the Interim Assessment Viewing System and the Hand Scoring System and associated resources. California Department of Education

4. Assessment FOR Learning “Assessment has two fundamental purposes: One is to provide information about student learning minute-by-minute, day-to-day, and week-to-week so teachers can continuously adapt instruction to meet students’ specific needs and secure progress. This type of assessment is intended to assist learning and is often referred to as formative assessment or assessment for learning.” California Department of Education (2014) English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve California Department of Education

5. Assessment OF Learning “A second purpose of assessment is to provide information on students’ current levels of achievement after a period of learning has occurred. Such assessments—which may be classroom-based, districtwide, or statewide—serve a summative purpose and are sometimes referred to as assessments of learning.” California Department of Education (2014) English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools: Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve California Department of Education

6. Setting the Stage How are the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments currently being used in your local educational agency (LEA)? California Department of Education

7. Overview of Interim Assessments and Key Resources California Department of Education

8. Types of Interim Assessments Interim Comprehensive Assessment (ICAs) • 1 per grade level • Results include overall score and claim level information • Include hand scoring (local responsibility) Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) • 6-9 per grade level, for grades 3-8 and HS • Results are at the overall block level; no claim information • Some include hand scoring (local responsibility) California Department of Education

9. Features of Interim Assessments Flexible administration Full array of accessibility supports Aligned with the Common Core State Standards Out-of-grade level use Administered online May be administered more than once California Department of Education

10. Resources to Support the Use of Interim Assessments • Interim Assessment Viewing System • Hand Scoring Training Guides and Exemplars • Hand Scoring System http://www.caaspp.org California Department of Education

11. Resources to Support the Use of Interim Assessments (cont.) CDE Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments Web page http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/sbacinterimassess.asp • Information available on: • Available ICAs and IABs and test blueprints • Items requiring hand scoring California Department of Education

12. Administration Options for the Interim Assessments California Department of Education

13. Manner of Administration for Interim Assessments • Standardized • Nonstandardized (system default) California Department of Education

14. Common Features ofStandardized Administration of the Interim Assessments • Administered to students individually • Typically follows procedures for administration used on summative assessments • It may require hand scoring • Student performance levels are generated • Assessment of learning California Department of Education

15. Common Features of Nonstandardized Administration of the Interim Assessments • Administration can vary. • Individual, partners or small groups, or whole-class administration. • Teachers may elect to include some discussion time between test items. • Hand scoring may be completed as needed. • Student scores are not usually generated. • Assessment for learning. California Department of Education

16. Interim Assessment Manner of Administration Settings • Nonstandardized administration is the default. • Standardized/Benchmark administration should be selected only if the assessment will be administered in a standardized manner similar to the summative assessment. Selecting a manner of administration allows educators to know how the assessment was administered and if there can be a valid interpretation of results for students. California Department of Education

17. Changing the Manner of Administration California Department of Education

18. Changing the Manner of Administration California Department of Education

19. System Indicator of Manner of Administration California Department of Education

20. Standardized Uses of the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments California Department of Education

21. Standardized Uses for the Interim Assessments • Diagnostic • Pre-Assessment • Benchmark • Common Assessment California Department of Education

22. Example of Standardized Use of the ICAs California Department of Education

23. Standardized Use of the IABs:Anaheim Elementary School District Three IABs in ELA and math Grades 3-6 24 elementary schools http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/documents/ciaanaheim092016.pdf California Department of Education

24. Digital Library Resource Collections Instructional Learning Series Digital Library Connections Both resources can be found on the CDE Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/collectionresources.asp California Department of Education

25. How could standardized administration of the ICAs or IABs support teaching and learning in your LEA? How could the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments support other assessments currently administered in your LEA? California Department of Education

26. Nonstandardized Uses of the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments California Department of Education

27. Benefits of Nonstandardized Uses of the Interim Assessments • Inform the formative assessment process and improve student learning • Assessment for learning California Department of Education

28. Benefits of Nonstandardized Uses of the Interim Assessments (cont.) • Build teacher content knowledge and assessment literacy • Familiarize students with the types of test items. • Allow teachers opportunities to observe and engage with students about assessment items. California Department of Education

29. Interim Assessment Viewing System http://www.caaspp.org/ta-resources/interim.html California Department of Education

30. Use of the Interim Assessment Viewing System Supports teachers in • Understanding the content and scope of an interim assessment; • Understanding the depth of knowledge of the assessment items; and • Making informed decisions about the selection and assignment of accessibility supports for students. California Department of Education

31. Use of the Interim Assessment Viewing System (cont.) Supports student learning by • Becoming familiar with test questions and how to tease apart what the question is asking the student to do; and • Discussing the demands and response requirements of the items. California Department of Education

32. Review an Item • What is the question asking students to do? • What content/standards are being assessed? • How is the item being assessed? • What Depth of Knowledge is being assessed? California Department of Education

33. Example of How an LEA Might Use the Interim Assessment Viewing System • Professional learning: • Teachers have reviewed IABs before teaching related units with the intent of identifying appropriate item types and vocabulary to support related classroom activities. • In the classroom: • As a “warm up” activity with students. Teachers display items on the white board and ask student to work with a partners to come up with an answer. This is followed with a class discussion. California Department of Education

34. How do you use this tool? How can you suggest this tool be used in a classroom? California Department of Education

35. Hand Scoring Training Guides and Exemplars California Department of Education

36. Hand Scoring Training Guides and Exemplars (cont.) Guides and exemplars support teachers in: • Understanding the requirements of the hand scoring process, including the time needed; • Accessing scoring rubrics and student exemplars that demonstrate possible student responses in order to better plan instruction; and • Engage in collaboration and communication around common assessment items grounded in standards-based rubrics. California Department of Education

37. Hand Scoring Training Guides and Exemplars (cont.) Support student learning by • demonstrating expectations of the common core standards; and • familiarizing students with the rubrics and scoring criteria. California Department of Education

38. Example of Using the Training Guides and Exemplars In the classroom: • Teachers have asked students to review the rubrics and sample student answers with the goal of having students think and talk about the kind of response needed to score at each level. • After administering an IAB, teachers use the rubrics with students and ask them to think back to how they answered the question and what they would need to do differently to improve performance levels from 1 to 2, or 2 to 3. California Department of Education

39. How do you currently use these tools? How will you envision using these tools for professional development? How do you envision using these tools in the classroom? California Department of Education

40. Potential Nonstandardized Uses of the Interim Assessments in the Classroom • Students completing an assessment with partners or in collaborative groups • Students taking all or part of an assessment individually with a teacher • Administering only part of an assessment • Administering an out-of-grade assessment to target learning outcomes for specific level or group of students. California Department of Education

41. Nonstandardized Uses of the Interim Assessments: Brief Writes • Brief Writes is one of the IABs available. This IAB includes six items all of which require hand scoring. • Teacher asks all students individually to complete two of the items. • Teacher accesses the scoring rubrics via the Hand Scoring resources and scores some papers, but not all. California Department of Education

42. Teacher Observation Tools California Department of Education

43. Engage with Students • How students approached/solved assessment items • The types of items that were more challenging or presented issues for students California Department of Education

44. Keys in Promoting Use of the Interim Assessments • Encourage exploration • Focus on low-stakes environment • Start slow • Keep hand scoring minimal at first • Consider supplementing existing activities and/or assessments with the interim assessments • Allow teachers the freedom to choose California Department of Education

45. One District’s Experience During districtwide training as the idea of “assessment FOR learning” was discussed, the training team could literally see the stress drain out of people’s faces. This was a huge “ah-ha” moment for the district and a significant turning point in their work on CAASPP implementation --Sierra Sands Unified School District CAASPP in Action series http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/documents/ciasierrasands08252016.pdf California Department of Education

46. CAASPP In Action: Sierra Sands Unified • Teachers were asked to select two IABs of their choosing by exploring them via the Interim Assessment Viewing System. • They did this by utilizing the existing protected collaboration time. • They engaged in collaborative conversations focused on what changes needed to take place in the classrooms to match the rigor of the assessments. California Department of Education

47. Implementation Planning California Department of Education

48. Thank You! California Department of Education