PARCC Assessment Administration Guidance

1. PARCC Assessment Administration Guidance

2. PARCC Assessment Design Summative Assessments Performance-Based Assessment + End-of-Year Assessment • After 75 percent of the school year • Extended tasks, applications of concepts and skills • ELA/Literacy: Writing effectively when analyzing text, research simulation • Math: Solving multi-step problems requiring abstract reasoning, precision, perseverance and strategic use of tools • ELA/Literacy Grades 3-11 • Math Grades 3-8, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II • After 90 percent of the school year • Innovative, short-answer items • ELA/Literacy: Reading comprehension • Math: Short items that address both concepts and skills • ELA/Literacy Grades 3-11 • MathGrades 3-8, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II 2

3. Number of Testing Sessions Summative Assessments Performance-Based Assessment + End-of-Year Assessment Nine (9) Sessions Total • Three (3) Sessions ELA /Literacy • + • Two (2) Mathematics Sessions • Two (2) Sessions ELA /Literacy • + • Two (2) Mathematics Sessions 3

4. Estimated Time on Task by Grade and Session

5. Estimated Time on Task by Grade and Session Note: Estimated time on task refers to an estimate of the amount of time the typical student will need to complete each session. While it is anticipated that most students will complete the test sessions within these estimated times, all participating students will have a set amount of additional time for each session to provide them with ample time to demonstrate their knowledge.

6. Testing Window • Each 20 day window is provided primarily to plan ample opportunity to administer the assessments via computer in schools with: • Limited number of devices • Limited bandwidth • Schools will have a maximum of 20 days to administer each assessment component: • Performance Based Assessment (PBA) component • End of Year Assessment (EOY) component • Schools could complete administration of the tests in fewer days if they have sufficient capacity to administer assessments to large numbers of students simultaneously

7. Device Guidance & Planning • The overarching goal is to serve and support • High quality student instruction • Teacher professional development • School community communications and • Next Generation Assessments • PARCC Minimum and Recommended Technology Guidelines: http://www.parcconline.org/technology

8. Device Guidance & Planning The number of devices a school needs for assessment is largely dependent on: 1) The number of students enrolled at each tested grade level; 2) The number of students that can be tested simultaneously given the way in which available devices are deployed (e.g. in labs, in classrooms, on carts, etc.); and 3) The available bandwidth capacity

9. “Rule of Thumb” Guidance • These are general assessment planning guidelines. Districts may wish to recommend lower student to device ratios to ensure that schools can continue with computer-based instruction at the same time as they are conducting computer-based assessments. • The expectation is that all students will take the PARCC assessments online. • The PARCC assessments will be available in paper and pencil format for students with disabilities who have an Individualized Education Plans which requires this accommodation.

10. Update on PARCC Field Test

11. Field Test Purpose • There are three primary purposes of the PARCC Field Test: • To obtain item-level data to assemble operational forms • To evaluate methods for scoring and scaling the PBA and EOY • To yield data to support planned research

12. Field Test Experience • PARCC states will field test the performance-based and end-of-year assessment components in the Winter/Spring 2014. • The majority of students involved in the Field Test will take one component (PBA orEOY) in one content area (ELA or mathematics). • A small percentage of students involved in the Field Test will take the full summative assessment (PBA and EOY) in one content area only (ELA or mathematics).

13. Spring 2014 Practice Test • There will be a computer-based practice test available to all schools – both schools included and not included in the field tests. • The practice test will enable students and teachers to become familiar with the PARCC assessments and to practice with the different types of technology functionalities. • The practice test will be available during the Field Test in Spring 2014. • Materials, including rubrics, will be available so that teachers can score the practice tests.

14. Field Test Sample • The Field Test sample size for each state will be proportional to each state’s student enrollment (with a minimum sample size). The sample will represent enrollment across and within PARCC states. • A sample of schools will be selected from each participating state. ETS, a subcontractor for the Assessment Administration contract, will pull the sample. • Schools will be notified in August 2013 if they have been selected for the field test. • Schools selected for the field test that cannot participate will be replaced with schools in the same state that fits the sample criteria. • A small of number of classrooms will be sampled from each of the selected schools.

15. Projected Field Test Sample Size • Assumptions: • All PARCC Governing States will participate in the field test (unless otherwise communicated to PARCC). • Each state will participate in all grades and both subjects. • The total sample size for all grades and across all states: • English Language Arts/Literacy: approx. 600,000 students • Mathematics: approx. 750,000 students • Total: approx. 1.35 million students • The final sample size for each state will depend on: • Final forms design, which will be finalized by July 1, 2013 • The number/enrollment size of states participating in the field test, which will need to be finalized by June 30, 2013

19. Contact Information Melody Morgan Director of Student Assessment (501) 682-4558 melody.morgan@arkansas.gov