Smarter Balanced in Washington

1. Smarter Balanced in Washington Preparing for the Transition Webinar #3 February 27, 2014

2. Organization of Webinars Series • Future webinars are scheduled for 3:30-4:30 PM on: March 20 April 9 May 13 June 10 July 15 August 13 • PowerPoints and answers to questions raised during the webinars are posted on OSPI’s Smarter Balanced web-page http://www.k12.wa.us/smarter/default.aspx; audio recording of webinars are included. • We will minimize repeating previously provided information, so please check the webpage.

3. Summative Field Tests Getting Ready for the Tests

4. Field Testing Updates and the Countdown to Test Administration! • The USED has approved Washington’s request to avoid double testing students this spring!!! • Keep in mind that students in grades 5 and 8 must still be given the science MSP. • Twenty days before the first field test window opens. 3

5. Field Testing Updates • During the next several weeks, district staff must access resources and materials for the Field Test scheduling, administration, and communication. • Ensure your district and school coordinators and teacher administrators are carefully reviewing the training modules posted on the Field Test Portal. • Refer to the checklists located on the Field Test Portal for a complete listing of District and School Coordinator and Teacher Administrator responsibilities.

6. Training and Resources • The Test Administration Manual (TAM), TIDE user guide, information about the secure browsers, test preparation checklists, training modules, and a collection of one page guidance documents are posted  on the field test portal http://sbac.portal.airast.org/field-test/resources/. • The TAM, TIDE user guide, and checklists explicitly identify which role needs to be trained on what resources. • As you typically do, schedule training of your school test coordinators and test administrators per these guidelines.

7. Training and Resources • The following is an excerpt (3 tasks out of 21) from the Test Administrator Checklist and shows the types of activities, time needed, and from where to access:

8. Training and Resources • Districts will utilize Smarter Balanced resources the same way they have used OSPI developed resources in the past (i.e., DFA, ACM) for training staff and preparing students. • Smarter Balanced’s TAM = OSPI’s DFAs and ACM for MSP, HSPE, and EOC. • Washington state laws and policies are the same for this administration as they have been for all our other assessments. • A crosswalk document will soon be posted at http://www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER/Tests.aspx showing Smarter Balanced’s resources and OSPI’s comparable documents for MSP, HSPE, and EOCs.

9. Training and Resources • All Training modules are now available on the Field Test Portal. They include: • TIDE—Test Information Distribution Engine** • What is a Field Test? • Let’s Talk Universal Tools • What is a CAT (Computer Adaptive Test)? • Performance Task Overview** • Student Interface for Online Testing • Technology Requirements for Online Testing • Accessibility and Accommodations** • Test Administrator (TA) Interface for Online Testing • Smarter Balanced Test Administration Overview** • Smarter Balanced training modules with asterisks are required trainings for Test Administrators.

10. Training and Resources • Also on the field test portal: • Timing documents for ELA and math • Confirmation code explanation sheet • Accommodations guidance • Technical requirements for Text-to-Braille • Online dictionary/thesaurus • American Sign Language • Coming to the portal “soon”: • Classroom activity guidance • Creating a test session • Glossaries

11. Training and Practice Tests Overview • The Practice Tests and Training Tests, recommended for every participating student, are available at http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/ • The purpose of TrainingTests is to provide students with an opportunity to quickly become familiar with the software and interface features that will be used in the Field Test. • Grade Bands: • 3-5 • 6-8 • High school

12. Training and Practice Tests Overview • The purpose of the Practice Tests is to provide students with a grade specific testing experience that is similar in structure and format to the Field Test. • Available at each grade 3-8 and 11 • Schedule adequate time for the administration of the Practice Tests • Simulates the administration of the operational field tests in types and number of items.

13. Feature Update

14. Scheduled Downtimes

15. Field Testing Windows and Scheduled Downtimes • There are four test administration blocks: • March 18 – April 4 • April 7 – April 25 • April 28 – May 16 • May 19 – June 6 (not for grades 9-10) • Scheduled system downtime for Field Test: April 10-13 (Block 2) and May 8-11, 2014 (Block 3) • Scheduled system downtime for the Practice and Training Tests: April 26-29, 2014 • Changes to testing window are no longer possible

16. Scheduling the Field Tests • The Test Administration Manual lists the Estimated Testing Times (pg 32) and the Assessment Sequence Charts for ELA and Math (pgs 34 and 35). • The Assessment Sequence Charts provide ranges of times expected to complete the tests. The upper ranges included on these Charts do, in some instances, exceed the Estimated Testing Times. • The Estimated Testing Times provide schools the estimate of time when most students will complete the tests.

17. Pre-ID’ing and Data Topic Updates • User Roles – ‘District Administrator’ should be finalizing role assignment • Trainings are catered to user roles and associated tasks • Statewide initial pre-ID uploaded to TIDE • Please review for completeness in time to make corrections in CEDARS • Next OSPI student upload: March 11 • New and Moved records for Window 1 test sites • File extract Monday, March 10 • Window 1 test sites must identify remaining students (“stragglers”) and enter them into TIDE prior to testing

18. Pre-ID’ing and Data Topic Updates • TEST TICKETS!!! • Test tickets are available in WAMS Profile Downloads under ‘8. Smarter Balanced Field Test’ • Format is PDF rather than DOC due to formatting constraints • 2 tickets per student: ELA and MATH • For HS testing single subjects – discard extra tickets • Sorted by school name, grade, group name (if applied), student last/first/middle • Additional Test Ticket Resources: • MS Access DB/Form posted to web Monday, March 3rd-ish • Excel Student list posted in WAMS Profile Downloads currently

19. Pre-ID’ing and Data Topic Updates

20. Pre-ID’ing and Data Topic Updates • Student Data TIDE tasks prior to • 1) Correcting Demographics in TIDE • Demographic data in TIDE is used in item analysis • Make corresponding updates in Local SIS’s and CEDARS • 2) Uploading supports/accommodations • TIDE User Guide, pages 30–35 and Test Administration Manual, section 7.0

21. Security • Starting with the Field Test administered in 2014, improprieties, irregularities, and breaches that result in a need to invalidate, reset, re-open, or restore individual student assessments (see Online System Appeals Types table slide) will be reported in the online administration system (TIDE).  

22. Security • Test Security Incident Log[xlsx]http://sbac.portal.airast.org/field-test/resources/ This document provides instructions and a template of the incident log that Test Administrators, School Test Coordinators, and District Test Coordinators will use to report any Test Security Incidents that occur during testing. • The Test Security Incident Log is the document of record for all test security incidents. • For more information on test security, please review the information in the Online Field Test Administration Manual (TAM).

23. Security • For specific steps on reporting incidents in the Online Administration System, please see the TIDE User Guide http://sbac.portal.airast.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Smarter_TIDE_UserGuide_Spring2014.pdf. • The online reporting system is only appropriate for reporting an action related to a student incident that impacts a test. All other incidents (involving adults or not involving tests) should be escalated via the Test Security Log process described on the Test Security Incident Log. • Types of security incidents in the online administration system are described in Online System Appeals Types table below.

24. Security

25. Supports and Accommodations • The Usability, Accessibility and Accommodations Guidelines are available on OSPI’s website: http://www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER/default.aspx. • Two accommodations/designated supports planned for the Operational Test will not be available for the Field Test: Audio Glossary (designated support) and Closed Captioning (accommodation). • We’ll highlight one or two accommodations in each webinar. This webinar’s topics: Braille and ASL.

26. Supports and Accommodations for Visually Impaired Students • To use Braille for the Smarter Balanced MATH field test: • A school would need: • Tiger embosser, and • Duxbury software • Training will be needed to know how to administer this test. • There may be a significant delay for students between items. • It is too late in the year for a school that does not have this equipment to administer the math Field Test in Braille. • OSPI will make available the appropriate MSP math test in Braille for students whose school is administering the field test.

27. Supports and Accommodations for Visually Impaired Students • To use Braille for the Smarter Balanced ELA field test: • A school would only need: • JAWS translation software, and • Either an 18 or 40 cell Braille display • If needed, OSPI can make available the appropriate MSP reading and writing tests in Braille for students whose school is administering the field test; but we encourage schools that can administer the ELA Braille test to do so. • OSPI will investigate how to best support districts that need a Tiger Embosser for future years.

28. Supports and Accommodations for Hearing Impaired Students • ASL will be available on all math items and ELA listening items only. The Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines document is available at (http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SmarterBalanced_Guidelines_091113.pdf). • For a student needing ASL, set-up is required before the student sits for the test. Once logged in, the student must right click to access the videos.   • The tests will use academic ASL.

29. Supports and Accommodations for Hearing Impaired Students • Use the Training Tests to provide students with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the ASL feature • Go to: http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/ • Scroll down and select "Student Interface Practice and Training Tests" • Click on "Sign in" • Use the drop down menu to select a grade (select any grade, for example, grade 3) continued….

30. Supports and Accommodations for Hearing Impaired Students Continued from previous slide • Be careful here. Click on "Start ELA Grades 3-5 Training Test." You can select any grade band as long as it is a "Training Test" version. • For the American Sign Language option, use the drop-down menu to select "Show ASL videos" • Click on 'Select' • Click on 'Yes, start my test' once you confirm ASL is on. (often shown at top) • Just click on yes/Begin test now,  to get to the first item

31. Accommodation Reminder • Accommodations are those features available for use by a student with a documentation of need in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 accommodation plan. • Accommodations need to be identified and assigned in the Test Information Distribution Engine (TIDE) prior to assessment administration. • Students should be familiar with using the accommodations assigned to them.

32. Summative Operational Assessments

33. Administration Window • The 2015 summative operational assessment window dates have not yet been determined– the windows will be determined before the end of March (and will be announced sooner if possible). • The window will be as long as possible to provide ample opportunity to test all students. • The window is not designed to allow retakes (additional opportunities) of the assessment, but is intended to permit students to makeup tests that are missed due to absences.

34. Interim Assessments We are all life long learners… patiently learning a little each month about interim assessments

35. Interim Assessments • Updates on the interim assessments will be provided during the Thursday, March 20 webinar.

36. Resources For You! • For the latest news and developments on Smarter Balanced in Washington: http://www.k12.wa.us/smarter/default.aspx • Materials for administration, as well as communication templates for parents and community: http://sbac.portal.airast.org/field-test/resources/ • For questions about Smarter Balanced or the assessment system transitions, contact:Assessment@k12.wa.us360-725-6348

37. Thank you!