Achievement Level Descriptors & College Content-Readiness

Webinar 1

November 15, 2012

Overview

• Overview of Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs)

• The ALD-Writing Workshop– Who attended– Achievement Level Descriptors created

• Definition of College Content-Readiness• The Draft Achievement Level Descriptors • The Feedback Process

Overview of Achievement Level Descriptors

What are achievement level descriptors (ALDs)?

• Achievement (performance) levels– Aggregate students into groups based on test performance

• Achievement level descriptors define the types of knowledge, skills, and processes expected of or demonstrated by students in each level of achievement– ALDs have described either what students should be able

to do or can do– ALDs inform stakeholders of how to interpret student test

scores in relationship to the content standards– ALDs typically are used for standard setting or score

reporting

What can ALDs become?

• ALDs define the intended interpretations of test scores– In the past, they have only informed standard setting

and/or score interpretation

• In the future, Smarter Balanced will use ALDs for– test development– standard setting– score interpretation

Family of ALDs

Policy ALDs• Are broad statements that are utilized by high-level policy makers (e.g., state superintendent)• Set tone and rigor for the assessment and for the Range, Threshold, and Reporting ALDs

Range ALDs• Describe expectations for whole of student performance in an achievement level• Are specific to a grade and content area• Are utilized by item writers or test developers

Threshold ALDs• Describe expectations for student performance at the entry point of an achievement level• Are specific to a grade and content area• Are used by standard setters

Reporting ALDs• Describe student performance at the entry point of an achievement level• Are specific to a grade and content area• Are used by stakeholders• Are not part of this contract

ALDs and the Development Cycle

Specific to a single grade content area

General to all grade content areas

Range ALDAdvanced

Range ALDProficient

Range ALDBasic

Threshold ALDJust Advanced

Threshold ALDJust Proficient

Reporting ALDJust Advanced

Reporting ALDJust Proficient

Policy ALD

Advanced

Policy ALD

Proficient

Policy ALDBasic

General

Specific

Test Development Standard Setting

Score Reporting

Smarter Balanced Achievement Levels• Smarter Balanced has four achievement levels

– Intended alignment with PARCC & NAEP

Smarter PARCC NAEPLowest Level

Highest Level

1 1 Below Basic2 2 & 3 Basic3 4 Proficient4 5 Advanced

PARCC—Level 4 is college ready Smarter Balanced – Level 3 is college content ready

• Questions?

The ALD Writing Workshop

The ALD Writing Workshop

• Oct 1–5, 2012 in Las Vegas, NV

• 30 K-12 panelists– All governing states represented

• 21 higher education (HE) panelists– All but one governing state represented

Workshop Overview

•Policy ALDs created•College content readiness defined•HE & K-12 represented

Oct 1

•Grade 11 ALDs created•HE & K-12 representedOct 2-3

•Grades 3 – 8 ALDs created•HE & K-12 representedOct 4-5

Workshop Materials

Policy ALDs •Smarter Balanced overall claim•Smarter Balanced specific content claims

Range ALDs •Smarter Balanced assessment targets•Common Core State Standards

Threshold ALDs •Range ALDs

Workshop Feedback

• More than 80 percent of panelists agreed that– The process would results in valid ALDs– They supported the rigor of the ALDs

College Content Readiness

College Content Readiness

English language arts/literacy

Students who perform at the College Content-ready level in English language arts/literacy demonstrate subject-area knowledge and skills associated with readiness for entry-level, transferable credit-bearing English and composition courses. These students also demonstrate reading, writing, listening, and research skills necessary for introductory courses in a variety of disciplines.

Mathematics

Students who perform at the College Content-Ready Level in mathematics demonstrate subject-area knowledge and skills associated with readiness for entry-level, transferable credit-bearing mathematics or statistics courses. These students also demonstrate quantitative reasoning skills necessary for introductory courses in a variety of disciplines.

College Readiness Policy Framework

Level Policy ALD College Content-Readiness Implications for Grade 12 and College Placement

Four Demonstrates deep command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

Student is exempt from developmental course work.

States/districts/colleges may offer advanced courses (such as AP, IB, or dual enrollment) for these students. Colleges may evaluate additional data (courses completed, grades, placement test scores, etc.) to determine student placement in advanced courses beyond the initial entry-level course.

Three Demonstrates sufficient command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

Student is exempt from developmental course work, contingent on evidence of continued learning in Grade 12.

Within each state, higher education and K-12 determine appropriate evidence of continued learning (such as test scores or course grades). Colleges may evaluate additional data (courses completed, grades, placement test scores, etc.) to determine student placement in advanced courses beyond the initial entry-level course.

College Readiness Policy Framework

Level Policy ALD College Content-Readiness Implications for Grade 12 and College Placement

Two Demonstrates partial command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

Student needs support to meet college readiness standard.

States/districts/colleges may implement Grade 12 transition courses or other programs for these students. States also may choose to retest these students near the conclusion of Grade 12. Colleges may evaluate additional data (courses completed, grades, placement test scores, etc.) to determine placement in developmental or credit-bearing courses.

One Demonstrates minimal command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness

Student needs substantial support to meet readiness standard.

States/districts/colleges may offer supplemental programs for these students. States also may choose to retest these students near the conclusion of Grade 12. Colleges may evaluate additional data (courses completed, grades, placement test scores, etc.) to determine placement in developmental or credit-bearing courses.

Key Issues To be Determined

• Recommended time limit on recognition of scores

• Validation Criteria

• Career Readiness

• Comparability with PARCC

• Questions?

Draft Achievement Level Descriptors

Policy ALDs

• General descriptors that articulate the goals and rigor for the final performance standards

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

The Level 1 student demonstrates minimal command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

The Level 2 student demonstrates partial command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

The Level 3 student demonstrates sufficient command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

The Level 4 student demonstrates deep command of the knowledge and skills associated with college and career readiness.

Range ALDS• Define expected knowledge and skills of all students in a particular

achievement level• Depict the expected grade-level learning progression by content

category• Guide item development

Assessment Target Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Target A. Represent and solve problems involving multiplication and division.

Level 1 students should be able to represent multiplication and division problems within 100 involving equal groups of objects.

Level 2 students should be able to use multiplication and division within 100 to solve one-step real-world or mathematical problems using arrays . They should be able to interpret the meaning of multiplication of two whole numbers and to determine the unknown number in a multiplication equation relating three whole numbers.

Level 3 students should be able to select the appropriate operation (multiplication or division) to solve one-step real-world or mathematical problems involving measurement quantities of single-digit whole numbers. They should be able to determine the unknown number in a division equation relating three whole numbers and to interpret the meaning of whole number quotients of whole numbers.

Level 4 students should be able to use multiplication and division within 100 to solve one-step real-world or mathematical problems involving measurement quantities of two- or three-digit whole numbers.

Threshold ALDS

• Define expectations for students at the threshold of the achievement level

• Guide the standard setting workshop

Level 3The student who just enters Level 3 should be able to: Estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects using standard

units of grams, kilograms, and liters Generate measurement data by measuring length using rulers

marked with quarter-inch intervals and represent the data on a line plot marked with quarter-inch intervals

Find the area of a rectilinear figure by multiplying side lengths and by decomposing a rectilinear figure into non-overlapping rectangles and adding them together

Solve real-world problems involving perimeters of polygons

ALDs

– Grade 3 English language arts/literacy ALDs

Review Cycle

Review Cycle

• Open until January 15, 2013• Feedback collected through Survey Monkey• Revisions based on feedback in late

January/early February• Final state review in February• State vote in March at Collaboration

Conference• Future adjustments based on field test

results/standard setting

Survey

• Web-based survey

• A PDF version will be available for you to preview.

• Complete the web-based survey.

Questions?

• Thank you for your participation!