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Smarter Balanced Assessment ConsortiumTechnology Requirements and Standards

Content in Context #EdTech Forum – 1 June 2015Brandt Redd – CIO/CTO Smarter Balanced

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Smarter Balanced at a Glance• 23 Members: 21 States, US Virgin Islands, Bureau of

Indian Education

• Represent more than 14 million students.

• Formative, Interim, and Summative assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts andMathematics

Spring 2015:

• 18 states

• Grades 3-8 and 11(per NCLB)

• 7 million studentstested.

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Innovative Features

• Constructed Responses: Graphing, Equations

• Accessibility Features: Text-To-Speech, Refreshable Braille, Tactile Graphics, more

• Computer Adaptive Tests

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Technology Requirements Influence District and School Purchases

• Web connectivity• 9.5 inch minimum screen size• Audio (headphones)• Mechanical keyboard (to avoid obscuring

the screen)• Pointing Device• Capable of running an approved secure

browser

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Devices Used in Spring 2015 Tests

Windows47%

ChromeBook33%

MacOS12%

iPad8%

Others1%

Fraction of 38 million test sessions using each device type.

5.6% Windows 838.5% Windows 7 0.1% Windows Vista 2.3% Windows XP(percent of all devices)

(Preliminary Results as of 22 May 2015)

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Sample Individual Student Report

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Interoperability Challenge

• Each member state chooses its service provider to administer, score, and report the Smarter Balanced tests.

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Interoperability Standards and Specifications used by Smarter Balanced

• Common Core State Standards• SmarterApp Assessment Item Format• Common Education Data Standards (CEDS)• IMS Content Packaging• SAML and OAuth (Single sign-on)• Smarter Balanced Profile of IMS QTI/APIP*• LRMI and Learning Registry*• Accessible Rendered Item format (ARI)**Planned

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Technical Challenges

• Deploying Open Source Across Vendors• Packaging Assessments for Multiple

Vendors• Efficient Assessment Production System• Sustaining Pace of Innovation

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Addressing Challenges

• Code Update: Focus on reliability, scalability, and deployment

• Assessment production system based on principles and tools used for software production.

• Prototype Accessible Rendered Item Format - “Like a PDF for assessment items.”