Assessment and Accountability Overview

Chris Domaleski, Georgia Department of EducationDecember 5, 2007

GaDOE Office of Assessment and Accountability Goal

We will provide well-designed assessments, aligned to the curriculum, with timely delivery of

useful results.

The Assessment and Accountability Team

Chris DomaleskiAssociate Superintendent for

Assessment and Accountability

Jeff BarkerDirector, Division of

Assessment Administration

Melissa FincherDirector, Division of Assessment

Research and Development

Joanne LeonardDirector, Division of

Accountability

Joni BriscoeAdministrative

Specialist

Dee DavisProgram Manager for Assessment

Research and Development

Shirley MillicansAssessment Specialist, CRCT

Paula RufusAssessment Specialist, EOCT

Kay Ellen RutledgeAssessment Specialist,

GHSGT, Writing Assessments

Bobbie BableAssessment Specialist, NAEP,

ITBS, GKAP

Deborah HoustonAssessment Specialist,

ACCESS, GAA

Nancy HaightAccountability Specialist

Cowen HarterAccountability Specialist

Donna KellyAccountability Specialist

Joanna VahlsingAccountability Specialist

Joseph BlessingAssessment Specialist, OAS

Amanda FersterAssessment Specialist

Adrienne WalkerAssessment Specialist

Connie Caldwell

Admin Assistant

Debbie MossAdministrative

Specialist

Assessment Programs

• Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT)– Reading, ELA, and Math in grades 1-8– Science and Social Studies in grades 3-8– Administered each spring– Retests in reading grades 3, 5, and 8 and math

grades 5 and 8 offered each summer

Assessment Programs

• Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT)– Language arts, math, science, and social studies– Students tested first in spring of 11th grade– Retests offered in summer, fall, and winter

Assessment Programs

• End of Course Tests (EOCT)– Taken following completion of any of the eight core courses:

• 9th grade literature• American literature• Biology• Physical Science• Algebra• Geometry• U.S. History• Economics

– Results count as 15% of student’s course grade– Administered in spring, summer, fall and ‘mid-month’

Assessment Programs

• Writing Assessments– Grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 tested– Grades 3, portfolio based, submitted in spring– Grades 5, informational persuasive, or narrative– Grade 8, expository or persuasive topic – Grade 11, assesses persuasive writing

Georgia Alternate AssessmentNCLB and IDEA require

– Students with significant cognitive disabilities be assessed in the same content areas as their peers.

– Students must be assessed on the same curriculum, not an alternate curriculum.

– Students may be assessed via alternate

achievement standards, linked to the same

curricular standards at the students’ grade level.

Elements of the GAA

• The GAA is a portfolio of student work provided as evidence that a student is making progress toward grade-level academic standards

• The portfolio is flexible to allow for the diversity of the students participating in the GAA

Portfolio Requirements• Grades K-2 will develop a portfolio in ELA and Math

- 2 standards per content area• Grades 3-8 and 11 will develop a portfolio in ELA, Math,

Science, and Social Studies

- 2 standards each for ELA and Math

- 1 standard each for Science and Social Studies• For each standard, there are two collection periods

– one to show the student’s initial skill

- the second to show achievement/progress.• The focus is on academic content and skills

Georgia Kindergarten Inventory of Developing Skills (GKIDS)

• Core Development Team (Jan 2007)• Advisory Committee (Feb-March 2007)• Professional Development (summer 2007)• Field Testing (2007-08 School Year)• Bias Review (May/June 2008)• Standard Setting (May/June 2008)• Assessment and Instructional Guide (summer 2008)• Professional Development (summer 2008)• Operational Assessment (2008-09)• Professional Development (on-going)

Elements of GKIDS

• The primary purpose of GKIDS is to provide ongoing diagnostic information about kindergarten students’ mastery of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)

• GKIDS will also provide a summary of student

performance on those elements and standards of the GPS that are indicators of first grade readiness

• GKIDS will serve both a formative and summative role

in assessing kindergarten students.

Domains of Learning

• Throughout the school year, teachers will observe and record student performance in each content area specified in the GPS: ELA, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

• GKIDS will also include the Social/Emotional and Approaches to Learning dimensions of early development and optional recommendations for assessing Physical/Motor Development

• The summary report at the end of the school year will include diagnostic information on four domains of early learning: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social and Emotional Development, and Approaches to Learning.

Other Assessment Programs

• Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS)– Norm-Referenced Test (NRT) required in grades 3, 5,

and 8• Assessing Comprehension and Communication in

English State to State (ACCESS) for English Language Learners (ELL)– Tests speaking, listening, reading, and writing by

grade cluster• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Online Assessment System (OAS)

• A web-based system that provides tests using the same kind of items that appear on the end-of-year assessments. – Originally developed for the CRCT. Includes items in all

grades and content areas (36) the CRCT covers.– Expanded in spring 2005 to include high school science

Items– 2005-2006 added high school language arts, mathematics,

and social studies items.– Additional content added in 2006-2007 as well as a new

‘Level 3’ for benchmark tests.

Overview

• Two kinds of tests are provided:– Student tests

• Grade-specific tests assigned automatically• Completely under students’ control

– Teacher-created and assigned tests• Teacher determines the nature of test, who takes the

test, when the test is taken

2007-2008 OAS Enhancements

• New item bank content• A new look and feel for the site• Constructed Response items• Training Resources

Using the Online System to Improve Student Achievement

• Make tests short and frequent• Make tests focused• Make tests a part of instruction

– don’t just wait until you’ve covered a topic– include items at varying levels of difficulty

• this will give you information about how well each student knows the material

Accountability Essentials

Georgia’s AYP Determination Steps

I. Participation at 95% in reading/English language arts and math based on students continuously enrolled during state testing window;

II. Academic performance in reading/English language arts and math based on Full Academic Year (FAY) students;1. Annual Measurable Objectives (AMO) Absolute Bar2. Confidence Interval3. Multi-year Average4. Safe Harbor5. Federal Flexibility for schools and districts not making AYP based

solely on SWD group scores (approved for 2007 AYP)

III. Second Indicator; Menu of Indicators for Elementary & Middle Schools Graduation Rate for High Schools

Academic Performance 2nd looks:

Confidence Interval (see GaDOE Accountability website for interactive worksheet)

Confidence Interval is a simple statistical test that determines whether the observed percentage of a group meeting a proficiency criterion is significantly lower than the AMO for that test.

Multiyear Averaging (averages three years data)The evaluation is based on the following data:(#2005 proficient + #2006 proficient + #2007 proficient) / (#2005 tested + #2006 tested +

#2007 tested)Example: (32.0+36.0+40.0) / (109.0+112.0+105.0) = 33.1%

For CRCT Math(2007) the AMO bar is 58.3%This reporting group does not meet the Multiyear Average criteria for academics.

Safe Harbor ( Decrease “Did Not Meet” by 10%)The evaluation is based on the following data:Example: 2006 Percent did not meet = 68%

Safe Harbor Target = (68-(.10(68)) = 61.202007 Percent did not meet = 61.90

This reporting group does not meet the Safe Harbor criteria for academics.

CRCT -- MATH

Annual Measurable Objectives

AMOs

Annual Step

2003 50.00%2004 50.00%2005 58.30%2006 58.30%2007 58.30%2008 66.70%2009 66.70%2010 66.70%2011 75.00%2012 83.30%2013 91.70%2014 100.00%

CRCT -- READING & ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS COMBINED

Annual Measurable Objective

AMOsAnnual Step

2003 60.00%2004 60.00%2005 66.70%2006 66.70%2007 66.70%2008 73.30%2009 73.30%2010 73.30%2011 80.00%2012 86.70%2013 93.30%2014 100.00%

Enhanced GHSGT - Math

Annual Measurable Objectives

AMOs

Annual Step

2003 81.00%

2004 62.30%

2005 62.30%

2006 68.60%

2007 68.60%

2008 74.90%

2009 74.90%

2010 74.90%

2011 81.20%

2012 87.40%

2013 93.70%

2014 100.00%

Enhanced GHSGT English/Language Arts

Annual Measurable Objectives

AMOs

Annual Step

2003 88.00%

2004 81.60%

2005 81.60%

2006 84.70%

2007 84.70%

2008 87.70%

2009 87.70%

2010 87.70%

2011 90.80%

2012 93.90%

2013 96.90%

2014 100.00%

Enhanced GHSGT - Performance Levels for AYP Purposes

MathematicsBasic: Scale scores 400 to 515Proficient: Scale scores 516 to 524Advanced: Scale scores 525 to 600

Language ArtsBasic: Scale scores 400 to 510Proficient: Scale scores 511 to 537Advanced: Scale scores 538 to 600

In spring 2008, a new scale score where one standard indicates both pass and proficient will be established for ELA. This will be used for both academic performance and diploma eligibility.

Assessment and Accountability

Future Directions and Updates

Curriculum Transition

• What’s coming up?– EOCT

• US History and Economics transitions in 2007-2008• Math I and Math II developed in 2008-2009

– CRCT• 2007-2008: Math grades 3-5, 8; Science grade 8; Social Studies

grades 6-8• 2008-2009: Social Studies grades 3-5

– GHSGT • ‘Transitional’ test in Social Studies• Fully GPS-based test in ELA and Science

– GHSWT• Starting in fall 2007, will be GPS based

What changes can you expect in a test when it transitions from QCC to GPS?

• A new reporting scale is created• Domains (and content weights) are revised

– Please refer to the website for updated content descriptions and resources

• Important: performance on the new GPS test is not comparable to the former QCC test. The GPS test sets a new baseline.

Ideas for Changing Secondary Assessment

Starting the Conversation

• All students take at least two EOCT in each of four content areas: English/ Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies

• Tests are given immediately following the applicable course or courses

• Tests count for both diploma eligibility and NCLB accountability

• Retests will be offered without limit

Possible Elements of New Model

Assessments

• Tests that are already developed or that are on schedule to be developed– 9th Grade Literature (Fall 2005)– Physical Science (Fall 2005)– Biology (Fall 2005)– Economics (Fall 2007)– Math I (Fall 2008)– Math II (Spring 2009)

• Test that will need to be revised– American Literature revised to be ‘genre-neutral’ 10th grade literature

• Tests that will have to be newly developed– Physics– U.S. History/ American Government– World History

Assessment Development

• Four performance levels established for each test:– Below Proficiency– Basic Proficiency– Advanced Proficiency– Honors

Accountability

This ‘proposal’ is in the very early stages of consideration.

We will move forward by soliciting feedback from stakeholders around the

state.

Your input is critical.

Contact Information:

Chris Domaleski

cdomales@doe.k12.ga.us

404-656-2668