Smarter Balanced spring PILOT opportunity: register now

In September, Michigan schools received information through the Bureau of Assessment and Accountability (BAA) eblast and website about an opportunity to register to indicate their interest in being a part of the Smarter Balanced Field Testing that will occur during Spring 2014.  The original deadline to register a school’s interest in being a part of the Smarter Balanced Field Test in Spring 2014 was October 15^th.  However, in light of the legislative activity which occurred during October in Michigan, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium has agreed to extend the deadline for Michigan schools to register to indicate interest in participating in the Spring 2014 Field Testing to November 8, 2013.

Information regarding the Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Field Test, including contact information if you have questions, can be found under the “What’s New” section on any of the following web pages

www.michigan.gov/meap

www.michigan.gov/mi-access

www.michigan.gov/mme

The Smarter Balanced Field Test is an excellent opportunity for schools to participate in a computer adaptive assessment, which measures the breadth of the English Language Arts and Mathematics Common Core State Standards using rich item types.  Additionally, the Smarter Balanced Field Test provides schools and districts a valuable opportunity to assess their technology readiness for online testing.  While there is a need for all grade levels to participate in the Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test, there is particular need for 11^th grade students from Michigan.

If your school is interested in participating in the Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test, please complete the registration.  Please submit your school’s interest in participating in the Smarter Balanced Field Test by the new Michigan deadline of Friday, November 8, 2013. 

SBAC launches Spanish webpage

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) has launched a Spanish webpage with downloadable factsheets for teachers, parents, and students. The webpage provides information on the assessment system and the Consortium’s work to meet the needs of all students, including English language learners (ELLs).
“Making Spanish-language materials available is part of our commitment to keeping stakeholders informed about our progress,” said Joe Willhoft, Ph.D., executive director of Smarter Balanced. “With a growing number of English language learners across the United States, it is important that teachers, parents, and students have access to resources to help prepare for next-generation assessments.”
The Smarter Balanced Assessment System will provide valid, fair, and reliable measures of student achievement and growth toward college and career readiness for ELLs. In collaboration with member states, educators, and experts, the Consortium is developing an Accessibility and Accommodations Framework. Grounded in current research and a deep understanding of the current diversity of accessibility policies and practices across state and national assessment systems, the Framework provides the conceptual underpinning for accessibility approaches, accessibility tools and accommodation options, and implementation guidance for the assessment system.
“Smarter Balanced assessments are designed with the needs of English language learners in mind,” said Magda Chia, Ph.D., director of support for under-represented students. “Through accommodations like pop-up glossaries for the mathematics assessment and a research-based approach to developing assessment items that reduces linguistic burdens, the Consortium is working to ensure that all students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.”

Partnering with parents for student success

Partnering with Parents Too often when a student struggles with mathematics, a parent comments, “I was never very good at math either.” While that may be true, the need for our students to be successful in mathematics is more urgent than at any time in recent history. In this era of focus on college, career, and life readiness, engaging parents is critical to the success of students from prekindergarten through high school. Read more from Linda Gojak, NCTM president...

PD opportunity: secondary math teachers

Secondary Math Instruction and Assessment in Light of the Common Core: The Mathematics Assessment Project

When: September 18, October 23, and November 13, 2013

Where: Kalamazoo RESA service center

Who: Secondary math teachers and administrators

Register

To truly meet the demands of the Common Core State Standards it is not sufficient to simply revise the list of mathematical content covered in the curriculum. The Standards´ emphases on Mathematical Practices require students to be able to think mathematically, and apply the techniques they have learned to rich problems in diverse contexts. Achieving this requires changes in the way mathematics is taught and assessed in most schools.

The Mathematics Assessment Project has developed the Classroom Challenges to exemplify the types of activities needed to supplement traditional classroom practice and support the Standards. This professional development series has been designed to help teachers with the practical and pedagogical challenges faced in implementing these lessons.
This professional development series focuses on
• introducing the model of formative assessment used in the lessons, its theoretical background and practical implementation
• exploring the planning around the two types of Classroom Challenges in detail
• exploring two crucial pedagogical features of the lessons: asking probing questions and collaborative learning

This professional development series is activity-based; built around a collection of example classroom lessons aligned to the Mathematical Practices and Content called for in the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Groups of teachers will be engaged in constructive discussions about their own practices and how these could change. Teachers will be provided with time to plan to teach a lesson using these ideas in their own classroom, and meet again to reflect on their experiences.

Principals: attend with your teachers to watch, learn, plan, and support the implementation of the Common Core with fidelity.

12 SCECHs Pending Approval

Show your support in Lansing: 3rd Common Core hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, August 14

Tomorrow is the third hearing exploring the Common Core State Standards in Lansing, MI.  Lawmakers will be hearing from several experts. There will be time for the pubic to offer commentary.  Come prepared to speak or submit written testimony.  

Please offer your support for the Common Core. Now is the time.

Common Core Standard subcommittee of the Standing Committee on Education , Rep. Tim Kelly, Chair

DATE: Wednesday, August 14, 2013

TIME: 10:00 AM

PLACE: Room 519, House Office Building, Lansing, MI

AGENDA:
Testimony from:

Brian Cloyd, Doug Rothwell, Paul Hillegonds, Business Leaders of MI
Dr. William Evers, Hoover Institute
Dr. Diane Ravitch, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Sandra Stotsky, Professor Emerita, University of Arkansas
Jon Austin, President, State Board of Education

Kindergarten Entry Assessment Fall 2013 Pilot

Michigan Department of Education’s Bureau of Assessment and Accountability (BAA) is looking for teachers to participate in the Fall 2013 Pilot of the Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA). Michigan chose Teaching Strategies GOLD online for its KEA. 

Michigan kindergarten teachers will play a critical role in helping the BAA customize the KEA for Michigan’s teachers, students and families. Please visit the KEA webpage  for more information about the KEA and to sign up for the fall pilot.

Introduction to the Next Generation Science Standards

Materials now available!

On Tuesday May 28, 2013, over 800 school administrators, science teachers, teacher preparation/certification faculty, and other educational leaders from throughout Michigan gathered for a day-long conference to introduce the proposed Next Generation Science Standards, which are currently pending adoption by the Michigan State Board of Education.

The agenda included:

• An overview of Michigan’s Next Generation Science Standards
• Special presentations by: Stephen Pruitt, Achieve Inc., Joseph Krajcik, CREATE for STEM, Michigan State University, Michigan Department of Education and other educational leaders.
• Interactive breakouts by grade level
• Subject-specific sessions to gain a deeper understanding of the standards

This website archives the videos of the general sessions, all handouts and PowerPoint presentations, and links to relevant resources.

• Agenda and General Materials
• Welcome & Introductions
• Keynote Speaker
• Plenary Presentation
• Breakout Session 1
• Breakout Session 2
• Closing Panel
• Links

Agenda and General Materials ›

Myth vs. Fact: The Common Core State Standards for Mathematics

click to read more

Kindergarten Entry Assessment Pilot available this fall

Michigan’s Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) is an authentic observational system for assessing children in the first 45 days of kindergarten. The KEA will provide teachers and parents with important criterion-based information about a child’s learning and development in five domains at the beginning of kindergarten so that teachers can inform individual instruction and parents can provide learning opportunities beyond the school day. The domains assessed include:

• Mathematics
• Literacy and Language
• Approaches toward Learning
• Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Well-Being and Motor Development

What's New?

• KEA Trainers Needed  • KEA Trainer Application for Michigan Kindergarten Entry Assessment Trainers • Core Competencies for KEA Trainers  Michigan's Kindergarten Entry Assessment • Kindergarten Entry Assessment Fall 2013 Pilot Testing Information  • Fall 2013 Kindergarten Entry Assessment Pilot Testing Interest Survey • Michigan Kindergarten Entry Assessment FAQ  Educator Professional Development • Kindergarten Entry Assessment PowerPoint Presentation

Technology Readiness Calculator Released for Smarter Balanced

Smarter Balanced has released its Web-based Technology Readiness Calculator to help schools estimate the number of days it will take to administer the Smarter Balanced summative assessments on the basis of: the number of students to be tested, the number of computers available, and the number of hours per day that each computer is available during the testing window. Start planning with the Technology Readiness Calculator now.