Spotlight on Student Assessment and Accountability: Week of November 24, 2014

Spotlight on Student Assessment and Accountability: Week of November 3, 2014

Spring 2015 Testing Schedule

What will be assessed?
When will it be assessed?
What about the ACT?
Will they be paper-pencil or online?
What about make-ups?

Get all the latest news here.

Spotlight: Michigan Assessment and Accountability Newsletter

To ensure you have quick access to timely and important assessment and accountability related information, today, MDE's Office of Assessment and Accountability launched the first weekly interactive e-publication delivered each Thursday called Spotlight on Student Assessment and Accountability. This new easy to read publication will ensure you stay up-to-date with the latest news and information. Check it out today.

Getting our students used to online testing before this spring

So, we don't yet know who the content provider will be for this spring's assessments. We know it won't be Smarter Balanced. Here's just the little we do know:

• The assessments will be online and testing windows have been assigned
• Specific dates have been assigned for assessment for those school that elect to do paper-pencil testing instead
• The mathematics assessments will be offered grades 3-8
• The content of the assessments will be taken from our Common Core State Standards
• The platform used will be the same as the platform for the Interim Assessments.

So, how can we get our students ready to take online assessments? The answer might sound a little strange: Sign up for the Michigan Interim Field tests.

Why? There are now two good (big) reasons to do this.

1. Students can become familiar with the testing platform that will be used this spring. They'll get their practice now in a no-stakes testing environment.
2. School Districts will earn a $3.00 minimum participation incentive per completed test for the Fall 2014 Interim Assessment Field Test

Although the interim assessment field test window begins Monday, September 15, testing does not have to begin Monday and there is still time for your district or school to participate.

Funding is being made available through the Technology Readiness InfrastructureGrant (TRIG), furthering the TRIG goal to support and build state capacity in technology.

Additional Reasons to Participate

• The Fall 2014 Field Test provides an opportunity for schools to test bandwidth capacity and student scheduling for online testing, prior to the state summative assessment to be administered in the spring 2015.

• Students will have the benefit of taking an online assessment in a low-stakes situation and practice using common online assessment tools (calculators, highlighters, etc.)

• Earn TRIG incentive funds in the amount of $3.00 minimum, per test completed (Each content or subject area test consists of two parts, and both parts of the test must be completed to be eligible for the participation incentive. For example, a student who completes both parts of each assessment in ELA and Mathematics will earn the school district a participation incentive of a minimum of $6.00.)  Final amount to be based on the total number of completed tests throughout the state.

• Teachers will receive an invitation to provide feedback and recommendations for improvement. 

Technology Considerations

• Schools may use Windows or Mac desktops and laptops to administer the field test assessments. The field test window is September 15, 2014 through October 17, 2014. Schools may administer the field test assessments any time within this five-week test window.

• NEW - MDE is also seeking schools to administer the field tests on iPads and Chromebooks. This separate window encompasses only these devices and runs from October 20 - November 14, 2014. Additional information on sign up and on testing with these devices will be provided during the next few weeks. Tests completed as a part of this separate window will also qualify for the TRIG participation incentive as well.

Details regarding the minimum requirements for each device type are provided in the Michigan Testing Device Requirements document.

 

To participate in the Fall 2014 Interim Assessment Field Test, please complete the registration survey for each school. If you have already completed the registration survey, you do not have to complete it again to qualify for the TRIG participation incentive.

 

No Smarter Balanced, now what?

In late June, Michigan’s School Aid budget, set to take effect Oct. 1, was signed that requires a “new MEAP” to be developed and administered for the 2014-15 School Year. There seems to be some confusion with the language included in this budget as it relates to using the same name – MEAP – but meeting our current state standards, which is not something the “old” MEAP did. There have been reports suggesting the state is returning to the old test and that teachers now are rewriting lesson plans in an attempt to be ready for next year’s assessment. Last week, Joseph Martineau, Deputy Director for Accountability Services released a memo to clarify what we now know and how educators should be planning for the 2014-15 school year. The main message: stay the course.

Support for Common Core: OEII June Newsletter

click on the image to access the newsletter

Michigan's Bureau of Assessment and Accountability NEEDS YOU!

Michigan's Bureau of Assessment & Accountability (BAA) has created an online application to gather information from Michigan educators who are interested in serving on a BAA working committee. This online application allows you to apply for any working committee; however, there is a specific need at this time for standard setting members for MEAP-Access. Please know that standard setting for MEAP-Access is dependent upon a sufficient number of students participating in the assessment this fall.

Complete the online application to serve on any BAA working committee. If you are selected for a working committee, or if more information on your qualifications is needed, you will be contacted by a BAA staff member. Please be sure your contact information (especially email address) is entered correctly. Submission of this survey does not guarantee selection for a working committee. If you are not selected for a committee at this time, your application will remain active for possible inclusion in future committees. We thank you for your consideration of participating in this important activity on behalf of Michigan students.

Questions?

Please email us at BAA@michigan.gov or call 877-560-8378 and select the appropriate option.

Is your school graduating students who are college and career ready?

If you'd like to compare your high school's student percent scoring proficient on the MME to the student percent scoring proficient on the ACT College and Career Ready Benchmarks, check out the newly posted comparison document on MDE's website.
How do your school's percentages compare?
As we move toward the new assessment system under Common Core, our schools' scores will more closely align to that reported through the ACT College and Career Ready Benchmarks.
How can we increase the percentage of students who are assessed at the "proficient" level?

Instruction in the Era of the Common Core State Standards

from MIEM Online by Brooke Clay

Four locations to choose from:

October 25, 2010 • DeVos Place, Grand Rapids
October 27, 2010 • Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls
October 29, 2010 • Horizon Conference Center, Saginaw
November 4, 2010 • Cobo Hall, Detroit

Now that Michigan has joined more than 30 other states in adopting the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts, what next?

Please join the Michigan Department of Education as we begin to interpret the "instructional blueprint" to ensure that ALL students have access to effective instruction for meeting the Common Core State Standards. Participate in discussions on systems and instructional strategies necessary to support the learning of all students so they leave high school prepared for college and career.

Register by fax.

Register online.

MDE announces 4 roll-out sessions for Common Core

On Monday, October 25, I will be attending the first of four roll-out sessions offered by MDE on the Common Core. These four regional roll-outs are being designed for district/ISD leadership individuals and teams to learn more about the CCSS and MDE’s transition plans.
Kalamazoo County (and surrounding) districts do not need to attend. I plan to represent Kalamazoo County mathematics and bring back to you all relevant, important information. However, if some of you wish to attend (for information on the ELA Common Core or for other reasons), I will post the link to session registration as soon as it becomes available. Stayed tuned for more information.

The four roll-out sessions are being planned for:

• October 25 - Grand Rapids
• October 27 - Boyne Mountain (Boyne Falls)
• October 29 - Saginaw
• November 4 - Detroit