Office of Early Learning North Carolina Department of Public Instruction NAEYC PDI June 11, 2013

1. Office of Early Learning North Carolina Department of Public Instruction NAEYC PDI June 11, 2013 Designing and implementing a developmentally appropriate state-wide Kindergarten Entry Assessment and K-3 Formative Assessment System: Necessary Considerations

2. Welcome & Introductions http://mayasaric.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/handshake-red-yellow.jpg

3. Participants will… • Examine & discuss necessary considerations in designing a state-wide K-3 Formative Assessment System • Explore & discuss elements of statewide scaling-up and implementation • Discuss lessons learned & offer suggestions for future consideration

4. Setting the Context: North Carolina

5. North Carolina http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/usa/north-carolina/map/

6. Setting the Context: Legislation

7. North Carolina’sExcellent Public Schools Act

8. North Carolina’sExcellent Public Schools Act • 7 Components • Comprehensive Reading Plan • Developmental Screening and Kindergarten Entry Assessment • Facilitating Early Grade Reading Proficiency • Elimination of Social Promotion • Successful Reading Development for Retained Students • Parent/Guardian Notification • Accountability Measures

9. From NCSession Law 2012-142 • 115C-83.1E. Developmental screening & kindergarten entry assessment. • Completed within 60 days of enrollment • Addresses five domains of readiness • Administered at the classroom level • Aligned to NC Early Learning Standards & Standard Course of Study • Reliable, valid and appropriate

10. From Session Law 2012-142 • 115C-174.11 Components of the testing program. • Assessment Instruments for K-3 • The State Board of Education shall develop, adopt, and provide developmentally appropriate individualized assessment instruments… for Kindergarten through Third Grade. • LEAsshalluse these assessment instruments… to assess progress, diagnose difficulties, & inform instruction and remediation needs.

11. Setting the Context: Assessment

12. North Carolina’sBalanced Assessment System

13. Assessment in K-3 • K-3 Reading 3D • Benchmark, Summative • TRC component as part of teacher performance • K-2 Literacy Assessment • Benchmark, Summative • K-2 Math Assessment • Tasks to be used in a formative manner • Benchmark, Summative

14. North Carolina’sFormative Assessment Network https://center.ncsu.edu/nc/

15. Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge Grant

16. Necessary Considerations (NAEYC)

17. Necessary Considerations (NAEYC) What is the purpose of the assessment?

18. What is the Purpose? 4 Purposes for Assessment (NAEYC) • Support instruction • Identify those with special needs • Program evaluation • High stakes accountability

19. North Carolina’s Purpose • Formative Assessment • A process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to help students improve their achievement of intended instructional outcomes. CCSSO, 2006

20. Necessary Considerations (NAEYC) What is the content of the assessment?

21. What is the Content? • Determine what is important to measure first, then find ways of measuring it (NAEYC) • Include multiple domains • Align with state standards and curriculum goals

22. North Carolina’s Content • Five Domains of Development & Learning • Approaches to Learning • Cognitive Development • Emotional & Social Development • Health & Physical Development • Language & Communication Development

23. North Carolina’s Content • Sample Claim: • Health & Physical Development • Students develop skills that contribute to healthy behaviors and the reduction of health risks. DRAFT

24. North Carolina’s Content • Aligns with: • the NC Standard Course of Study (Common Core State Standards & NC’s Essential Standards) • the NC Early Learning and Development Standards

25. Necessary Considerations (NAEYC) When and how often are assessments completed?

26. When and How Often? • Decisions about frequency should be tied to the purpose (NAEYC) • To most effectively inform instruction, assessment should be on-going to provide continuous feedback

27. North Carolina’s Frequency • Formative assessment • On a daily basis • Minute-to-minute or in short cycles at the classroom level • Throughout the school year • Planned • e.g., questions, conversations, observations, tasks • Spontaneous

28. Necessary Considerations (NAEYC) Who assesses the child? Who is assessed?

29. Who? • Dependent on the purpose of the assessment and how the assessment is used (NAEYC) • When the purpose is to inform instruction, • the assessment is typically conducted by the teacher • all children are assessed

30. North Carolina’s Assessors • Competent, trained individuals who have a relationship with the child • Classroom teacher, with contributions from: • Families • Support staff (e.g., PE teacher, speech pathologist) • Pediatrician

31. North Carolina’s Children • Will be accessible to, valid, and appropriate for the greatest number of children. • Must be constructed in accordance with the principles of Universal Design • Will be developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate • May need accommodations for children with disabilities, but this need should be minimized

32. Necessary Considerations (NAEYC) Is the data used for evaluation & accountability purposes?

33. How is the Data Used? • Concerns about the appropriateness of early childhood assessment measures used for high-stakes purposes (NAEYC) • Assessments designed for one purpose (e.g., inform instruction) are adapted, modified, or even misused for evaluation and accountability purposes

34. North Carolina’s Data • The K-3 assessment will: • Guide daily instruction & planning • Provide descriptive feedback to students so they can adjust learning • Include careful safeguards to prevent misuse of the information in decisions made about individual children

35. North Carolina’s Data • The K-3 Assessment will not be used for accountability or high-stakes purposes • Kindergarten eligibility • Teacher effectiveness • Program evaluation

36. Challenges: Assessment Design

37. Challenges • Kindergarten through Third Grade • All Domains of Development & Learning • Current Assessment Context • Current Teacher Responsibilities • Political Considerations • Assessing All Children Appropriately • Technology • Use of Data; Privacy • Multiple Assessors

38. Group Discussion • Discuss the following questions: • How has your state addressed one or more of these potential challenges? • What additional potential challenges do we need to consider? • Record your thoughts & suggestions. • Be prepared to share 1-2 ideas.

39. Challenges • Kindergarten through Third Grade • All Domains of Development & Learning • Current Assessment Context • Current Teacher Responsibilities • Political Influence • Assessing All Children Appropriately • Technology • Use of Data; Privacy • Multiple Assessors

40. Setting the Context: Implementation

41. Implementation Design Team (IDT)

42. IDT Tasks • Builds, supports, & sustains the capacity of Regional Implementation Teams (RIT) • Facilitates communication among & between LEAs, RIT and SEA leadership • Promotes implementation functions across initiatives • Identifies and solves problems at the systems level using data • Promotes aligned data collection systems

43. IDT Membership K-3 Assessment Staff Selected members of the Regional Implementation Teams (RITs) Key internal and external stakeholders

44. Regional Implementation Teams (RITs)

45. RIT Tasks • Developing District (DIT) and School (SIT) Implementation Teams • Helping Districts with a gap analysis related to critical implementation features necessary for scaling-up K-3 formative assessment • Reviewing current resources, strengths, and needs at the District and School levels • Providing implementation training, coaching and consultation based on the needs of the districts • Initiating and actively engaging in continuous quality improvement cycles

46. RIT Membership 3-5 members each RIT State K-3 Assessment Staff Key internal and external stakeholders Tap into existing regional structures within the state-wide system of support

47. 2013-14 Building Readiness • Information and Awareness • Mixed delivery of professional development (e.g. online modules, video library, coaching) • Development of Regional Implementation Teams • Planning for Usability Testing

48. 2014-15 Usability Testing • Select districts • RITs provide implementation coaching for DITs • Training for DITs and SITs (e.g. KEA/K-3 Assessment (tools, resources, and processes) • First schools begin initial implementation in Fall 2014 • Rapid improvement cycles

49. Vertical Slice of the System

50. Fall 2015 Initial Implementation • Begin scaling-up in additional districts • Mixed delivery of professional development • Continued support for initial districts • Ongoing measurement of implementation