PSSA Prep: Resources, Tools, and Strategies to improve student achievement

1. PSSA Prep:Resources, Tools, and Strategiesto improve student achievement Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 Educational Consultants Kathy Emeigh 610-515-6546 kemeigh@ciu20.org Melissa Petrilak 610-515-6542 mpetrilak@cui20.org

2. Guiding Questions: • What resources can help us to decide our instructional focus? • What tools are available for us? • What are practical strategies are there to embed PSSA prep in our daily instruction?

3. What strategies do you use now to prepare your students for PSSA?

4. Bright Ideas • Periodically a “Stop, Drop, and Jot” will take place. • Use BrightIdeas paper to generate ideas of the information you’ve heard throughout the training.

5. Why focus on the special education population? • To meet adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) required by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) schools and subgroups must meet four targets: • Student achievement at proficiency or above • For 2006-07 Math score - 45% (56% for ’08-’10) • For 2006-07 Reading score - 54% (63% for ’08-’10) • 95% participation • 90% attendance • 80% graduation rate

6. Special Education is a Subgroup • Subgroups must meet targets or a school does not meet AYP • Subgroup has 40 or more students. • Bottom line… at least for now is that IEP students need to improve their PSSA performance

7. Good IEP students responsible for same Anchors/Standards as regular education students IEP aligned to Anchors/Standards giving Special Education teachers a clear instructional focus. Schools can meet AYP through a Safe Harbor. Bad Rules changed mid game. Chronological age and grade used as the basis for state assessment. Some districts may only focus on the IEP students who are capable of raising PSSA scores. The Good and the Bad of It

8. What Should We Do? It doesn’t have to be that difficult!

10. Logic 101 • Continue to expect all students make progress • AND • Identify students who will increase the school or district proficiency rate by 10%.

11. PA Academic Standards 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 Assessment Anchor Content Standards A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, B.3 Anchor Descriptors Eligible Content

12. “Trifolds” and More from IU 13 • http://www.iu13.org/inst_init_literacy_anchor.shtml For reading assessment anchor content standards presented in “teacher friendly” charts and graphs. • http://www.iu13.org/inst_math_anchors.shtml For math assessment anchor content standards presented in “teacher friendly” charts and graphs. THE TRIFOLDS ARE GREAT! EASY COMPARISON ACROSS THREE GRADE LEVELS.

13. RESOURCES! Assessment Anchor

14. Reporting Category • Five Math Reporting Categories: • A. Numbers & Operations • B. Measurement • C. Geometry • D. Algebraic Concepts • E. Data Analysis & Probability • Two Reading Reporting Categories: • A. Comprehension and Reading Skills • B. Interpretation and Analysis of Literature

15. Reference to Standard- Math PA Standard

16. Reference to Standard- Reading PA Standard

17. Eligible Content Known as “assessment limits” Identify how deeply teachers need to cover an Anchor to prepare students for PSSA Not all Eligible Content is assessed on the PSSA; shows the range of knowledge from which the test was designed.

18. Sample Items Math only! More sample items under Resource Materials

19. Test Blueprint- Math Begin With the “End” in Mind!

20. Stop, Drop, and Jot

21. Information on Assessment Anchor Content Standards • Open website to: www.pde.state.pa.us • Click on tab Pre K- 12 • Left hand side of page, click on Assessment • Left hand side of page, click on Assessment Anchors

22. Click here Online Resources

23. Online Resources Click here

24. Downloadable Tools The Assessment Anchors and Glossaries are here Item Samplers, Handbook with Blueprints, Formula Sheets

25. Critical Content Words Math and Reading Glossaries DataNotGuesswork™

26. …and More from IU 13 • An Assessment Anchor Guide with: assessment anchor eligible content key vocabulary All on one teacher friendly page! • http://www.iu13.org/inst_init_literacy_anchor.shtml • http://www.iu13.org/inst_math_anchors.shtml

27. Critical Content Words Adopt-A-Word

28. Source of the words contained in this packet: • The words were taken from one of the forms of the 2005 Math and Reading PSSA • They were not taken from test content, but from test question forms • Please note that these words are not intended as a complete listing. • The list represents the critical content words that “stood out” upon review.

29. Purpose of Adopt-A-Word • To give students access to vocabulary that will help them better comprehend the intent of test questions • To give teachers concise and common “test” vocabulary to embed in current classroom routines and curriculum across content areas

30. Why “adopt” a word? • In a learning community, it is very important that all teachers take ownership of critical content vocabulary. • Students need multiple opportunities for exposure to these words across content areas

31. And from Susan in Philadelphia School District….. 3 pages of strategies! “Some PSSA Glossary Words Ideas and Mini-Lessons”

32. How can we use this tool? Item and Sampler Guide: Rubrics and Sample Passages

33. Stop, Drop, and Jot

34. A “Collection” of Strategies! From Joann in Pocono Mt. School District. • Using the Item Samplers from PDE: • Practice with sticky notes • Double-space and enlarge font (“George” went from below basic to proficient with this strategy!) • Have your students grade the sample student responses, and see if their score agrees with PDE’s. • Use acetate sheets and “grease” pencils to allow the students to interact with the text in a more concrete way.

35. A “Collection” of Strategies! From Susan in Philadelphia School District. • Using the Rubrics from PDE: • With your class, generate “student friendly” rubrics. • Student Work Sheet Constructed Response – Graphic using the 3 point reading rubric • Uses “Reading Responses” with lawyer talk. • She gave us the ideas for glossary mini-lessons!

36. A “Collection” of Strategies! From Kelly in CIU 20 region. • Poster Support – “fading support”

37. A “Collection” of Strategies! More from Kelly in CIU 20 region. • Strategies/toolbox specific to test taking. Name:_______________ (4Sight Test) 1 2 3 4 5 What tools/strategies/bright ideas WILL you use to be successful on the test?_____________________________________________ What WILL you do if you become frustrated while taking the test?_____________________________________________ What tools DID you use on the test?_____________________________________________ What DID you do when you got frustrated? Did it work? _______________________________________________________________

38. A “Collection” of Strategies! From Maria in Upper Merion SD. • PSSA- specific instructional strategies to introduce students to rubrics: • Present the rubric on an overhead transparency, underlining key vocabulary. Discuss and explain key terms. • Explain each level of the rubric noting the use of words such as “all, most, some, few, or none” and their relationship to the scores 0 – 4.

39. A “Collection” of Strategies! MORE from Maria in Upper Merion SD. • Brainstorm and practice a problem together. • Have students score their own work using the Math. General Problem Solving Rubric and discuss how they can improve their scores! (up one more level is inherently motivating!) • Use the item sampler to illustrate the differences between a 4,3,2,1, and 0 score.

40. A “Collection” of Strategies! EVEN MORE from Missy in CIU 20 region. • Hang posters that explain formulas, key words, vocabulary words • Practice reading and solving different multiple choice and open-ended questions by focusing on key words. • Use math notebooks to write key PSSA vocab, definitions, formulas, facts. • Conduct teacher “think alouds” while solving problems. • “I know lunchtime is at 12:00. It’s 11?40 now. I can count by fives to see how many minutes until lunchtime: 11:45, 11:50, 11:55, 12:00. I counted by fives four times, so that’s 20 minutes in all. Lunch is in 20 minutes.”

41. Explanation Tips 1. Show all the steps you used to solve the problem. If you used a calculator or did some of the work in your head, you must write a description of the steps that you followed. AND 2. Write an explanation stating the mathematical reason(s) why you chose each of your steps.

42. Explanation Tips • Encourage students to EXPLAIN their work - not DESCRIBE it • Description: “I multiplied 5 and 20 to get 100” • Explanation: “I multiplied the number of quizzes and the number of points of each quiz to find the total points for the quizzes.”

43. Explanation Tips • Make sure ALL steps are explained. • Encourage students not to use numbers in their explanations – this will stop them from describing their work. e.g. First I added $38.25 and $17 and got $55.25. Then I divided $55.25 by $4.25 to get my answer….

44. Assign Targeted Students to Teacher/Coach • Assigned teacher follows students from PSSA preparation to PSSA test administration • Teacher assumes ownership responsibility for their group of students

45. Use All Allowable Testing Accommodations when Administering PSSA • Accommodations available online. • Ensure Special Education Teacher have copies of Accommodations • Review Accommodations with all teachers • Devise a plan to put Accommodations in place

46. Best Accommodations • Small group administration of test (low teacher/student ratio provides needed support) • Simplify the directions and make sure student is clear about what to do • Teacher use of highlighters • Adjust test taking time, give students breaks

47. Many Students Do Poorly on Tests Because They are Confused by the Format or Directions • Repeat and Clarify Directions • Provide Individual Assistance • Closely Monitor • Redirect students to specific questions/responses if they are experiencing difficulties

48. Special Education Teachers Need to be Knowledgeable About PSSA • Understand the Importance of the PSSA • Accept that students with IEPs must take the test and are expected to show improvement. • Be familiar with the format • Know Allowable Accommodations • Motivational Strategies • Test-taking Strategies • Active During Testing • Connect Teacher Performance to Student Results

49. Practice, practice, practice… embed, embed, embed … before the test

50. Think about it…. • “Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.”Michael Jordan • “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.” Vince Lombardi • “A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the pants, but is miles ahead in results.”Ella Wheeler Wilcox • “Teamwork divides the task and doubles the success.” Anonymous