PARCC: NEXT GENERATION ASSESSMENT

What does this mean for higher education in Massachusetts?

Agenda

9:00 Welcome/Introductions9:15 Overview of PARCC Massachusetts9:30 Development of PARCC Assessment and Implications for Higher Ed11:00 Questions11:30 Lunch- Pick up Box Lunch11:45 Reconvene – Breakout Groups – English,

Math, Student Placement

12:50 Wrap-up; Fill Out Evaluation Form

Goals for this Session

• Provide a basic description of two key educational initiatives: the Common Core State Standards and PARCC

• Situate these initiatives within the broader higher education and P-16 context in Massachusetts

• Discuss implications for higher education – particularly entry-level placement and English, writing, and math courses

Overview

• College and career readiness is the overall goal• Greater College Participation for those seeking

college and Greater College Completion for those who enroll

• New ELA/Literacy & Math Curriculum Frameworks based on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are being implemented in MA

• MA K-12 Assessments are being aligned to CCSS• MA is actively participating in the multi-state

Partnership for Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers (PARCC)

Why College and Career Readiness?The Rationale for Change

• Our current marker (MCAS) is 10th grade requirements for the Competency Determination (CD).

• One-quarter of our students do not enroll in college within 16 months of graduating from high school.

• 37% of graduates take at least one remedial course during their first semester in college; that number rises to 65% at community colleges.

Why College and Career Readiness?The Rationale for Change

• All students need to be prepared for and encouraged to pursue postsecondary education/training opportunities by taking a rigorous and relevant program of study.

• More Massachusetts adults will need to have higher levels of education in order to be prepared for jobs in 21st century careers that allow them opportunities for advancement.

Massachusetts Structure and Activities

• Standards - Common Core State Standards (CCSS); and revised 2011 Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks based on the CCSS

• Assessments - Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS); and PARCC assessments which may replace MCAS in 2014-15 if as good or better than MCAS

• Definition of College and Career Readiness informs PARCC effort

Common Core State Standards Initiative• State-led effort began in 2009

• Governors (NGA) and education commissioners (CCSSO)• Adopted by 45 states, District of Columbia, and U.S. Virgin Islands • http://www.corestandards.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions

• Created common core of K-12 English language arts and mathematics standards

• Anchored in college and career readiness• Focused, coherent, clear and rigorous• Internationally benchmarked• Evidence- and research-based

• Built into current MA standards• MA has adopted Common Core with 2011 MA Curriculum

Frameworks• MA is revising MCAS to reflect the new, Common Core-based

Frameworks

Key Advances of the CCSS

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/LITERACY

Balance of literature and informational texts; focus on text

complexity

Emphasis on argument, informative/ explanatory writing,

and research

Speaking and listening skills

Literacy standards for history, science and technical subjects

MATHEMATICS

Focus, coherence and clarity: emphasis on key topics at each

grade level and coherent progression across grades

Procedural fluency and understanding of concepts and

skills

Promote rigor through mathematical proficiencies that

foster reasoning and understanding across disciplines

High school standards organized by conceptual categoriesANCHORED IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

Current Timeline for Alignment of MA Standards and Assessments

2013-2014

Fullimplementation of ELA and math standards

Monitor curriculum and instruction fully aligned to the 2011 standards

2012-2013

Near full implementation of ELA and math standards

Implement balance of changes in curriculum and instruction

2014-2015

Full implementation of new assessments of ELA and math standards

Administer assessments fully aligned to the 2011 standards

Race to the Top Assessment Consortia

• The U.S. Department of Education funded two proposals to develop resources and assessments for the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

• The two consortia are:• The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness

for College and Career (PARCC)• The Smarter Balanced Assessment

Consortium (SBAC)

Massachusetts is a PARCC State• PARCC = Partnership for Assessment of Readiness

for College and Careers• Massachusetts is part of consortium of 22 states and U.S.

territories coordinated by Achieve, Inc.• Supports full implementation of the Common Core State

Standards• Creates a next-generation assessment system in based on

these Standards• Includes supporting tools to help states increase number of

students who graduate high school ready for college and career

• Massachusetts is a National PARCC Leader• One of 19 PARCC Governing States• Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary

Education, is chair of Governing Board

• Richard Freeland, Commissioner of Higher Education, is co-chair of Advisory Committee on College Readiness

PARCC’s Potential in Massachusetts

Clearer signal on what it

means to be “college

ready”

Students on faster track to

completion, less need

for remediatio

n

Better assessment tool for

21st century learning

PARCC Timeline- Overview

PARCC assessments will be ready for MA to pilot in 2013–2014 and administer in 2014–2015, as determined by MA’s K-12 and higher education policies.

SY 2011-12

Development begins

SY 2012-13

First year pilot/field testing and

related research and

data collection

SY 2013-14

Second year pilot/field testing and

related research and

data collection

SY 2014-15

Full administration

of PARCC assessments

SY 2010-11

Launch and design phase

Summer 2015

Set achievement

levels, including

college-ready performance

levels

Current Activities

Development of definition of “college and career readiness” (began in 2011–2012)

Campus Engagement Teams/Fellows convene faculty conversations on Common Core State Standards

Faculty participate in assessment item development

SY 2011-12

Development begins

SY 2012-13

First year pilot/field testing and

related research and

data collection

SY 2013-14

Second year pilot/field testing and

related research and

data collection

SY 2014-15

Full administration

of PARCC assessments

SY 2010-11

Launch and design phase

Summer 2015

Set achievement

levels, including

college-ready performance

levels

MA is also a CORE TO COLLEGE state

• One of ten states selected to receive a Core to College grant

• Funded by the Lumina Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

• While PARCC supports development… Core to College initiative in Massachusetts supports:

• The Implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as part of MA 2011 Curriculum Frameworks

• A statewide definition of college and career readiness.• The use of PARCC’s next-generation assessment to indicate students

readiness for college and career without the need of remediation in English Language Arts and Mathematics.

• An opportunity for curriculum and course alignment across P-16, supporting, PARCC Campus Engagement Teams, Regional Readiness Centers, and MA Educator Fellows engagement work.

Reminder: THE VISION PROJECT- A Public Agenda for Higher Education in Massachusetts

To be a leader among state systems of higher education in seven key areas:• College Participation of high school graduates • College Completion of the students we enroll• Student Learning on campus-level and national

assessments of learning• Workforce Alignment of our degree programs with

key areas of workforce need in the state’s economy• Preparing Citizens to be active and informed

citizens• Closing Achievement Gaps among different

ethnic/racial, economic and gender groups• Research that drives economic development

Summary Goals and Strategies

• Overall Goal: College and career readiness Increasing college readiness of high school graduates, including

student/parent/teacher understanding of college expectations Reducing disparities among different school districts and

populations Reducing need for remediation in college Increasing completion rates of college students Improving assessment tools for 21st century learning Ensuring global competitiveness of our K-12 and college

graduates

Overarching Strategy: Collaboration At national, state, regional and local levels Between K-12 and higher education Between administrators and educators

PARCC Massachusetts Structure• Based on campuses and regions

• 28 Campus PARCC Engagement Teams• 6 Regional Readiness Centers• 24 MA PARCC Fellows

• Input flows to Massachusetts PARCC Coordinating Council• Includes Commissioners (co-chairs), presidents,

superintendents, principals, academic leaders, teachers, faculty, and curriculum and assessment leaders

• Also consults with K-12 education associations, Vision Project working groups, other stakeholder groups

• Council then advises Board of Higher Education and Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

The “Massachusetts PARCC Fellows”

• Act as a major arm of MA’s transition and implementation plans by providing professional development to P-12 Districts

• A network of in-state experts on the CCSS and PARCC for P-12 Districts and Higher Education Campuses

• State and peer leaders around CCSS and PARCC implementation

• Goal: Build and expand the number of other educators who understand and take action and ownership for implementing the CCSS and PARCC Assessments

Definition of

College & Career Readiness

College ReadinessP-16 Campus Engagement Teams and Regional Readiness Centers collaborated on a shared definition of college readiness for Massachusetts.

Career ReadinessIntegrating College

and Career Readiness

Task Force developed a definition

of career readiness for Massachusetts.

Each calls for integration

in Massachusetts’ final statewide

definition

Public review of draft definition in fall 2012.

The Boards of Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher Education are reviewing proposed draft.

Massachusetts PARCC Coordinating Council drafted statewide definition.

24

Over 1360 participants 47% from higher education 48% from P-12

PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness

Survey on Draft Definition

25

Participants were asked about each section of the definition:

PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness

Survey on Draft Definition

81%In Agreement

88% In Agreement

91% In Agreement

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Overview Academic knowledge, experiences, and

intellectual and personal qualities that are important to successful completion of entry-level, credit-bearing college courses (without need for remediation) and entry into economically viable career pathways

PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness

Summary of Statewide Definition

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Essential Competencies Learning

Academic preparation in English language arts/literacy and mathematics as contained in the Common Core State Standards and MassCore

Workplace Readiness Career awareness, exploration and immersion; work

ethic and professionalism; understanding of workplace culture, policy and safety; teamwork and collaboration; technical skills; knowing how to learn

Qualities and Strengths Learning strategies, collaboration, communication, and

problem-solving skills Higher order thinking skills of analysis, synthesis and

evaluation, and thinking critically, coherently, and creatively Intellectual foundation grounded by motivation, intellectual

curiosity, flexibility, discipline, self-advocacy, responsibility, and reasoned beliefs

PARCC Massachusetts: Definition of College & Career Readiness

Summary of Statewide Definition

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Questions & Discussion