SMARTER Assessment Blueprint Findings

Recently, SMARTER publicized their draft version assessment blueprint to be finalized before the 2014-2015 assessment roll-out.

The Blueprints define these elements of the assessment:

Content - standards, indicators, claims, that are to be included for each assessed content area and grade, across various levels of the system (student, classroom, school, district, state)

Emphasis and Balance of content, generally indicated as number if items or percentage points per standard and indicator

Item Types - sending a clear message to item developers how to measure each standard and indicator, and to eachers and students about learning expectations

Depth of Knowledge (DOK) - indicating the complexity of item types for each standard and indicator

Specific content for ELA/Literacy will likely include: 

·         32-40 computer adaptive items: selected and constructed
·         some technology enhanced
·         all automatically scored
·         literary and informational reading (emphasis on informational text 6-11)
·         some targeted standards in writing, speaking and listening, and research
·         1 performance task
·         writing and research assessment targets
·         scored for purpose/focus/organization, evidence/elaboration, and conventions
·         some scored automatically, some by hand

And for Math:

·         30-41 computer adaptive test items: selected and constructed
·         some technology enhanced
·         detail the item types and assessment targets per grade level, rather than per grade strand
·         all four claims: concepts and procedures, problem solving, communicating reasoning, modeling and data analysis (problem solving and modeling and data analysis will be combined)
·         one performance task: focus on problem-solving, communicating reasoning, modeling and data analysis

(Compass Learning Navigator - Lisa Kennedy)