COMMONWEALTH ACCOUNTABILITY TESTING SYSTEM

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• COMMONWEALTH ACCOUNTABILITY TESTING SYSTEM

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WHAT IS CATS?

• NORM REFERENCED TEST (NRT) (Multiple Choice)
• STANDARDS BASED TEST Kentucky Core Content
  Test Includes
• Open Response
• Multiple Choice
• On-Demand Writing
• Portfolio
• Alternate Portfolio
• ACCOUNTABILITY

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HB 53 CATS GUIDELINES

• OPEN RESPONSE, MULTIPLE CHOICE ITEMS OR
  BOTH TO ASSESS SKILLS
• ASSESSMENT OF BASIC AND HIGHER ORDER
  THINKING SKILLS
• WRITING PORTFOLIOS
• INCLUDE KENTUCKY TEACHERS IN DESIGN OF
  ASSESSMENTS
• MINIMIZE TIME SPENT BY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
  ON ASSESSMENT
• ADDRESS CONCERNS OF KIRIS
• RESULTS REPORTED TO SCHOOLS NO LATER THAN
  SEPTEMBER 15

HB 53
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WHO CREATED CATS?

• CTB/MCGRAW-HILL TESTING COMPANY

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WHO CREATED CATS?

• OVER 300 TEACHERS INVOLVED Blueprint
  Construction, Content Advisory Committee,
  NRT/Core Content Comparison, and Bias Screening
• OVER 6200 EDUCATORS, PARENTS, CITIZENS SHARED
  INPUT

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WHO CREATED CATS?

• ADVISORY GROUPS EAARS - Education Assessment
  and Accountability Review Subcommittee
• NTAPAA - National Technical Advisory Panel on
  Assessment and Accountability
• OEA - Office of Education Accountability
• SCAAC - School Curriculum, Assessment and
  Accountability Council

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WHO CREATED CATS?

• KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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WHO CREATED CATS?

• STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

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RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY

• Six forms of test
• Multiple choice items will count
• More accurate picture of schools coverage and of
  each students knowledge of core content

• Ongoing validity and reliability studies monitor
  CATS
• Improved equating system assures technical
  quality for year to year comparison and
  accountability

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WHY HAVE NRT TESTS?

• Tests basic skills
• Counts in accountability formula
• Measures basic skills across the country
• Compares students nationally

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STANDARDS BASED TESTING

• Questions released to public each year
• Results received by September 15 for better
  utilization of results for instruction
• Includes pretest items to use on new test
  replacements

• Called Kentucky Core Content Test
• Contains multiple choice and open response type
  questions
• Six forms of test comparable in difficulty
  content

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WHAT ABOUT PORTFOLIOS?
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PORTFOLIO INFORMATION

• Fewer pieces
• Reduced scoring time
• Conferencing time more focused on 1-2
  instructional issues
• All pieces derived from Core Content for
  Assessment in Writing
• Due opening day of testing window

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GRADE 4 PORTFOLIOS

• 4 pieces includes Reflective (letter to
  reviewer) Personal Literary Transactive
• 1 piece from content area other than language
  arts

(4th Grade Apprentice)
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GRADE 7 PORTFOLIOS

• 5 Pieces
• A. Reflective (letter to reviewer)
• B. Personal
• C. Literary
• D. Transactive
• E. Choice of B-D
• 1 piece must be from content area other than
  language arts/English

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GRADE 12 PORTFOLIOS

• 5 Pieces
• A. Reflective (letter to reviewer)
• B. Personal C. Literary
• D. Transactive
• E. Choice of B-D
• 2 pieces must be from content area other than
  language arts/English

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ELEMENTARY TESTING
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MIDDLE SCHOOL TESTING
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HIGH SCHOOL TESTING
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KENTUCKY CORE CONTENT TESTS

• 8 MULTIPLE CHOICE AND 2 OPEN RESPONSE IN EACH
• ARTS HUMANITIES
• PRACTICAL LIVING
• VOCATIONAL STUDIES
• WRITING ON DEMAND - CHOICE OF TWO PROMPTS

• 24 MULTIPLE CHOICE AND 6 OPEN RESPONSE IN EACH
• READING
• MATH
• SCIENCE
• SOCIAL STUDIES

( MULTIPLE CHOICE ARE WEIGHTED 33 AND OPEN
RESPONSE ARE WEIGHTED 67)
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WHAT ABOUT PRETEST ITEMS?

• Found on all KY. Core Content Tests
• Used to test items with Kentucky students
• Mixed with regular test

• Doesnt count in CATS accountability
• Items can be used on later forms of KY. Core
  Content Test after testing with students

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WHAT ABOUT STUDENTS WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS?

• ALL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE INCLUDED IN
  CATS.
• THOSE WITH MILD DISABILITIES TAKE ASSESSMENTS-USE
  ACCOMMODATIONS FROM THEIR IEP.

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WHAT ABOUT THOSE WITH MODERATE TO SEVERE NEEDS?

• FIRST - MAY BE DETERMINED TO BE EXEMPT FROM
  STANDARD ASSESSMENTS.
• NEXT - DETERMINE TO PRODUCE AN ALTERNATE
  PORTFOLIO (COLLECTION OF STUDENT WORK)

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WHY GIVE STATE TESTS?

• GIVES A MEASUREMENT OF STUDENTS PERFORMANCE
• TELLS WHERE STUDENTS NEED HELP
• USE TO MAKE DECISIONS IN CLASSROOMS ABOUT
  LEARNING
• INDICATES HOW SCHOOLS ARE PERFORMING

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KENTUCKYS GOAL
CATS
PARENTS
SUCCESS
TEACHERS
SCHOOLS
STUDENTS
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WHY ARE THESE TESTS SO IMPORTANT?

• PROVIDES A PICTURE OF LEVEL OF LEARNING
• DIRECTS LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS
• IDENTIFIES WEAKNESSES AND NEEDS
• RESULTS IN IMPROVED INSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE

SUCCESS IN TODAYS WORLD REQUIRES STUDENTS TO
KNOW MORE
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HELPFUL HINTS FOR SUCCESS

• INCLUDE MULTIPLE CHOICE OPEN RESPONSE IN
  ROUTINE ASSESSMENTS
• KNOW THE CORE CONTENT AND ALIGN INSTRUCTION TO IT

• FOLLOW THE PROGRAM OF
  STUDIES

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OPEN RESPONSE INFO

• Require students to combine content knowledge
  and application of process skills in
  communicating answers
• Open response are appropriate for all students

• CONTENT
• HIGHER ORDER THINKING

PROGRAM OF STUDIES DISK INFORMATION
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OPEN RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Stress communication (explain expand)
• Give time to think respond
• Help to anticipate scoring of a question
• Use practical contexts (realize relevancy of what
  they are learning)
• PROGRAM OF STUDIES DISK INFORMATION

• Encourage self-evaluation (look for evidence of
  quality refinement of skills)
• Provide successful experiences with higher level
  thinking
• Evaluate frequently (helps progress by
  determining quality of own work)

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READ question quickly, then reread for specifics
Read EVERYTHING before answering question
EDIT and revise your answer
SUPPORT answers with facts, figures, statements,
problem-solving steps
R E S P O N S E STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS
Highlight SPECIFIC key words ideas
Make NOTES of key words ideas to use
Answer each PART-look for signals, number each
part
ORGANIZE your thoughts
PROGRAM OF STUDIES DISK INFORMATION-see it for
more details
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OPEN RESPONSE ANSWERING STRATEGIES

• UNDERLINE THE QUESTION
• NUMBER PARTS
• CIRCLE KEY
  VERBS
• FOCUS ON QUALITY, NOT QUANTITY

• LOOK FOR CORE CONTENT CLUES
• BE CONCISE

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OPEN RESPONSE FORMAT

• STUDENTS ANSWERS ARE LIMITED TO ONE PAGE FOR
  EACH OPEN RESPONSE QUESTION (EXCEPT IN WRITING)

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THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT OPEN RESPONSE

• SCORED FOR SUBSTANCE-NOT WRITING STYLE
• NO CREDIT FOR INCORRECT RESPONSE
• RESTATE QUESTION ONLY IF HELPS KEEP FOCUS
• ASSESSES CONTENT, NOT WRITING
• NEED TO MANAGE TEST-TAKING TIME

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CHECKLIST FOR OPEN RESPONSE

• ANSWERED ALL ELEMENTS
• ANSWERED CONTENT OF PROMPT
• ORGANIZED ANSWER
• GAVE SUPPORT FOR ANSWER
• (EVIDENCE EXAMPLES)
• NOTE NOTHING CAN BE ON A STUDENTS DESK DURING
  TESTING
• EXCEPT THE MATERIALS WHICH CAME WITH THE TEST, A
  PENCIL/PEN,
• AND BLANK SCRATCH PAPER.

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PROGRAM OF STUDIES CD ROM DISK

• AVAILABLE FOR ALL FROM KDE-5
• INCLUDES VITAL INFO FOR ALL
• CONTAINS OPEN RESPONSE INFO
• INCLUDES CORE CONTENT WEBLINKS

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WANT MORE INFORMATION?

• Kentucky Department of Education Website
• www.kde.state.ky.us

• Department of Education Information Line
  (800-KDE-5372)
• Department of Education
• (502-564-3421)