Update on the Kansas Writing Assessment

1. Update on the Kansas Writing Assessment Fall 2008 Matt Copeland Language Arts and Literacy Consultant Standards and Assessment Services Team Kansas State Dept. of Education 785-296-5060 mcopeland@ksde.org

2. Writing Fact Sheet

3. The Kansas Writing Assessment Required biennially at grades 5, 8, and HS Can be given on “off years” as a local option Requires four approximately 45-minute sessions Scored locally and at the state level using a 6-TRAIT analytic rubric NOT a part of AYP but IS a part of QPA

4. Writing and QPA For the 2006-2007 school year, writing performance was added to the QPA process as a requirement for all schools. Writing scores for 2007 were for informational purposes to help schools guide writing instruction for 2009 when writing scores will “count” toward accreditation.

5. QPA Writing Targets QPA writing goals have been established to tie student writing achievement to school accreditation. In early spring 2007, a committee of writing teachers and experts met to discuss establishing goals for student writing achievement. After looking at student performance on the Kansas Writing Assessment over the past several years, the following targets were created. Unlike AYP, the QPA Writing Targets will not increase over time. They will remain constant.In early spring 2007, a committee of writing teachers and experts met to discuss establishing goals for student writing achievement. After looking at student performance on the Kansas Writing Assessment over the past several years, the following targets were created. Unlike AYP, the QPA Writing Targets will not increase over time. They will remain constant.

6. “Meeting or Exceeding Standard?” In Summer 2009, the Kansas Writing Assessment will follow a similar standard setting procedure as the other content-area assessments to set new cut points for the five performance levels. In previous years, the following cut points* have been used based upon a student’s composite score*… * Note: These cut points and the composite score formula may change for 2009 and beyond.

7. Composite Score Formula* Remember that in addition to individual trait scores, a student’s scores are also plugged into a weighted formula to calculate a COMPOSITE score which “boils down” a student’s performance to a single number (also between 1 and 5). In this formula… Ideas and Content and Organization are weighted times 3 Voice and Word Choice are weighted times 2 Fluency and Conventions are weighted times 1 The sum, then, of those six numbers is divided by 12 to produce the composite scoreRemember that in addition to individual trait scores, a student’s scores are also plugged into a weighted formula to calculate a COMPOSITE score which “boils down” a student’s performance to a single number (also between 1 and 5). In this formula… Ideas and Content and Organization are weighted times 3 Voice and Word Choice are weighted times 2 Fluency and Conventions are weighted times 1 The sum, then, of those six numbers is divided by 12 to produce the composite score

8. Student Performance Levels Determined by a student’s composite score: A student’s performance level, then, is determined by his or her COMPOSITE SCORE. So, in order for a student to be “meeting or exceeding the standard” in writing, a student must have at least a 3.00 COMPOSITE SCORE on the Kansas Writing Assessment.A student’s performance level, then, is determined by his or her COMPOSITE SCORE. So, in order for a student to be “meeting or exceeding the standard” in writing, a student must have at least a 3.00 COMPOSITE SCORE on the Kansas Writing Assessment.

9. Changes to the 2008-2009 Kansas Writing Assessment

10. What HAS NOT Changed for 2008-2009 Kansas Writing Assessment process-based writing over four 45-minute testing sessions grade levels assessed: 5th, 8th, and high school grade-level mode assignments: 5th grade—narrative 8th grade—expository high school—persuasive 6-TRAIT analytic scoring

11. Changes for 2008-2009 Kansas Writing Assessment all new student prompt format new subject matter for students to write about updated scoring rubrics with descriptors for the “2” and “4” ratings a return to both local and state scoring a suggested procedure for local scoring

12. Assigned Writing Forms Fifth grade students – personal narrative in nature. Eighth grade students – expository essays that explain an idea or concept. High school students – persuasive essays (as opposed to persuasive letters). At all three grade levels, students will be asked to compose an ESSAY rather than other genres/forms. At the fifth grade level, the terms “essay” and “personal narrative” are NOT used; however, that is the general nature of what the prompt asks for.At all three grade levels, students will be asked to compose an ESSAY rather than other genres/forms. At the fifth grade level, the terms “essay” and “personal narrative” are NOT used; however, that is the general nature of what the prompt asks for.

13. Prompt Choice Fifth grade students – choice of 3 prompts. Eighth grade students – choice of 4 prompts. High school students – choice of 5 prompts. The only change here from previous years is at the high school level—moves from 4 prompts to 5 prompts.The only change here from previous years is at the high school level—moves from 4 prompts to 5 prompts.

14. Prompt Format

15. Instructional Example Prompts For each assessed grade level, 8-12 example prompts are provided, each with a “teaching tip” to spark ideas on how these prompts might be used in classroom instruction and/or for formative purposes. KSDE Writing Homepage: www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726

16. Updated Rubrics Changes to format: descriptors organized under four criteria within each trait landscape orientation “checkbox” bullets

17. Updated Rubrics Each of the six traits is divided into four criteria. Each criterion is then followed by a short list of descriptors at each scoring level. The criteria are the four bold faced words/phrases you see listed under each point level. So, for example, the rubric focuses on four of the elements of Organization—“Structure,” “Pacing and Sequencing,” “Introduction and Conclusion,” and “Transitions.” That is NOT to say that these are these are the only four elements of organization, but that these four ideas are among the elements of organization. Those four criteria are then described with descriptors at each of the five point levels of our rubric. These descriptors describe the characteristics of a piece of student writing that would exemplify that particular scoring level.Each of the six traits is divided into four criteria. Each criterion is then followed by a short list of descriptors at each scoring level. The criteria are the four bold faced words/phrases you see listed under each point level. So, for example, the rubric focuses on four of the elements of Organization—“Structure,” “Pacing and Sequencing,” “Introduction and Conclusion,” and “Transitions.” That is NOT to say that these are these are the only four elements of organization, but that these four ideas are among the elements of organization. Those four criteria are then described with descriptors at each of the five point levels of our rubric. These descriptors describe the characteristics of a piece of student writing that would exemplify that particular scoring level.

18. Suggested Scoring Procedures Includes: General suggested procedures for local scoring Suggested procedures for scoring each individual essay

19. General suggested procedures for local scoring: Calibrating scorers to the rubric before each session Two readers are preferable to only one Scorers should be encouraged to discuss their ratings with other scorers Periodically, scorers should physically mark a copy of the rubric as they score to personally verify their ratings

20. Suggested procedures for scoring each essay: Determine which set of descriptors best describe the essay for each of four criteria within a given trait Then, scorers should use the four criteria levels they identified to inform the rating of the overall trait

21. Scoring an Individual Essay

22. KSDE Training Manual for 6-TRAIT Scoring Updated Training Manual (and accompanying PowerPoint) is now available on the KSDE Writing Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726> Includes pre-scored samples essays written by Kansas students that can be used for training/calibration purposes.

23. Practice Scoring

24. Other Available Resources Glossary of Writing Terminology provides clarification on commonly confused and/or misunderstood terms in reference to their use on the Kansas Writing Assessment might be appropriate for both students and educators available on the KSDE Writing Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>

25. Other Available Resources Rubrics for Incorporating Research and Citing Sources Grades 3-7 Grades 8-12 Although not a part of the Kansas Writing Assessment, these rubrics are formatted like those for the assessment and help educators communicate our expectations for academic writing and avoiding plagiarism. Available on the KSDE Writing Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>

26. Other Available Resources illustrative lists of the various types and genres of writing that might fit into each mode (narrative, technical, expository, persuasive) helps communicate that most writing often blends several modes or moves back and forth among modes available on the KSDE Writing Homepage: <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726>

27. Other Available Resources Kansas Modified Writing Assessment simplified language in instructions and prompts reduced number of prompts writing scored using modified 6-trait rubrics (available at <www.kansped.org>) only 3% of a district’s students may be classified as “Meets Standard” or above using the modified or the alternate assessment questions?... contact: Joan Houghton – jhoughton@ksde.org

28. Other Available Resources Kansas Alternate Assessment portfolio of student’s performance of skills and content on five selected indicators administered to identified students (IEP) in grades 5, 8, and once in high school only 1% of a district’s students may be classified as “Meets Standard” or above using an alternate assessment questions?… contact: Deb Matthews – dmatthews@ksde.org

29. KSDE Assessment Contacts Scott Smith, Assistant Director for Assessments (785) 296-4358 sesmith@ksde.org Cherie Randall, Assessment Coordinator (785) 296-3996 crandall@ksde.org David Bowman, Assessment Consultant (785) 296-4349 dbowman@ksde.org

30. Communication from KSDE about Writing KSDE Writing Homepage—Standards, Assessment, and Resources <www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1726> KSDE Writing ListServ (email me to be added to this list) Contact me directly Phone (785) 296-5060 Email mcopeland@ksde.org