ACT WorkKeys Training for Illinois (NCLB) Assessments: The Chicago Model

1. ACT WorkKeys Training for Illinois (NCLB) Assessments:The Chicago Model Loretta Begley Chicago Public Schools Office of High School Programs lmbegley@cps.k12.il.us

2. College EconomicDevelopment ACT Exam Post Secondary Study NCLB ACT WorkKeys Workforce CareerReadiness PSAE / ACT HISTORY • NCLB and AYP • Implications for the Employment Community

4. WorkKeys Recap Illinois PSAE Exam = 20% Total • 50% Reading for Information • 50% Applied Mathematics An ACT study found an 80% correlation between the ACT test and WorkKeys assessments • indicating that an intervention causing an increase in WorkKeys scores would cause a subsequent increase in the ACT score • Increasing a WorkKeys Reading score From Level 4 to Level 5 would cause: • An increase of 4-8 composite score points due to the WorkKeys portion on the PSAE . • An improved ACT score resulting in possible increase of 5-8 points on the PSAE. • A total PSAE Reading score increase of 9-16 points. Must Achieve Level 5 to have a chance of achieving AYP

6. Resources For WorkKeys Training ACT Approved Products: • Targets for Instruction • Practice Test …One released Version • KeyTrain and WIN software Texts and Test-Prep Services • McGraw-Hill • Cambridge, Kaplan, Princeton Review

7. What is Key-Train? Key Train is a comprehensive training curriculum that is designed specifically for the Work Keys assessments. Each module includes pre and post test; time-in-lessons; date stamp, and a variety of reporting features. Modules include: • Reading for Information (included on PSAE) • Applied Mathematics (included on PSAE) • Locating Information • Writing • Applied Technology • Teamwork • Listening & Observation • Basic Skills (Level 2) • Career Skills

8. Utilizing Key-Train How much time does it take for a student to move up one level? Estimated time of completion is 6-12 hours of work in one subject area to complete one level. Time alone is not an indicator of success. Teacher Identification of Learning Gaps (reports) accompanied by good instructional practices is critical.

9. Instructional Planning • Don’t “teach the test”; teach the skills needed for success on the test. (Use EPAS strand analysis / WorkKeys Practice Exam / KeyTrain software to identify those skills) • Begin at the End. What do you want the final “product” to look like. (Skill Level 5) • Use Data Analysis resources to identify instructional strengths and weaknesses. • Learning Gaps-include skill and level to address. (How do you determine correct skill level? How do you assure rigor? And how do you identify progress toward the next level? • How and where will WorkKeys skills beincorporated within the curriculum?

10. KeyTrain, ACT on Line, bellringers what else are they going to make me do? Teachers and School ProfessionalsConcerns When do I teach my subject? My students get good grades. They just don't perform well on big tests. Reading is not in my curriculum. How many different initiatives am I expected to incorporate?

11. Why do I have to take these stupid tests? Students ACT is the only important part of the PSAE. A diploma is all that is really needed to get a good job. The Workkeys Exam is Easy

12. Instructional Practice • Appropriate use of Instructional Software. • Make sure students are using calculator and formula sheet (AM). • Make it “count” – incorporate in instructional practice. • Monitor student usage and reports. Look for serious effort. • Provide extended instruction and reinforcement. • Set goals and provide incentives for successful movement to the next level. • Elicit parental support by providing individual reports.

13. N-CREL Recommendations For Technology Integration

14. Curriculum-Specific Applications • If technology is to be used to produce improvements in student achievement, teachers must see a direct link between the technology and the curriculum for which they are responsible (Byrom, 1998). • Professional development for technology use should demonstrate projects in specific curriculum areas and help teachers integrate technology into the content. In particular, professional development activities should enhance teachers' curriculum, learning, and assessment competencies and skills as well as classroom and instructional management competencies and skills. • Specific content can help teachers analyze, synthesize, and structure ideas into projects that they can use in their classrooms (Center for Applied Special Technology, 1996).

15. Infuse it into the curriculum • A good professional development program is job embedded and tied to learning goals: It provides activities in the context of practice. • The best integration training for teachers does not simply show them how to add technology to their what they are doing. "It helps them learn how to select digital content based on the needs and learning styles of their students, and infuse it into the curriculum rather than making it an end in itself," notes Fatemi (1999). • "Using technology effectively also requires having a wide repertoire of teaching approaches."

16. New Roles for Teachers • Technology encourages teachers to take on new and expanded roles, both inside and outside of the classroom. Within the classroom, technology supports student-centered instruction. • The teacher assumes the role of coach or facilitator while students work collaboratively (Jones, Valdez, Nowakowski, & Rasmussen, 1995; Kupperstein, Gentile, & Zwier, 1999). Outside of the classroom, technology supports teacher collaboration. Instead of working in isolation, teachers can work together on school wide programs. They can help find solutions to problems, act as peer advisors to provide information and feedback, and collect data to test hypotheses (Lieberman, 1996; Little, 1982). Their new roles may involve distance collaboration with cross-school peer groups and study groups through telecommunications (Kosakowski, 1998). • Professional development for technology use provides opportunities for teachers to become comfortable and effective in these new roles.

17. Data and Analysis • REA Data and Analysis http://research.cps.k12.il.us • Reading, Math and Science • Plan, Explore, Plan, ACT • Strand Analysis • WorkKeys Practice Exam, Item Analysis • KeyTrain Reports • Usage and level Reports by grade • Export total school use in Excel • PDF – View and Print Repots, • Other Services / Strategies / Formative Assessments

18. Programs, Curriculum and Test Prep • Small Schools, Career Academics, ETC, Avid, Transformation Schools, IB, Excelerator, Gear Up • Test Prep – Facts and Myths

19. EPAS • Educational • Planning and • Assessment • System EXPLORE, PLAN, and ACT assessments in Reading, Math, English, and Science Reasoning All are published by ACT, Inc. EPAS assessments are all linked to: • Illinois Learning Standards • ACT College Readiness Standards (formerly Standards for Transition) • Pathways for Transition

23. ACT WorkKeys Reading Skills • Identifying the main idea or details, both obvious and implied • Understanding word and acronym meanings using context, ranging from explicit to implied definitions • Applying instructions by sequencing steps, knowing when to use conditions, and cause and effect. • Applying information to described and new situations • Analyzing and synthesizing information to identify rationale and principles and apply them to new situations

24. 5 Reading Strands • Generalizations and Conclusions • Main Ideas and Authors Approach • Meanings of Words • Sequential, Comparative and Cause-Effect Relationships • Supporting Details

25. ACT Strand Analysis Reading Meanings of Words Weakest Strand

26. ReadingExplore/Plan TrendsMeaning of Words

27. 7 Mathematics Strands • Basic Operations & Applications • Graphical Representations • Measurement • Numbers: Concepts & Properties • Properties of Plane Figures • Probability, Statistics, & Data Analysis • Expressions, Equations, & Inequalities

28. ACT WorkKeys Math Skills • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide positive and negative numbers • Calculate and convert to percentages • Convert from one unit of measurement to another • Understand and work with fractions. • Understand and work with ratios and proportions • Calculate time intervals and changes as well as production rates • Use formulas, including those involving perimeter, area, and volume • Solve assorted word problems

29. Three Areas of Weakness Stand Out

30. Mathematics Explore/Plan TrendsInconsistent Progress

32. Monitor Progress • Look at the data to drive instructional decisions. • Check administrative reports to see usage records. • Look for appropriate time on task—pretest and lessons. • Look for MOVEMENT to the next level --increased rigor • Start with incoming Freshman – junior year is too late. • Consider Team teaching or instructional support for specific content. • Identify needs for professional development.

33. KeyTrain Planning and Procedures

34. New Logons Logons and Passwords Students Username: ID# Students Password: ID# ****New******** Note: The new School Unit ID numbers are 6 digits Teachers Username: School ID#-00000Employee ID# Teachers Password: School ID#-Employee ID#

35. Lessons have been assigned for 3 topics, plus Beginning Skills.

36. District Default Settings

37. Junior’s Implementation Plan • What does your school data show? • The last week in September, your sophmore’s and junior’s took the WorkKeys paper practice tests. Use the item analysis to identify deficiencies. • Course Analysis w/objectives report • Topic and Quiz Detail report • What teachers, classes and students will be using KeyTrain? Think about what your teachers are doing now. • Think about how many labs you have available.

38. What programs are being used at your school? (ACT Prep, Kaplan, Cambridge, Princeton Review, etc.) Can you identify deficiencies from other resources? • How can your teachers rotate labs, to make the most of KeyTrain exposure. Incorporate KeyTrain (“WorkKeys” skills) as a component of classroom instruction. How are your teachers going to accomplish this? • We need 6-12 hours in each area to go up one level. We need Juniors to be at Level 5, by January. • You should be seeing movement to higher levels over time? (Course Analysis Report)

39. Implementation Plan

40. Class Planning • Which grade level of students are going to use KeyTrain? (Freshmen, Sophomore’s, Juniors) • Which classes will use KeyTrain? (ETC courses, Test Prep, English, Math, Science, Social Sciences). • Which content area will be addressed for each class? (English: Reading for Information / Math: Applied Math / Social Sciences or Science: Locating Information) • Have you considered innovated designs? Team teaching? • Which classes will need to be rotated to a lab?

41. Lab Rotation