Developing Assessment Literacy in Michigan

1. Developing Assessment Literacy in Michigan Kathy Dewsbury-White Edward Roeber Michigan Assessment Consortium

2. Overview of this Session • What is “assessment literacy?” • Who needs to be “assessment literate?” • Why is it needed? • How are the Assessment Literacy Standards being developed? • What do the Standards look like? • What difference would the Standards make for Michigan education? • If this vision is desired, how can we push this vision forward?

3. What is “assessment literacy?” • An assessment literate individual is one who understands how student assessment can enable them to better carry out their role in education, believes that assessment can improve teaching and learning, and puts into place activities and behaviors to act on these beliefs

4. Who Needs to be “Assessment Literate? • Everyone with a stake in education needs to be assessment literate • This includes: • Students and their parents/guardians • Teachers • Building administrators • Specialists at the district and building levels • Central office administrators • Policymakers at the local, state, and national levels • Public

5. Why is Assessment Literacy Needed? • Assessment literacy is needed for several reasons: • Increased volume of student assessment • Changes in types of assessments • Higher assessment stakes for students and educators • Continued lack of pre-service preparation for educators • Lack of understanding about assessment by those who adopt policy and laws, and govern our schools

6. Why is Assessment Literacy Needed? • Research has shown that students who more involved in their own learning – and assessment – achieve more • Effective use of formative assessment – such as FAME in Michigan – requires teachers to understand how on-going instructionally-embedded assessment will help all student achieve at higher levels • Administrator involvement in school improvement activity is also related to higher student achievement – are they assessment-literate?

7. Michigan Assessment Consortium • The MAC is a non-profit organization designed to promote greater understanding about and use of assessment in Michigan. • The goal of the MAC is to help educators use assessment to improve teaching and learning.

8. Michigan Assessment Consortium • It has prepared a number of assessment-related resources • Videoconferences on various topics (which are archived) • Papers on various assessment topics • Common Assessment Development Module Series • Now working on arts education instructional and assessment resources • These can be accessed at: www.michiganassessmentconsortium.org

9. Standards Development • The MAC is now developing assessment literacy standards • These standards describe the dispositions, knowledge, and the skills needed by all parties regarding student assessment • The goal is to provide a common basis for work to help all become more assessment literate

10. Assessment Literacy Standards • These standards are being developed for: • Teachers • Building administrators • District administrators • Local and state policymakers • Students

11. Assessment Literacy Standards • The work started with input from the entire MAC Board • Then, the MAC Knowledge and Practices Committee created a first draft • A review of related literature and standards was conducted • The first draft was reviewed internally • Then, a critical friend reviewed the document • A second draft was produced

12. Assessment Literacy Standards • After internal review and revision, several external reviewers were asked to comment on the standards. These included: • Susan Brookhart • Carol Commodore • Margaret Heritage • Ken O’Connor • Jim Popham • Rick Stiggins • MASSP, MEMSPA and MASCD

13. Reviewers’ Reactions • Admired the MAC for undertaking such a comprehensive set of assessment standards, especially for policymakers and for students • Concern about whether there are too many standards • Several thought they should “roll up” from teachers to building administrators to district administrators, so as to reduce redundancy

14. Reviewers’ Reactions • The provision of disposition standards and performance standards was supported – assessment literacy was viewed as more that knowledge about assessment • There were a number of specific comments on individual standards

15. Assessment Literacy Standards • The MAC’s Knowledge and Practices Committee reviewed each set of standards, standard by standard and the reactions of each standard • The Standards have been thoroughly reviewed and revised • The Standards have been presented at several conferences in state and out of state • The Standards have been made available to teacher preparation institutions such as MSU

16. Assessment Literacy Standards • The MAC has developed an external review packet, containing the following: • Created a standard overview presentation in order to introduce the Standards more broadly • Created an online survey to use to gain broader field and organizational input and support for the Standards • Reached out to educational and other organizations to seek their reactions to and their support of activities to strengthen assessment literacy

17. Time to Process • Take a few minutes to look at the five sets of standards – for teachers, building administrators, district administrators, policymakers and students • Consider your reactions to each set

18. Time to Process • Now, think about two questions: • If educators had achieved these standards, what would be different in our students? • If this is a preferred future, what would need to be done to push this vision forward? • You may wish to turn and talk about this for a few minutes

19. Your Thoughts About the ALS • What is your vision for what these standards would do for today’s students if they were implemented? • What would need to be done to push this vision forward?

20. Your Suggestions • How do you see the assessment literacy standards being useful to you? • What types of assessment literacy-building activities do you feel would be useful? • What other ideas and suggestions do you have?

21. Assessment Literacy • In closing, the ultimate goal of this effort is to provide these resources in ways that address the current state of assessment illiteracy • The stakes are too high not to do so

22. For Further Information • Kathy Dewsbury-White (517) 927-7640 kdwhite@innovateandeducate.org • Edward Roeber (517) 614-4877 eroeber@wisc.edu