I want to present myself as a credible source. I feel that background information is important here.
Becky Reed
At board meetings, the board members have a paper copy of the presentation and the actual presentation is project to the 'audience'. The audience can be anywhere from 600 to 100 people. It depends on what is on the agenda. Honestly, I don't think the new social studies assessment is a critical 'hot button' at this time.
Presentation Definitions
History of Social Studies Assessment in Delaware
Current Assessment
Proposed New Assessment
Timeline
Questions
Becky Reed
Just an outline of what to expect.
Becky Reed
I want to offer the chance of board members to ask questions during the presentation. Many of our board members use the board meeting as a place to 'make a name for themselves', preferring to drop the 'question bomb' at the end of the presentation. I anticipate that this may happen. Questions about number of assessments, etc. will probably be asked. It will be my job to reiterate that the new system will actually be a reduction in the number of assessments students must take as this system combines both the student and teacher evaluations.
Definitions DSTP – DE State Testing Program (2000-2010) Grades 3, 5, 8, 11
DCAS – DE Comprehensive Assessment System (2011-2014) Grades 4, 7, 11
DeSSA – DE System of Student Assessments (2015- ) Grades 4, 7, 11
DoK – Depth of Knowledge (measure of assessment to standard alignment)
DPAS IIR – DE Performance Appraisal System II, Revised
DRC – DE Recommended Curriculum
LEA – Local Educational Agency
SSCD – Social Studies Coalition of Delaware
Becky Reed
Board members are familiar with many of these terms. Providing definitions is part of the format/template that has been included in board presentation for some time now.
Becky Reed
Current board members come from different backgrounds. There are three women and four men currently serving. The board president, a one year term, is a high school social studies teacher who resides in our district, but teaches in an adjacent district. The three other men represent 'blue collar' districts. All are white, except for one man who serves the city of Wilmington and is very vocal about equity.
Becky Reed
The three women are very interesting. Two hold doctorates. One in sociology and the other in education. The member with the education doctorate is a former employee of the district and may be a 'disgruntled' employee at that. She has a student with severe disabilities and teaches at the state college. Her husband also works at the state university and is currently seeking a state representative position on the Libertarian ticket.... interesting for sure!
Becky Reed
The other Dr. on the board is very, very vocal (and loud) about equity in the schools and I think she sees herself as the champion for ELL and minorities. She will probably have the most to say and the most questions.
Becky Reed
The last member, a white female, is a corporate lawyer by day. She is very focused on STEM right now and although is very cordial to me, I do not think she sees value in social studies.... even the law courses. Her children attended a very successful science oriented charter school. She does not seem to have empathy for/understanding of some students and schools located in high poverty areas.
History 1995 – State Social Studies Standards released
2000 – First State Social Studies Assessments (DSTP)
SSCD established
2003 – Social Studies assessment considered Safe Harbor
2008 – DRC appears online
2010 – Standards prioritized by grade
No longer Safe Harbor
2011 – First change in state assessment (DCAS)
DPAS II – Teacher accountability for Social Studies
2015 – Social Studies to be used in AYP calculation
Becky Reed
As you can see there is a long history of social studies standards. I have been employed in Delaware since 1997, right around the time when standards were getting attention. I have been afforded an opportunity to participate in the many projects, etc. around social studies EXCEPT for the writing of the standards which began in 1992. To say that I have a personal attachment to the work that has been done is an understatement. One of the goals of this presentation is to allow the board to see my compassion and dedication to the social studies.
Current Assessment (DeSSA) Students at grades 4 and 7 are assessed on multiple grade standards
Students in high school (typically 11th grade) take US History End-of-Course Assessment
Assessment is delivered online/computerized
Fixed form test, one administration
Items are selected response (multiple choice) and computer enhanced (drop & drag or grid location)
Different system for DPAS IIR accountability
Becky Reed
If I could take back anything that was done in social studies over the past 5 years, it would be the prioritizing of standards. A former state superintendent (now Maryland's superintendent) charged the SSCD with prioritizing the standards, which were written as end-of-grade-cluster benchmarks. She charged us with assigned a priority to each standard by grade. When we finished the work, she 'deemed' that the test would be given at the end of 4th and 7th grade. She said this was done to reduce the test burden for students in 5th and 8th grade. As we prioritized the standards, we focused on the DoK levels of the standards and did not conern ourselves with content. The result was that the standards are misaligned with the content that is traditional taught at each grade level. For example, an economics standard on macroeconomics focuses on the Federal Reserve, but the history course 'ends' with the Civil War. The Fed was not established until 1913. Teachers often 'skip' this standard as it does not fit with the time period. There has been discussion about moving some standards to other grades. We are due for a realignment/adaption of the standards. This may come into play.
Inherent Problems
Standard analysis is unavailable
Multiple choice items often measure low DoK
Not used for accountability
Additional tests for teacher accountability
Becky Reed
I want to focus on the problems here. I think that if I can make the problems clear to the board, they can then see that change is needed.
Becky Reed
Twice since 2000 the social studies assessment was used to help calculate AYP. For several years, the social studies and science test were used as 'safe harbor' meaning that the scores from those tests could be used as a substitute score for ELA or Math in calculating AYP. Then for two years a second calculation was used for AYP which gave social studies equal status in the calculation. Schools received a ESEA-AYP score, a Delaware score an the two were combined for an overall status. One principal told me that he his school was 'down graded' because although his ELA/Math score were very good, his social studies scores were not. This calculation was dropped after two years. It was something that teachers were not aware of.
Inherent Problems
Standard analysis is unavailable
Multiple choice items often measure low DoK
Not used for accountability
Additional tests for teacher accountability
New Assessment
Individual Grades 3-8 & 11Fall and Spring administration
Computer based Teacher created
Fixed form
Becky Reed
I read in a Tim Shanahan blog that the new buzz word was "balanced", so I thought I'd try it out here.
Becky Reed
This new assessment has many positive characteristics: - can be used to inform instruction as it is based on a growth model, it is computer based, but the short answer will be 'hand scored' by the testing company - meaning teachers do not have to score, teachers will create the items and they will be vetted by state groups (bias group, social studies content experts, benchmarked by teachers) and the form will be fixed rather than adaptive.
Becky Reed
The real key here is that there actually will be FEWER social studies administrations. Because the Spring administration can be seen as a summative test, the score from that can be used, in part, to calculate student grades. That may be a district decision, one that I would support.
Inherent Problems
Standard analysis is unavailable
Multiple choice items often measure low DoK
Not used for accountability
Additional tests for teacher accountability
Solutions
On-grade level assessment and analysis
Multiple Choice and Short Answer Response Questions
Will measure growth as required by US Department of Education
Eliminates separate assessments for teacher accountability
Becky Reed
I am using this slide to repeat that the current system is flawed and that the new system is well thought out to correct the problems of the current system.
Becky Reed
There may be questions about the balance of multiple choice to short answer questions. Because this system is based on the previous DSTP, I would think that the number of short answer questions may be around 5 to 6 questions. The goal is to make the assessments short, but statistically significant. The past DSTP was based on 68 points, 17 points per content area, with approximately 3 (or a total of 12) short answer questions per content area. The previous test measured 15 different benchmarks as it was an end-of-grade cluster measure. The new assessment can be relatively shorter because at the most only 10 benchmarks for grade 5 and 5 for grade 3. 4th and 5th grade have more benchmarks per grade because of the grade clusters. It has been my suggestion to change the grade configurations to K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
Organizational Structure
Delaware Department of Education
Social Studies Coalition of Delaware
LEAsDirect Relationship Indirect Relationship
Becky Reed
Most board members may not be familiar with the SSCD. They are aware of the Science Coalition, which has been supplying science instructional kits since 2000. Some teachers like them, some don't, some don't ever open them when they are delivered to the schools. The RCCSD pays over $250,000 a year for the use of the kits.... the SSCD dues are $2000 with reimbursment for substitute pay for teachers that attend professional development workshops. The SSCD also contracts with national and state presenters. It is a bargain for sure. The SSCD is running a surplus budget and it is not anticipated that the membership dues will increase. A REAL BARGAIN. So far this year we have sent 24 teachers for training with some notable presenters, leaders in their field. I'm prepared if the question of membership comes up!
TimelineTime Stage Activities, Supports, and Strategies
Year 1 Introduction • Disseminate the purpose, structure, and format of the new assessment• Form Accountability Framework Work Group at the state level• Survey all stakeholders about new AYP Report Card format• Identify teacher leaders for item writing teams• Identify current banked items for first field test• Select DRC units that are best suited for revision
Year 2 Identification • Field test the assessment• Identify items that can be bi-coded for CCSS• Teacher Leaders to create test items and field test items with students• SSCD to lead professional development to revise and align current instructional units• Add informational text selections to the current DRC units
Year 3 & beyond
Reflection • SSCD to provide on-going professional development on instructional units• Teacher leaders to contribute to the item assessment bank• Trained teachers to return to districts/charters to train other teachers• Analyze the new assessment to identify weaknesses and curriculum in need of improvement
Year 4 & beyond
Revision • Continually monitor for alignment, revisions, and additions to the curriculum• Provide professional development for teachers that have been identified as “needing
improvement”• Systematic replacement of assessment items based on validity data
Becky Reed
I feel that this timeline is suggestive in that data analysis at any stage may result in a need for adjustment in the current or subsequent stage. For example, if the ESEA guideline for accountability change, then the related activities and strategies may also need to change. The major goal of this entire process is to increase/improve student achievement as identified through this assessment system. Making educators accountable and invested in making changes is important. The assessment system is to be the 'change agent' and not a punitive system.
Becky Reed
I attended a public workshop about the new accountability system on November 5th. It was at this workshop that I learned about the Accountability Framework Work Group and the different formats for reporting AYP that are being considered. I had hoped to learn more about the role of social studies at this workshop, but the only reference was that all "academic contents' will be used to determine AYP that is reportable to the US DoE.
Conclusion
The Delaware State Social Studies Standards have stood the test of time and are currently not expected to be replaced. A new assessment will help counteract the flat test scores by meeting the following criteria:
Provide educators and students with much needed goal oriented data
Provide students and teachers with a comparative measure
Provide a method that can identify areas of need for the individual educator in terms of content and instructional strategies
Becky Reed
I want to deemphasize the VAM portion of this system. Teacher accountability is a real 'hot button' at this time. That being said, the teacher/educator accountability portion of an evaluation is more than test scores. Educators may also include additional measures that can be used to calculate effectiveness. For AYP other measures such as postive behavior support, attendance, graduation, promotion, SAT scores, AP scores, etc. are used to calculate school and district AYP.
Becky Reed
The marginalization of social studies and the emphasis on reading and mathematics has taken its toll. Social studies educators have been given a "pass" and flat scores indicate little to no growth over time. This gained importance and significance, at the very least, will spur conversation about social studies place in education.
