Science Assessment Events Fall 2016 (WA Only)

Hi all,

Wanted to pass on opportunities to participate in development of the Washington State Science Assessment system. The text below is copied directly from a communication sent by OSPI.

Upcoming Science Assessment Development Events The Science Assessment team is planning our next round of assessment development meetings. We are developing assessments aligned to the Washington State 2013 K-12 Science Learning Standards (Next Generation Science Standards). This is your invitation to APPLY for item cluster development committees, test design planning meetings, and/or content review committees. Separate meetings will be held for grades 5, 8, and high school. Educators are encouraged to apply for the committees at multiple grades based on content expertise. For example, a middle school teacher with content expertise in earth science is encouraged to apply for grades 5, 8, and/or high school committees. Item Cluster Development (Olympia): Teams of 2-3 committee members each write approximately 10 items associated with a common stimulus. The teams also develop rubrics designed to measure student understanding of the science standards. Item clusters will be developed for all four domains (Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences, and Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science). Each 5-day workshop will consist of 10-12 committee members. High School                  October 10-14, 2016 Grade 8                        October 17-21, 2016 Grade 5                        October 17-21, 2016 Science Assessment Planning Meeting (SeaTac): Educators at each grade level review new science standards and advise OSPI assessment staff on design principles for new science assessments in grades 5, 8, and high school for the Washington State 2013 K-12 Science Learning Standards (NGSS). Fifteen applicants will be chosen for each 1-day committee. High School                  November 7, 2016 Grade 8                        November 8, 2016 Grade 5                        November 9, 2016 Content Review (Olympia): Committee members will review stimuli, items, and rubrics developed during the Item Cluster Development Workshops in October. Participants will assure every stimulus, item, and rubric is scientifically accurate and gathers evidence about student mastery of the standards. Five applicants will be chosen for each 5-day committee. High School                  December 5-9, 2016 Grade 8                        December 12-16, 2016 Grade 5                        December 12-16, 2016 Committee members will be chosen to provide a well-balanced group in terms of previous science assessment experience, content and grade-level expertise, and state demographics. If you would like to apply for any (or all) of these events please complete the application survey by 5pm Friday, September 16, 2016. Survey Application link: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2510696/e15c60f6978f  If you previously completed our survey application in 2016 and would like to use that application (no needed changes) please email Jessica.Cole@k12.wa.us to have your previous application pulled from our database. Please state in your email which event(s) you are currently applying for. Please forward this invitation to your colleagues. Logistics The committees will begin with breakfast each morning at 7:30 a.m. and will run from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily. Committee members are expected to attend the entire event. For their participation, committee members will receive: Breakfast and lunch Free clock hours Personal travel reimbursement (mileage, dinner, parking, etc.), provided state guidelines and regulations are met Lodging for those living more than 50 miles from the meeting location Flights for those traveling over 150 miles from the meeting location Substitute Reimbursement if applicable during the school year The Item Cluster Development and Content Review committees will be held in Olympia, WA. The Science Assessment Planning meeting will be held at SeaTac, WA. Accommodations for persons with disabilities can be arranged with advance notice by contacting Jessica Cole at 360-725-6298/TTY: 360-664-3631 or by email at Jessica.cole@k12.wa.us as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event. The ADA does not require OSPI to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

WA-AIM Alignment Study and Science Development Activities This year the Washington Access to Instruction & Measurement (WA-AIM) Alternate Assessment will have a number of activities which require both special and general educator participation. WA-AIM Alignment Study: Five teams of 4-5 members will review the current English language arts, math, and science WA-AIM for alignment. Specifically, members will look at the alignment among the Performance Tasks and related components, Access Points, Essential Elements/Performance Expectations and the Washington K-12 Learning Standards. Anticipated Date: Early November Anticipated Duration: 2 days WA-AIM Science Development-Performance Expectation Selection: Three teams of 8-10 members will select the Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations and focused SEPs and CCCs for use in the new WA-AIM Science.  Anticipated Date: Early October Anticipated Duration: 3 days WA-AIM Science Development-Access Point Frameworks: Three teams of 8-10 members will focus on developing the Science Access Point Frameworks and drafting the Access Points, Requirements and Restriction for the Performance Expectations selected. Anticipated Date: Late October Anticipated Duration: 3 days WA-AIM Science Development-Performance Tasks: Three teams of 8-10 members will focus on development of the Performance Tasks and item/question examples. Anticipated Date: End January/beginning February Anticipated Duration: 4 days WA-AIM Science Content and Sensitivity/Bias Review: Three teams of 8-10 member will review the complete WA-AIM Science Assessment for content, sensitivity, and bias. Anticipated Date: Mid to Late Spring Anticipated Duration: TBD Committee members will be chosen to provide a well-balanced group in terms of previous WA-AIM assessment experience, content and grade-level expertise, and state demographics. If you would like to apply for any or all of these WA-AIM events please complete the application survey by 5pm Friday, September 16, 2016 for priority selection. http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/2992791/WA-AIM-Alternate-Assessment-Teacher-Participation-Opportunities-for-2016-2017 Logistics Breakfast and lunch will be provided Free clock hours will be provided Personal travel reimbursement (mileage, dinner, parking, etc.), provided state guidelines and regulations are met Lodging for those living more than 50 miles from the meeting location will be provided Flights for those traveling over 150 miles from the meeting location will be provided Substitute Reimbursement offered as appropriate during the school year   The WA-AIM alignment and development meetings will be held in SeaTac, WA. Please direct all questions in regards to WA-AIM to Toni Wheeler at Toni.Wheeler@k12.wa.us