Parents in the district came to Washington last night to attend a Parent PARCC information night. The turnout was a success. Dr. Lori Lopez presented on the PARCC assessment and gave parents an opportunity to ask questions and navigate some sample tests to experience what their children will be experiencing in a couple of weeks. Here is some information about the PARCC assessments.
The Performance-based assessments require students to: read one or more texts, answer several short comprehension and vocabulary questions, and write an essay that requires them to draw evidence from the text(s). Performance-based assessments are divided into three tasks: a Literary Analysis Task, a Narrative Task, and a Research Simulation Task.
The Literary Analysis Task plays an important role in honing students’ ability to read complex text closely, a skill that research reveals as the most significant factor differentiating college-ready from non-college-ready readers. This task will ask students to carefully consider literature worthy of close study and compose an analytic essay.
The Narrative Task broadens the way in which students may use this type of writing. Narrative writing can be used to convey experiences or events, real or imaginary. In this task, students may be asked to write a story, detail a scientific process, write a historical account of important figures, or to describe an account of events, scenes or objects, for example.
For the Research Simulation Task, students will analyze an informational topic presented through several articles or multimedia presentations, the first text being an anchor text that introduces the topic. Students will engage with the texts by answering a series of questions and synthesizing information from multiple sources in order to write two analytic essays.
Performance-Based Math Assessments are made up of Type I, Type II and Type III assessments. Type I tasks include a balance of conceptual understanding, fluency, and application. These tasks can involve any or all mathematical practice standards. Type I tasks will be machine scorable and will include innovative, computer-based formats. Type I tasks will appear on the End of Year and Performance Based Assessment components and generate evidence for measuring major, additional, and supporting content with connections to the mathematical practices. Type II tasks call for written arguments/justifications, critique of reasoning, or precision in mathematical statements. These tasks can also involve other mathematical practice standards. Type II tasks may include a mix of innovative, machine scored and hand scored responses. Type II tasks will be included on the Performance Based Assessment component and generate evidence for measuring mathematical reasoning with connections to content. Type III tasks call for modeling/application in a real-world context or scenario and can also involve other mathematical practice standards. Type III tasks may include a mix of innovative, machine scored and hand scored responses. Type III tasks will be included on the Performance Based Assessment component and generate evidence for measuring mathematical modeling/application with connections to content.