Taking the Covers Off the Next Gen Assessments

The time has come. When it comes to the next generation assessments, we can finally stop talking about inferences and sample items and start analyzing real field tests. Both PARCC and Smarter Balanced have released their field tests in the last month or so and schools have started running selected classes through the process. In fact, if you’re feeling brave, you can take the PARCC test yourself using this link. The tests are available for English/Language Arts up to grade 11 and Math grades 3-8, as well as Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II.Don’t worry; there’s no score at the end. If you want to see what you scored, you need to compare your answers with a provided answer key.

Taking the Covers Off the Next Gen AssessmentsOne reporter’s experience

If you’re not comfortable with how much knowledge you’ve retained from 8th grade math or English, you’re in luck. Cory Turner from NPR took the test for you and reported on his impressions, many of which we’ve covered in this blog before but are still interesting to see “in the real world”. At the time of his article, only the English tests were available, so he took the 8th grade ELA test.

First off, as promised, the test is computerized. Gone are the days of Scantrons and bubbling answers. Items are presented in multiple mediums. In one example Mr. Turner gives, he had to read two passages and then watch a video. The task was to compare the three in an essay.

Rigor in every task

One of the passages was an actual scientific study about elephant cooperation. The other was a news article about that study. The video covered the study as it was taking place. This is a demonstration of the new level of rigor in the standards. An 8th grader would not be anywhere near a scientific study under most states’ old standards.

This is the kind of depth of knowledge called for by the Common Core. There are no more reading passages without application to the real world. In fact, a lot of literature is gone from curricula, and therefore the tests. The balance is about 70% nonfiction/informational texts to 30% literary passages.

Then, when you are done reading passages you might find in an actual job, you are asked to perform a task that you might be asked to perform in the working world. A boss asking for a comparison of this scientific material is a lot easier to visualize than a boss asking for an analysis of a poem is.

It’s important for parents to familiarize themselves with these tests. Not only to commiserate with your child when they finish the field test or the actual run next year, but also to know what your child is expected to do on a daily basis in their classes. It’s quite different from what you remember.

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