Smarter Balanced

Assessment Results
September 17, 2015

Smarter Balanced: New Tests, New Baseline

Smarter Balanced is a harder, more rigorous
assessment than any prior state test.
With a greater emphasis on deeper learning, we
have raised the bar and are testing new skills,
based on what students will need to know and be
able to do to be successful in their futures.
We expected fewer students will clear this higher
bar than have in the past. That doesnt mean
students know less or are doing worse than in
previous years.
Last springs test establishes a new
baseline to measure student growth
going
moving forward.
2

Statewide English Language Arts

Projected vs Actual Proficiency
Statewide Overall Proficiency: 51.9%

100%
90%
80%
70%
60%

54%

50%

48%

50%
40%

55%

54%

38%

41%

44%

41%

38%

52%

49%
41%

41%

30%

20%
10%
0%
Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Projected

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 11

Actual DE

Note: Projected is based on the national field test conducted in Spring 2014. Actual DE are the results from
Delaware students on the 2015 Smarter assessment.
3

Statewide Mathematics
Projected vs Actual Proficiency
Statewide Overall Proficiency: 38.8%

100%

90%
80%
70%
60%

53%
47%

50%
40%

39%

38%

37%

33%34%

33%

37%

33%

32%

35%

33%

30%

23%

20%
10%
0%
Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Projected

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 11

Actual DE

Note: Projected is based on the national field test conducted in Spring 2014. Actual DE are the results from
Delaware students on the 2015 Smarter assessment.
4

Trends Across Content & Grade

Across the state, elementary grades outperformed middle
and high school in ELA and Math

In ELA, while overall

proficiency remained
roughly even across
grades, significantly
more students in
elementary grades
achieved the highest
AL, 27% compared to
15% in middle school.

ELA ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS

AL 1

AL 2

AL 3

AL 4

GRADE 11

24

GRADE 8

24

27

35

14

GRADE 7

25

25

35

15

GRADE 6

23

28

32

16

GRADE 5

24

GRADE 4

25

GRADE 3

21

24

21
21
25

31

34

21

MS

22

25

29

25

29

ES

ELA: Similar Range of Scores Except in HS

Proficiency across grade bands has about a 40 percentage point
range across districts, in both ELA and Math
The exception is in HS ELA, where there is a significantly wider
score variance in proficiency in high schools than in elementary
schools and middle schools with two outlying districts at both
ends of the spectrum.

Less Variance in HS Math

On Smarter, the cluster spread remains consistent across grade
bands, but the performance trends downward.

Claim Areas: Data on Skills and

Standards
When breaking down student performance on claims, we see a
slightly closer performance between ELA and Math
With proficiency, we see an approximately 15-point gap between ELA and math
On claims, we see that there is an approximately 10-point gap between ELA
and math when combining At/Near and Above

ELA Claims

Below

At/Near

Above

Reading

27.1%

46.2%

26.7%

Speaking & Listening

16.9%

64.7%

18.5%

Writing

26.3%

47.8%

25.9%

Research/Inquiry

17.5%

54.4%

28.1%

Math Claims

Below

At/Near

Above

Concepts & Procedures

41.7%

35.2%

23.0%

Problem Solving

29.3%

49.9%

20.8%

Communicating Reasoning

26.3%

53.3%

20.4%

ELA Achievement Levels, Disaggregated

2015 ELA ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS,
DISAGGREGATED, GRADES 3-8 & 11
Percent at AL 1

Percent at AL 3

62

SW D

36

Percent at AL 4

23

58

ELL

L OW - I N C O ME

Percent at AL 2

27

29

25

11

12

10

Math Achievement Levels,

Disaggregated
2015 MATH ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS,
DISAGGREGATED, GRADES 3-8 & 11
Percent at AL 1

Percent at AL 2

Percent at AL 4

70

SW D

20

58

ELL

L OW - I N C O ME

Percent at AL 3

43

27

33

12

17

10

ELA Achievement Levels, Disaggregated

2015 ELA ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS,
DISAGGREGATED, GRADES 3-8 & 11
Percent at AL 1

Percent at AL 2
21

MU L T I R A C I A L

W HITE

A ME R I C A N I N D I A N
HISPANIC

32
21

12

35

35

29

29
22

30

19
49

21

18

23

35

31

15

A F R I C A N A ME R I C A N

Percent at AL 4

24

26

H AW A I I A N / P A C I F I C I S L A N D E R
A S I A N A ME R I C A N

Percent at AL 3

26
36

30

10
24

28

12

11

Math Achievement Levels,

Disaggregated
2015 MATH ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS,
DISAGGREGATED, GRADES 3-8 & 11
Percent at AL 1

Percent at AL 2

MU L T I R A C I A L

24

H AW A I I A N / P A C I F I C I S L A N D E R

23

A S I A N A ME R I C A N
W HITE

10

HISPANIC

Percent at AL 4

34

26

38
18

28

46

23

32

33
38

22
49

29

27

16

17

24

21

A F R I C A N A ME R I C A N
A ME R I C A N I N D I A N

Percent at AL 3

16

23
34

18
20

12

Subgroups
Gaps in subgroups remain significant; we have
much work yet to do
Although gaps remain, the gaps in proficiency
between subgroups did not increase overall, and
are similar to gaps in previous years assessments

13

SMARTER PARTICIPATION

14

Statewide
Participation Rate

ELA

Math

Statewide

97.0%

95.9%

Grade 3

98.0%

97.2%

Grade 4

98.0%

97.0%

Grade 5

98.0%

97.0%

Grade 6

98.1%

97.0%

Grade 7

97.8%

96.8%

Grade 8

97.4%

95.8%

Grade 11

90.8%

89.5%

15

District Participation
District

ELA

Math

Appoquinimink School District

97.7%

96.5%

Brandywine School District

98.0%

96.6%

Caesar Rodney School District

98.4%

95.9%

Cape Henlopen School District

97.9%

96.0%

Capital School District

97.8%

95.4%

Christina School District

93.3%

91.6%

Colonial School District

97.0%

95.6%

Delmar School District

99.2%

98.3%

Indian River School District

97.8%

97.1%

Lake Forest School District

98.7%

97.5%

Laurel School District

98.5%

96.1%

Milford School District

97.7%

96.9%

16

District Participation
District

ELA

Math

New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District

94.6%

92.3%

POLYTECH School District

94.0%

92.3%

Red Clay Consolidated School District

95.6%

95.6%

Seaford School District

97.8%

96.1%

Smyrna School District

98.2%

98.3%

>99

>99

97.9%

98.0%

Sussex Technical School District

Woodbridge School District

17

Smarter Assessment in Delaware

STUDENT SURVEY

18

2015 Smarter Student Survey

An online student survey was established
in order to collect valuable student
feedback on Smarter assessments in
ELA/Lit and mathematics.
The survey consisted of 10 questions and
was designed for students at the
elementary, middle, and high school
levels.

19

Summary of Student Survey

Over 7,000 students participated in the
survey across grades, including about
63.9% in grades 3-5, 34.7% in grades 6-8,
and 1.4% in grade 11.
The survey results were summarized at
the state level by grade cluster.
Many students provided comments and
feedback based on their experiences.

20

Survey Questions: Technology

In this school year, how often have you used a computer or
internet to do school activities for learning?
Response

GR 3-5 %

GR 6-8 %

GR 11 %

Every day or almost every day

25.5

19.0

27.8

Once or twice a month

18.6

31.4

21.1

Once or twice a week

33.9

28.1

38.9

Rarely

22.0

21.5

12.2

I am comfortable to generate (type) my responses to

open-ended test questions.
Response

GR 3-5 %

GR 6-8 %

GR 11 %

Strongly agree

29.7

21.5

17.6

Agree

52.7

64.4

49.5

Disagree

11.7

10.8

23.1

Strongly disagree

6.0

3.2

9.9
21

Survey Questions: Effort

I have tried my best to do well on the Smarter mathematics test.

Response

GR 3-5 %

GR 6-8 %

GR 11 %

Strongly agree

71.1

66.2

13.3

Agree

25.1

29.6

38.9

Disagree

2.3

2.8

20.0

Strongly disagree

1.5

1.4

27.8

22

Survey Questions: Perception

I believe that I performed well on the Smarter
mathematics test.
Response

GR 3-5 %

GR 6-8 %

GR 11 %

Strongly agree

47.1

33.5

5.5

Agree

42.7

49.0

23.1

Disagree

7.8

13.6

33.0

Strongly disagree

2.4

3.9

38.5

I feel that my Mathematics class prepared me to do well

on the Smarter mathematics test.
Response

GR 3-5 %

GR 6-8 %

GR 11 %

Strongly agree

52.2

45.3

6.6

Agree

38.4

42.1

40.7

Disagree

6.7

8.9

28.6

Strongly disagree

2.7

3.7

24.2
23

Teaching and Learning

24

Possible Trends:
NAEP, Smarter and Other States
Delawares performance shows both
strengths and areas for growth compared
to other states
Smarter Balanced assessments are
nationally/internationally benchmarked,
and are expected to track closely with
NAEP scores
There are strong positive indications
looking at Smarter data in the context of
NAEP trends
25

Harvard CEPR Study: Delaware teachers and

principals have embraced the CCSS
Teacher Survey: To what extent would you say that the following individuals
have embraced the CCSS?

26

The majority of teachers have embraced

the CCSS standards
In Delaware, 60 percent of principals reported that math teachers have embraced the
standards, and 85 percent reported the same for ELA teachers. Zero have not embraced.

Principal Survey: To what extent have teachers of these subjects at your

school embraced the CCSS?

27

Bright Spots
There are many promising highlights as we focus on improvement for our
students:

There are a number of schools with a high percentage of low income

students and proficiency at or above state average, demonstrating student
success:
Examples include: Booker T. Washington, Towne Point, South Dover,
John M. Clayton, Lake Forest South and East

Schools participating in Common Ground for the Common Core show

promising improvements in Common Core State Standards practices

A number of schools with high low-income and minority populations that are
showing strong outcomes on equity measures such as educator
effectiveness, retention, and school climate, are also showing strengths on
student achievement, performing better than similar schools.
Examples include: Kuumba, North Georgetown Elementary, North
Dover Elementary
28

What are we doing for Mathematics?

Professional Learning for educators:
Learning Leader Network: Principal Support for Math
Teaching and Learning Cadre: 3-Part Math Series
Math-in-CTE: SREB/DOE partnership
Teacher Leadership and Resource Development:
Dream Team: Focus on Math for 2015-16

New Castle Elementary, New Castle, DE

Other Initiatives:
CCSS Site Visits to all districts
Foundations of College Math
Math and Science Partnership (MSP)
grants for 2016

Stubbs Elementary, Wilmington, DE

Innovation Grants for professional

learning Districts can focus on
Mathematics
29

What are we doing for ELA?

Professional Learning for educators:
Common Ground for the Common Core 3.0: Deepening
Literacy Practices Across the Content Areas
Learning Leader Network: Principal Support for Literacy
eLearning Courses: Focus on Writing/Focus on Reading
North Dover Elementary, Dover, DE

Teacher Leadership and Resource Development:

Reading/Writing Project and Resources: Unit Development and Rubrics

Other Initiatives:
Digital Library
Literacy Coalition/Diamond State
Reading Association Partnership
Literacy Cadre Steering Committee:
Writing Progressions
Seaford High School, Seaford, DE

Innovation Grants for professional

learning Districts can focus on ELA
30

How is the state responding to our low

numbers for students with disabilities?
grade

Special Education
Strategic Plan
Common Ground for
the Common Core
3.0: Targeted
Approaches to
Closing Achievement
Gaps

Data suggests that Standards

Based IEPs are having an
impact in the classroom.
Level of Standards
Alignment

Focus on
literacy

3rd

31

and for our English Language Learners?

Early literacy initiative for ELLs
New online ACCESS test this year
Interactive webinars on Common Core
for ELLs
New ELL Strategic Plan
Redirecting staff resources to better
assist ELL in the field

Common Ground
Strand Two: Targeted Approaches to Closing Achievement Gaps addresses
English Language Learners (ELL)
Dr. Margarita Calderson will work with DE Guiding Teams during a 3-part
series of professional learning and support that launches in September
32

SMARTER RESOURCES AND

COMMUNICATIONS

What Will Reports Look Like?

The Scale
Score is
the
students
score on
the test.
Scores can
be between
2000 and
3000, the
range
varies by
grade.

The
Achievement
Level shows if
the student met
the standard
(Level 3 and
above). This
also shows how
the student
score compares
to school,
district and
state

Here is
information
on student
strengths
and areas of
growth
within the
subject
34

Toolkit for Districts & Schools

Sample Score Reports

Educator Trainings
FAQ Documents
Templates for parents and
educators
Online tools:
www.BeALearningHero.org/DE
www.DelExcels.org and others
35

DelExcels.org

36

Great Kids

37

Be A Learning Hero

38