Coming Together to Raise Achievement: New Assessments for the Common Core State Standards
Abstract
"We are closing in on the target date of spring 2015 when the Consortia of states will be bringing online next generation assessment systems for K-12 education. This represents a dynamic moment in the history of large-scale K-12 assessment with six state-led and state-governed assessment development efforts under way. The policy goal in these efforts is to respond to the demands for more comprehensive, high-quality, useful and timely assessment systems. This body of work has the potential to bring significant improvements to the field of K-12 assessment, especially state testing programs. It is important that educators, parents and policymakers at all levels have up-to-date information so they can chart the path forward for their schools and school systems.The Center for K-12 Assessment & Performance Management at ETS (the K-12 Center) has created this spring 2013 edition of Coming Together to Raise Achievement to build understanding of this unprecedented set of activities in K-12 assessment. In it, we:
- Describe the larger context of these reform initiatives and consider their potential for creating real and lasting improvements in student achievement;
- Describe each of the six federally funded assessment Consortia now developing next generation assessment systems and the types of supports they will be providing to educators, parents and students in their member states;
- Describe the work under way to ensure that schools will be ready to administer the new online assessments in 2014-2015;
- Consider what it will take to ensure these improvements make their way into our nation’s classrooms. "