Archive for 2017
Oregon HS Teacher: My Students Say Test Represents Their Learning
Oregon high school math teacher Allan Brunner, the state’s 2006 Teacher of the Year, was curious if Smarter Balanced represented what his students were learning in class. So he went right to the source: his students. What I didn’t know was how my students would react to the Smarter Balanced test. Would they see taking…
Read MoreREPORT: Teachers Call Smarter Balanced More Rigorous, Better Aligned
A new report released Monday shows that Smarter Balanced assessments, when compared to former state assessments, are more rigorous and better aligned with classroom instruction. These were the findings in a report “Still on the Right Trajectory,” released by the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY), in partnership with EducationCounsel and Clowder…
Read MoreRELEASE: Smarter Balanced Partners with UC Santa Cruz
April 27, 2017For Immediate Release UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Extension will serve as the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium’s new fiscal agent. The transition will begin immediately as we conclude our three-year stay at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. “The mission of UCSC Silicon Valley Extension includes supporting K-12 education through high-quality curriculum…
Read MoreSix Big Ideas for Getting “Smarter Balanced Ready”
In 2015, the first year Smarter Balanced tests were given in Washington state, staff from Vancouver Public Schools wanted to help parents better understand the new tests their students would be taking. During parent-teacher nights, the teachers gave online practice tests to parents. They found that not only did parents enjoy the experience, but they…
Read MoreTeacher Twitter Chat on Smarter Balanced Assessments
A group of teacher leaders in Washington state participated in an informative Sunday night Twitter chat about Smarter Balanced assessments. Using the hashtag #WATeachLead, the teachers, who are a part of the CORElaborate WA program, shared their thoughts on state testing and asked questions to the Smarter Balanced Twitter handle. The entire Twitter chat is also captured via Storify (it’s…
Read MoreExplore, Interact With Sample Test Items on New Website
Smarter Balanced has developed a new website that allows users to interact with test questions in a similar manner to that of a student taking a Smarter Balanced assessment. The new Sample Items website, organized by grade and subject, displays items and questions exactly as students encounter them on actual tests: fully interactive with a range of accessibility options. The new Sample Items…
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