New Assessment Tools on the PDE Web Site

MATHEMATICS

-Assessment Anchors for Grades 3-8 and 11. The Assessment Anchors are the same as the ones released in Spring 2004 except for a revision to some of the sample items. The Assessment Anchors for Grades 4, 6 and 7 appear in a slightly different format without sample items.

-Mathematics Assessment Handbook for Grades 3-8 and 11. This handbook includes information about test highlights and the test blueprints.

-Item and Scoring Sampler. The Item and Scoring Sampler includes released items and scoring guides/student work when available. These items are extremely useful for teacher professional development, as well as to provide students with sample practice items.

READING

-Assessment Anchors for Grades 3-8 and 11. The Assessment Anchors in Reading have changed slightly in terms of the reporting categories. Please use this new version of the Assessment Anchors rather than the Anchors released in Spring 2004. The Assessment Anchors for Grades 4, 6 and 7 appear in a slightly different format without sample items.

-Reading Assessment Handbook for Grades 3-8 and 11. This handbook includes information about test highlights and the test blueprints.

-Item and Scoring Sampler. The Item and Scoring Sampler includes released items and scoring guides/student work when available. These items are extremely useful for teacher professional development, as well as to provide students with sample practice items.

WRITING

-Writing Highlights. The Writing Highlights include the most important information about this year's Writing PSSA in Grades 5, 8 and 11. NOTE: Grade 11 operational Writing prompts will be scored on the five domains with the existing rubric as in recent years. The mode specific scoring guides will be used for the field test and in the Writing assessment beginning in 2006. See the Writing Highlights for more information.

Coming Soon! The Department of Education in Partnership with the Writing Project and the Professional Development Network will sponsor eight regional sessions to help literacy coaches and writing teachers in the field prepare for the PSSA. Keep in mind that this year, only the 11th Grade is an operational form. Grades 5 and 8 will only be a field test. This professional development will take place in December and will be voluntary and on a first-come, first-served basis. There is very limited space at these workshops. They are NOT designed for people who are already involved in the Writing Project initiative. Additional professional development may be provided by IUs. Districts may also directly contact the Writing Project nearest them for additional professional development.

OTHER

-Accommodations Guidelines for 2005. These guidelines are an updated version of last year's guidelines. Some important changes on the use of dictionaries (no longer allowed with the exception of bilingual/word-for-word dictionaries for ELLs) and some important notes on the use of highlighters. Please make sure all teachers review these guidelines.

-Adopt-an-Anchor Tools.  Some districts and IUs have had training on the Context Counts and Adopt-an-Anchor tools. We have posted the PowerPoint and the actual "tool kit" for the Adopt-an-Anchor activity. Additional training in these tools will be provided in December.