Overview of the SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia) and PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) Supplemental Application Grants: Support to States and Districts for Transition to Common Standards

• In Event: Symposium on Common Standards and Common Assessments: Implementation and Alignment Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

1. Objectives/Core Questions:
i. What are the major strategies being initiated to support successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and transition to the new common assessments, as well as fidelity of implementation to the reform goals?

2. Perspective/Theoretical Frameworks: The notion of systemic reform requires conceptually that all systems be coherent and aligned to achieve the desired system outcomes, including enhanced student achievement (Smith and O’Day). The research demonstrates that education reform will not succeed in a piecemeal fashion, nor sustain itself. Both SBAC and PARCC are launching intensive efforts to support their states and districts in transitioning to the Common Core State Standards through Supplemental Application Grants from the U.S. Department of Education.

3. Methods: The presenter will summarize the Supplemental Application Grants as an introduction to the critical commentary by representatives from each Consortium.

4. Data Sources: The Federal Supplemental Application Grants for both PARCC and SBAC, as well as newly released supports for state transition planning and development will be drawn upon (see the PARCC Supplemental Application Summary, 2011, and the SBAC Supplemental Application Summary, 2011, by the K-12 Center at ETS).

5. Point of View: The presenter will provide a short comparative overview of the main elements of both Supplemental Application Grants as well as the areas of coordination between SBAC and PARCC.

6. Significance: This session will be a timely and much-needed opportunity to inform the AERA community of the research and development challenges and advances emerging from the innovative work to implement the common standards and transition to aligned common assessments. Independent reviews of this “work in progress” by the Consortia will be provided by three prominent policy and research colleagues (Lewis, Minnich and Porter). This will be the first opportunity for sharing some preliminary findings with national, state and local education policymakers and assessment leaders.

Author

• Pascal D. Forgione, K-12 Center at ETS