Everything You Wanted to Know About NJ ASK

2009But Were Afraid to Ask!!!!

WHY?NCLB- “No Child Left Behind” –2002• Every state must have an assessment for

annual tests in reading/language arts and math in grades 3-8 in place by the 2005-06 school year.

• Assess every student in science by 2007- 08 at least once in each of these grade spans:

3-5, 6-9, 10-12.• Align state assessments with standards • Have all students attain a level of proficiency

by the 2013-2014 school year.

WHO?• All students enrolled in New Jersey

public schools must be tested.

• English Language Learner students and special education students are included.

WHAT? LANGUAGE ARTS ASSESSMENT• Writing- Explanatory-30 minutes

Speculative-30 minutes• 3 Reading Texts

Narrative Texts 30 minutes each Informational Texts with open-ended questions and multiple

choice questions

Each multiple choice question is worth 1 point and each open-ended question is worth up to 4 points.

WHAT?MATHEMATICS ASSESSMENT-

Approximately 114 minutes

• Multiple Choice - MC

• Short Constructed Response - SCR

• Extended Constructed Response - ECR

WHAT?

SCIENCE- NJ ASK 4

• 4 Parts- each part includes 43 multiple-choice items and 3 open-ended items

• Life Science- 40% of the test

• Physical Science- 30% of the test

• Earth Science- 30% of the test

WHAT’S NEW? More Language Arts Literacy (LAL) reading passages in

grades 3-5 Shorter reading passages and more diverse content Two LAL writing prompts in grades 3-5 Elimination of picture prompt: replaced with speculative

writing prompt Two days of math testing grades 3-5 New math item type: short constructed response Spanish versions of test at grades 3-5, all content areas Testing later in the school year

WHEN?GRADES 3 - 4

May 4 - 8, 2009

Day 1 - Mon. May 4 - Language Arts

Day 2 - Tues. May 5 - Language Arts

Day 3 - Wed. May 6 - Math

Day 4 - Thurs. May 7- Math

Day 5 - Fri. May 8 - Science Gr. 4

WHEN?GRADE 5

May 11 – May 14, 2009

Day 1 - Mon. May 11- Language Arts

Day 2 - Tues. May 12 - Language Arts

Day 3 - Wed. May 13 - Math

Day 4 - Thurs. May 14 - Math

How is the test data utilized?

By the federal government and state:• AYP-Adequate Yearly Progress

Adequate Yearly Progress

Each state must develop a timeline that effectively ensures that 100% of students are proficient in the state’s academic standards (reading and math) by 2013-2014.

12 years

2001-2002 2013-2014Academic Year Academic Year

(100%)

11

How is the test data utilized by the school and district?

• To compare data from similar districts• To analyze and compare data over the years to identify

areas of strengths and weaknesses

• To examine test scores to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses on a grade level and for individual students.

• To analyze data to direct instruction• To plan instruction based on student needs• To intervene for student improvement• To integrate test taking strategies across the curriculum

How to Interpret Test Scores

• ISR- Individual Student ReportsIdentifies areas of proficiency in LA, Math and Science (grade 4 only)

Advanced Proficient = 250 - 300Proficient = 200 - 249Partially Proficient = 100 - 199

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT REPORT

NJ Ask

Language Arts

SAMPLE LITERATURE OPEN-ENDED QUESTION

Throughout the passage, Charlie exhibited many different character traits. • Choose three adjectives which best describe Charlie in this story. • Explain how these character traits influenced Charlie’s behavior at the end of the story.

Use details from the text to support your opinion.

RESPONDING TO A LITERATURE OPEN-ENDED QUESTION

Students should follow a specific formula for their response:

Using R.A.C.E. the student should:

• Restate the question

• Answer all parts of the question

• Cite details and support from the text

• Extend to themselves, another text, or to the world

Speculative Writing

• The speculative writing prompt is a brief scenario with characters and a setting.

• The students must develop a story using the prompt which includes a problem, solution, and a lesson learned.

Sample Speculative Prompt

When the school bell rang, Katie and Pablo grabbed their books and raced out of the classroom. They had been looking forward to this afternoon all week long. Today they were going to go on an adventure.

Write a story about the adventure Katie and Pablo had after they left

school.

Explanatory Writing

• There are two formats for assessing explanatory/expository writing: one will introduce a topic in a brief verbal prompt and ask students to develop a composition about that topic.

Example:

Most people have a special activity or hobby that they enjoy. Some people collect things while others like to read or play games. What activity do you like to do?

Write a composition describing what you enjoy doing. Explain why that activity is special to you.

• The second format begins with a poem that introduces a topic. The students must then create a story related to that topic, based upon a series of questions.

• Questions include how the student relates to a similar experience, how they felt during the experience, and with whom they shared the experience.

• For each writing task, the students will have 30 minutes to plan and develop their story.

Explanatory Writing

• Create an opening “hook”• Create characters and dialogue• Frame a setting• Create a plot• State and explain the main problem• Solve the problem• Write the lesson learned• Do all tasks while using high level vocabulary,

descriptive adjectives and verbs, specific nouns, figurative language, varied sentence structure, and other advanced writing techniques

• All scores based on a 5 point rubric

In 30 Minutes…

NJ ASK- Math

Grades 3 - 5

Mathematical Processes

• Problem Solving: Apply problem solving strategies

• Communication: Use language to express mathematical understanding

• Reasoning: Justify answers

Multiple Choice Questions

• Students select an answer from the list of choices provided.

• Students should spend approximately 1- 2 minutes per question.

• Correct answers are worth 1 point.

Short Constructed Response Questions

• Students calculate the answer and record the answer on the line.

• No explanations are needed to support students answers.

• Students should spend

1 - 2 minutes per question.

Extended Constructed Response Questions

• Formerly known as open-ended questions.• These questions involve students answering

multiple questions centered around a problem. • Students then need to explain their

mathematical thinking and justify their process through written language.

• Students should spend about 10 minutes to answer each of these questions.

• A task-specific holistic scoring rubric is used in which students can earn up to 3 points.

Calculator Usage

• Calculators will be supplied by the school.

• Grades 3 - 5 use in all sections, except one: the short constructed response section.

Sample: Short Constructed Response

• Inez has a toy car collection. She has 55 red cars, 67 blue cars, and 123 orange cars. How many cars does she have in all?

(answer: 245)

Sample Problem: Extended Constructed Response

MATHEMATICS GRADE 4

5. You have to choose between two different job offers for the same four- day period. The first job pays $5.00 each day for the 4 days. The second job pays $1.00 for the first day, and each day after the first, you will be paid twice the amount you received the previous day

• Which job will pay you the greatest amount for the 4 days?

• Would your answer change if you were working for more than 4 days?

Show your work or explain your answer.

Sample 3 point answer:Job 1 = 4 x 5 = $20

Job 2 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 = $15( + 16 + 32 + 64)

Job 1 gives the most money for 4 days because $20 is more than $15. If you worked for 5 days, Job 2 would give more money because $15 + $16 = $31, but $20 + $5 = $25.

ScienceScience NJ ASK ~ Grade 4NJ ASK ~ Grade 4

Science is administered on the last day of the testing week.

Life Science - 40% of the test

Physical Science - 30% of the test

Earth Science - 30% of the test

ScienceScience ~ NJ ASK 4 ~ NJ ASK 4• There are 43 multiple

choice questions and 3 open-ended questions

• Testing time total: 60 minutes

• Each multiple choice item is worth 1 point and each open-ended item is worth up to 3 points

• Each open-ended item is scored using an item-specific rubric

Sample Multiple Choice Test Item:

Sample Open Ended Test Item:

http://www.state.nj.us/education/aps/njscp/

New Jersey Standards Clarification Project: Areas of Focus:

SEARCH FOR ADDITIONAL SITES ON GOOGLE:

“state standardized tests released questions”

New Jersey, California, Texas

NJ ASK 3-8

2009 Spanish Versions for English Language Learners ____________________________________________________________

• Spanish version of NJ ASK 3 – 8 2009 will be available in all content

areas—Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics, and Sciences (Grade

4 and 8).

• Districts decide which students take the Spanish version

Thank you!