ERIC Number: ED599018
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Nov
Pages: 32
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
PARCC Field Test: Lessons Learned
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers
More than 1 million students in nearly 16,000 schools participated in the spring 2014 Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) field test. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia administered the test. The primary purposes of the PARCC field test were to: (1) Examine the quality of test questions and tasks; (2) Evaluate assessment training materials and administration procedures; (3) Evaluate the computer-based delivery platform; and (4) Conduct research on a range of topics, including those that will inform the reporting of results from the first round of full testing. The ultimate goal of the field test was to confirm that PARCC is a quality assessment program and to make improvements based on the experience prior to the 2014-15 administration, in which an estimated 5 million students will participate. To evaluate the PARCC field test experience, the PARCC states conducted formal surveys of test administrators, test coordinators, and students. The surveys were designed to collect feedback on the training materials and manuals, as well as the student experience with technology and other aspects of the field test. With minor exceptions, the field test went very smoothly. Most students had sufficient time to complete the field test and were comfortable with the computer-based items, especially those students who practiced first with sample questions and tools designed to familiarize them with features of the online system. Likewise, schools that used the various tools, manuals, and training modules provided by the PARCC consortium reported fewer issues than those that did not -- particularly in regard to technology. This report summarizes the key findings and describes the specific actions that the PARCC states will take going forward.
Descriptors: Standardized Tests, College Readiness, Career Readiness, Test Validity, Training, Instructional Materials, Testing, Computer Assisted Testing, Guides
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers. Available from: New Meridian Corporation. e-mail: info@newmeridiancorp.org; Web site: https://parcc-assessment.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A