For the extended writing portion of the English language arts assessment, can students construct their answers using bulleted points?
The extended writing response would not support bulleted responses and should be avoided. The purpose of this portion of the English language arts test is to assess how well students can construct ideas and support them in a well-developed response.
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How did the Ohio Department of Education ensure the developmental appropriateness of Ohio’s State Tests at each grade level?
To ensure that Ohio’s State Tests are appropriate for each grade level, every question on the test was reviewed by a panel of teachers from all over the state of Ohio. This panel included general classroom teachers, intervention specialists, and special education teachers (for diverse learners). In addition, all passages on the tests fall within the accepted Lexile range for the grade level.
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How do I prepare my students for the writing portions on Ohio’s State Tests?
Classroom instruction should remain focused on teaching students to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Ohio’s Learning Standards. A resource on prompt-driven writing is posted here.
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How many questions will be on the new test, and what will their point values be?
The number of questions is variable since it is a point-driven test. Beginning with the spring 2017 administration, there will be two point items, so the number of questions could vary based on the number of points each item is worth. For example, if there are ten 1-point questions and two 2-point questions, that would add up to the minimum of 14 points with 12 questions. This point value could also be achieved with 14 one-point items. The variability is small, but it will certainly be there.
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How much of the test will include fiction passages and how much will include nonfiction?
Please refer to the blueprints on the Ohio Test Portal.
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If districts have decided to do the 90-minute blocks for testing, can they give two in the same day?
Yes, they can.
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Must districts administer Part One and Part Two for the assessment in numerical order?
No, districts can choose to administer Part Two first, if they prefer.
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Since AIR, which is Ohio’s current test vendor, also works with other states, does this mean the tests for those states are the same as Ohio’s and that Ohio teachers can use the practice items provided by those states to prepare students for Ohio’s State Tests?
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It is true that AIR is contracted with other states, including Florida, Arizona, and Utah; however, the tests for these states will not all be the same. It is possible that students could benefit from experiencing the different types of items and their functionality (evidence-based responses, multiple select, hot text, etc.). We suggest, that teachers first look at Ohio’s English language arts test blueprints to see how similar they are to the other states’ blueprints before relying on those states’ additional practice items. Otherwise, these practice items may be helpful in showing how well students demonstrate an understanding of the standards.
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Remember, too, that the construction of the tests in each state is based on the contract that state has with AIR, which accounts for many of the differences. Overall, if you are looking to expose your students to different types of items (e.g., evidence-based responses, multiple select, hot text, etc.), then there is no harm in looking at the practice tests in other states; however, this in no way indicates that students will encounter the exact same types of items on the Ohio test.
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What are Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs)?
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The Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) were developed by Ohio educators and other content experts to recommend the most appropriate implementation of content and skills for Ohio’s State Tests for English language arts. The Ohio Department of Education and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) assembled panels of Ohio stakeholders to review actual test questions to define what students should know or be able to do at each performance level. The feedback from the Ohio stakeholders during the standard setting process was compiled and analyzed to determine the cut scores to rank student performance.
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The Ohio stakeholder recommendations for cut scores were shared with the State Board of Education and approved at the January 2016 board meeting.
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What are the components for the English Language Arts assessment?
The assessments beginning in spring 2017, developed with more Ohio-created items, will be separated into the following parts:
- Grades 3-5
- Part One: Reading and one Extended Writing Response
- Part Two: Reading only
- Grades 6 through English Language Arts II
- Part One: Reading and one Extended Writing Response
- Part Two: Reading and one Extended Writing Response
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What do the acronyms RH and RST stand for? These are standards referenced in the reading section of the English Language Arts test blueprints.
RH stands for the Reading Standards for Literacy in History and Social Studies in grades 6-12. RST represents the Reading Standards for Literacy in Science, and Technical Subjects in grades 6-12.
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What is the test design, or item breakdown for the new tests?
The testing blueprints offer guidance on item breakdown by reporting categories. Item specifications will be available summer 2018.
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What does the acronym WHST stand for? These are standards referenced in the writing section of the English Language Arts test blueprints.
WHST stands for Writing for Literacy in History, Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. The blueprints reference the standards here because students may be asked to write in response to historical or scientific documents.
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What can districts do to prepare for the upcoming assessments?
Sample online items for Ohio English language arts and mathematics, as well as online practice tests and released items for the Ohio science and social studies tests, are available on the Portal for Ohio's State Tests. Look for the Practice Tests icon on the home page. Students will see the types of questions that Ohio may administer online. Additionally, the online items give students the opportunity to navigate through the online testing system, use the available tools and features and familiarize themselves with the testing experience. Test takers will not receive scores when submitting tests in the Practice Site.
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Where are the extended writing prompts located on the 2016-2017 test?
For grades 3 through 5, the extended writing prompt will be located at the end of Part 1. For grades 6 through high school, the extended writing prompt will be located at the end of Part 1 and Part 2.
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Where can I find information on the machine scoring process for written responses?
The machine scoring process, descriptions of the zero codes, and answers to frequently asked questions related to machine scoring have been added to the English language arts Assessment page.
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Will all Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels be equally represented on the tests?
Every attempt is being made to evenly distribute the DOK levels among the tests as appropriate; however, there will not be any DOK 4 items on the test, with the exception of some English language arts extended responses at a DOK 4 level.
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Will partial credit be offered for certain questions on the test?
On the current administration, there are two-point items that can receive up to two points.
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Will student writing be graded by a person or a computer?
Student writing will be machine scored. For more information on this process, please go to our Assessment page.
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Will the English language arts tests have audio items?
While we are hoping to have multimedia and audio items available in the future, they will not be present on the current administration.
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Will the language standards be assessed on Ohio’s State Tests for English Language Arts?
Students will need to demonstrate an adequate command of basic conventions when composing their extended writing response. Questions that specifically test a student’s knowledge of language conventions will not be on the test. Questions will appear on the test that assess students' vocabulary acquisition and use, including determining the meaning of unknown or multi-meaning words and demonstrating understanding of figurative language.
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How many pieces of writing will be on the test this year? How many points will it be worth?
Beginning in spring 2017, with more Ohio-developed items, all extended writing responses will be worth 10 points. Grades 3-5 will continue to have one extended writing response, and grades 6 through English Language Arts II will have two extended writing responses.
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Will there be extended writing prompts attached to the reading passages?
Beginning with the spring 2017 administration, the extended writing prompts will be attached to reading passages. Students will have the opportunity to respond to reading items that will scaffold them toward the extended writing prompt.
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