Author: Chrzanowski, Noel

Winter 2015

Sat replaces the act in the 2015-2016 school year

Michigan will require the current 9th and 10th grade students to take the SAT as part of the MME, during their
Junior year.
What are major differences between the SAT and ACT?
The ACT has a Science section, while the SAT does not.
The ACT tests has more advanced math concepts.
The ACT Writing Test is required by schools in Michigan
The SAT has more sections.

The SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary.
The ACT tests more advanced math concepts.
Is the SAT aligned to the Common Core State Standards?
The SAT in its current form is tightly aligned the Common Core State Standards.
For more information please visit sat.collegeboard.org/about-tests/sat

Inside this issue:

Assessment	2
3 Toxic Grading Practices	2
M-STEP update	2
Effective Grading Practices	3
Toxic grading practices

a new sat will be launched in 2016

According to the College Board, the new version of the SAT will include fewer math questions that simply deal with figures, equations with a heavy emphasis on “real world” text. Similar to the Common Core State Standards, the redesigned test will integrate Science and Social Studies in the math and reading selection. Additional changes include the removal of the vocabulary from reading section and critical reading. The redesigned test will also require more evidence based reading and writing.

Sample question from the New SAT
The gas mileage for Peter’s car is 21 miles per gallon when the car travels at an average speed of 50 miles per hour. The car’s gas tank has 17 gallons of gas at the beginning of a trip. If Peter’s car travels at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, which of the following functions f models the number of gallons of gas remaining in the tank t hours after the trip begins?
A) f(t) = 17 − 21 50t
B) f(t) = 17 − 50 21t
C) f(t) = 17 21 50 − t
D) f(t) = 17 50 21 − t
Answer: B
In this question, students must understand that the number of gallons of gas in the tank is a function of time. The core skill assessed here is the ability to translate from a real-world situation into a mathematical model.

César CHávez district prepares for m-STEP

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Michigan will begin the new Assessment System, the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) . This new system was developed by the MDE’s Office of Standards and Assessment and builds upon Michigan’s historically strong student assessment program.
Due to time concerns and restrictions the 11th grade assessment (which includes the ACT Plus Writing and WorkKeys), the Performance Tasks and classroom activities will be recommended but not required for 11th graders.
State law prohibits the requirement of more than one extended response item on the Michigan Merit Examination, which is already part of the ACT Plus Writing.
Since a single extended response item is likely insufficient to achieve alignment to Michigan’s high school standards, it is unclear whether the U.S. Department of Education will allow results without Performance Tasks to count for accountability purposes.

M-STEP RESOURCES by Betty Menchik

The M-STEP Spring 2015 Preview must be used in Google Chrome. https://wbte.drcedirect.com/MI/portals/mi/ott1
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/smarter-balanced-assessments/
http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/assess/sbac.html#sbacsample
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Smarter-Balanced-Preliminary-Test-Blueprints.pdf
https://menchikb.weebly.com
https://menchikb.weebly.com

April 2015 MME / M-STEP Schedule
Week 1 11th grade - ELA
April 13-14, 2015 M-STEP Prep
April 15, 2015 ELA 3 hours
April 17, 2015 Make up test
Week 2 11th grade- Math
April 20, 2015 M-STEP Prep
April 21, 2015 Math Test 3 hours
April 24, 2015 Make up test
Week 3 11th grade- Social Studies/ Science
April 28, 2015 Social Studies 1 hour
April 29, 2015 Science 1 hour
April 30, 2015 Make up test
May 2015 May 1, 2015 Make up test

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Effective Grading Practices by Douglas B. Reeves and David W. Kale

The most effective grading practices provide accurate, specific, timely feedback designed to improve student performance (Marzano 2000, 2007; O'Connor, 2007).
In the best classrooms, grades are only one of many types of feedback provided to students.
Kale (2007) describes 8 Principles for Effective Grading Practices
Principle #1 Collaborate with students to make the process meaningful to the students and you
Principle #2 Substitute judgment for objectivity.
Principle #3 Distribute time effectively
Principle #4 Be open to change
Principle #5 Clearly explain your criteria and actively in the students in the learning process
Principle #6—STUDENT LEARNING IS THE
PRIMARY GOAL
Principle #7 Use grades as a way of helping you and your students
Principle #8 Encourage learning centered motives

The consequence of not completing an assignment is not a zero; it's completing the work—before, during, or after school .

3 Toxic Grading practices

#1 The use of zeroes for missing work. Despite evidence that grading as punishment does not work (Guskey, 2000) and the mathematical flaw in the use of the zero on a 100-point scale (Reeves, 2004) most teachers are consistently give zero.
#2 The practice of using the average of all scores throughout the semester, a formula that presumes that the learning early in the semester is as important as learning at the end of the semester (Marzano, 2000; O'Connor, 2007).
#3 The "semester killer"—the single project, test, lab, paper, or other assignment that will make or break students. This practice puts 18 weeks of work at risk based on a project that might, at most, have consumed four weeks of the semester.

CCA District Curriculum Update—Winter 2015