Participation Opportunities: Grades 3-8 ELA and Mathematics Tests

As part of NYSED’s ongoing commitment to increase educator involvement in the development of Grades 3-8 Common Core ELA and Mathematics Tests, multiple educator review and development committees are held throughout the year. While each committee is focused on different parts of test development process, all are designed so that educators will help NYSED to ensure that passages, items and tests are:

1. developmentally appropriate,
2. appropriately complex for the grade level,
3. within grade-level expectations,
4. an appropriate length, and
5. fair and appropriate for students in New York State.

For all of the following activities NYSED seeks the participation of educators with documented expertise in the teaching of Grades 3-8 ELA and/or Mathematics to the diverse students who attend New York Schools. Candidates are assessed on demonstrated content expertise within a grade band, including experience with ELL and SWD populations. Additional requirements are listed for the activities below as they apply.

Participants in the Grade 3-8 Assessment Development committees will receive reimbursement for travel expenses, lodging and a stipend provided by Questar Assessment, Inc.

• Educator Passage Reviews: A two-day meeting held in the Albany area during the winter/early spring. At Educator Passage Review grade-specific panels of classroom educators review the rigor, appropriateness, and quality of all proposed reading passages.

  For passage review, NYSED seeks diverse groups of educators, including those who possess extensive expertise in childhood literacy and literacy in ELA, history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. Preference will be given to classroom teachers, although all educators (including those from higher education) who demonstrate expertise in teaching literacy at a specific grade or grade band will be considered.

• Item Writing: Begins with multi-day meetings, held regionally, during spring. At Item Writing Workshops, classroom educators receive test development training.

  For Item Writing NYSED seeks enthusiastic classroom educators who are certified to teach English Language Arts or Mathematics. Educators should have documented expertise in the content area for which they wish to write items.

• Educator Item Review: A week-long meeting held in the Albany area during the early summer. At Educator Item Review, educators review and recommend edits to all items that have yet to be field tested.
• Rangefinding: A week-long meeting held in the Albany area during the late summer. At Rangefinding, educators rate student responses to field-tested constructed response questions in order to inform the production of scoring materials and standard setting for future exam administrations.

  For Rangefinding, NYSED seeks grade/content area specific nominations of educators who have expertise and experience applying formal rubrics to rate student responses.

• Forms Construction: A day-long event held in the Albany area during the fall. At Forms Construction, educators select the questions that will appear on the operational tests.

  For Forms Construction, NYSED seeks educators who have the expertise to judge question accuracy, rigor, quality and appropriateness.

• Final Eyes: A day-long meeting in the Albany area during the fall. At Final Eyes, educators review the final draft of each operational test before test administration.

Please complete our online application to take part in these test development activities.