PARCC One-Day Conference Program
PARCC Action Plan for School Districts
PARCC Action Plan for School Districts (PDF)
Opening General Session
Melody Morgan, Director of Student Assessment
Sheree Baird, Arkansas State Field Test Contact for PARCC
The opening general session will provide a broad overview of the 2014 Spring PARCC Field Test including preparation, communication tools, and resources.
Closing Session - "Universal Design/PARCC Interactive Sample Items"
Suzanne Knowles, AR Assessment Administration Specialist
The PARCC assessment was developed using Universal Design principles. This LIVE presentation will give a high-level overview of Universal Design and how it informs the PARCC assessment. PARCC has released sample interactive items and student tutorials. The primary purpose of sharing samples of PARCC items is to provide information about the assessment system and support educators as they transition to the Common Core State Standards and the PARCC tests.
General PARCC Information
Breakout Sessions
"Sharing the Shifts about Math and ELA with Parents"
Matt McClure (Cross County School District)
Ali Weimer (Marion School District, Arkansas Teacher of the Year)
As we communicate about Common Core and PARCC assessments, an essential stakeholder that often gets over looked are parents. In this session, we will explore ways to keep parents informed about the CCSS, framing our focus around the shifts in Math and ELA. This session will primarily focus on the elementary shifts but all teams will be sure to walk away with strategies that can be applied at all grade levels. Come discover how teaming up with parents can make all the difference.
"ELA Shifts"
Dixie Keyes (ASTATE-ELC Member)
Tracy Valentine (West Memphis School District-ELC Member)
This session will highlight the shifts in content, curriculum and rigor for the ELA Common Core and the ELA PARCC Assessment. We will also analyze how these shifts align with the PARCC prototype test items and how teacher curriculum-making is impacted. Information about valuable, (and free) digital Common Core and PARCC websites/resources will be provided.
"Math Shifts"
Mike Hall (ASTATE)
Becky Justus (Greene County Tech School District-ELC Member)
This session will be sharing some resources available from PARCC regarding Math Shifts. We will look at the Performance Level Descriptors, Test Blueprints and Evidence Tables. We will also discuss how these pieces can be used to better understand the Math portion of the PARCC Assessment.
"Literacy in Science and Social Studies"
Karen Ladd (Nettleton School District)
Rebecca Perrin (National PARCC Literacy Assessment Item Review Team/Valley View School District)
This session will focus on disciplinary literacy or close reading in science and social studies. We will look at sample released PARCC items to show how these subjects are integrated into the reading and writing standards.
"PARCC and Technology"
Jimmy Blevins (Arkansas Department of Education, Technology Contact for PARCC)
This breakout session will provide technology requirements for learning and PARCC computer-based test administration. Time for discussion of emerging technologies and questions and answers will also be provided.
"Accessibility, Accomodations and Fairness"
Jennifer Brown (Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education Specialist for PARCC)
The PARCC assessment was developed using Universal Design principles. This LIVE presentation will give a high-level overview of Universal Design and how it informs the PARCC assessment. PARCC has released sample interactive items and student tutorials. The primary purpose of sharing samples of PARCC items is to provide information about the assessment system and support educators as they transition to the Common Core State Standards and the PARCC tests.
