Assessment update to Board

Chester: moving agressively ahead on a variety of fronts
in process of issuing an RFP for contract
number of advisory committees
Wulfson: on schedule for this spring's administration
giving both "MCAS legacy test" and PARCC, depending on district choices
have engaged educators in a number of work groups as part of design effort for next generation MCAS
have a drive in session at Hudson High School to talk about details of transition to online testing
RFP going out early to mid March: large effort to write that
right now carrying a placeholder in our budget projections: until it goes out, hard to get a price figure on what it will cost
PARCC: studying design structure
to accommodate multiple types of participation from states
a few districts trying out diagnostic assessment from PARCC (optional; DESE has asked them to report back "if it's got any value")
ELA and math standards educator review panel being assembled
Sagan: really concerned with creating a hybrid test going forward
Wulfson: test design and test concept once we meet the vendor
trying to build flexibility into the design
Sagan: what goes with that is assessing our frameworks, which is on a slightly different path
asks when pieces of this will go public?
in next few weeks
recommendation on changes for the fall; adopt any changes midwinter
Noyce: hopefully will not be a complete rewrite
Sagan: still a great amount of detail
Wulfson: we're going to build in extra time for the Secretary's reviews (that's a joke)
Chester: Governor includes additional $5M--Peyser corrects "$5.6M"-- in assessment
Stewart: global question on assessment: did you submit comments on ESSA regulation?
Chester: sure, I'd be happy to
submitted comments on ESSA, "I don't think I submitted anything on assessment"

ADJOURNED