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Program

Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessment (TILSA)

The Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessment (TILSA) SCASS operates with the guiding principle that all states should strive for state assessments with the highest technical qualities. Member states collectively conduct and commission practical research on critical topics in large-scale state assessments, create guidelines for the design and implementation of assessment systems, and provide professional development opportunities for assessment staff from member states and staff representing associate members.

Current TILSA SCASS Activities and Resources

  • Continue discussions and investigate issues related to growth models used in state assessments.  Experts such as Katherine Castellano, Andrew Ho, William Auty and Pete Goldschmidt have provided professional development for state and associate members on this topic.
  • Explore issues related to Test Security and provide guidance to state members on detection and on-site investigation techniques.
  • Regular updates from representatives of the two large Race to the Top (RTTT) state consortia, SMARTER-Balanced and PARCC
  • Regular updates at each meeting from Sue Rigney, USED (With ASR)
  • Professional development sessions on:
    • Understanding the role of the Standard Error of Equating in Large Scale Assessments.
    • Test Security Issues and Practices.
    • Role of technology in supporting accommodations for special needs students.
    • College and Career Readiness (Preparedness) research and indicators.
    •  Information Technology (IT) infrastructures and hardware necessary to support "online assessment systems."
    • Accountability evidence in "untested grades."
    • Role of "Evidence-Centered Design" in assessment development.
    • Assessment of Speaking and Listening.
    • Participation in a symposium sponsored by the Center for K-12 Assessment & Performance Management at ETS on Science Assessments.
    • Test security in a Computer Based Testing (CBT) environment 

TILSA Collaborative Advisor: Charlene Tucker

Charlene Tucker serves as the Collaborative Advisor for two SCASS groups: Accountability Systems & Reporting (ASR) and Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessment (TILSA). From 2004 through 2008, Tucker was a state measurement consultant for Harcourt Assessment / Pearson. Prior to her work at Harcourt, she served from 1989 through 2004 in several roles at the Connecticut State Department of Education, including that of state assessment director. Tucker's career in education began as a public school teacher, and she continues to do consulting work for school districts in the areas of evaluation and assessment.

TILSA Associate Collaborative Advisors: Doug Rindone and Duncan MacQuarrie

Douglas Rindone serves as the Associate Collaborative Advisor of two SCASS groups: Accountability Systems & Reporting (ASR) and Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessment (TILSA). He has also been the CCSSO liaison for two state collaborative federal Enhanced Assessment Grants (EAG) projects. From 2003 through 2006, Rindone was a state measurement consultant at Harcourt Assessment. Prior to his work at Harcourt, Rindone served as the chief of the bureau of research, evaluation and student assessment for the Connecticut Department of Education.

Duncan MacQuarrie serves as the Associate Collaborative Advisor of two SCASS groups: Accountability Systems & Reporting (ASR) and Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessment (TILSA). From 2003 through 2006, MacQuarrie was a state measurement consultant for Harcourt Assessment. Before that he served four years as the assessment manager for the Tacoma (WA) Public Schools after working for the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) for sixteen years (including as director of assessment). For fifteen years before his service in the K-12 sector he was a higher education faculty member. He has been a member of both AERA and NCME for over forty years and was a member of the NCME Board of Directors for three years.

2012-13 State Members
Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina,  West Virginia, Wyoming

2012-13 Associate Members

Assessment Solutions Group, College Board,  CTB/McGraw-Hill, Data Recognition Corporation, eMetric, Educational Testing Service, Measurement Incorporated, MetaMetrics, Northwest Evaluation Association, Pacific Metrics, Pearson, Questar, Renaissance Learning, Riverside

2012-13 Affiliate Members

K-12 Center at ETS, National Center on Educational Outcomes, University of Kansas, World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment

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