News

 

New Edition of Program Evaluation Standards Released

With oversight from the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (JCSEE), a new edition of the Program Evaluation Standards has recently been completed and published.

 

CCSSO Responds to Notice of Proposed Priorities

CCSSO submitted a formal response to the U.S. Department of Education (ED)’s Notice of Proposed Priorities (NPP) for future discretionary grant programs, expressing support for ED’s decision to outline a comprehensive reform agenda designed to better allocate limited federal resources.

 

2011 National Conference on Student Assessment Call for Proposals Now Open

The 2011 National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) will be held in Orlando, Florida, June 19-22, 2011. This year's conference theme is Next Generation Learners: Who Are They and What Are Their Needs?

 

CCSSO Response to “The Creativity Crisis”

Newsweek recently published an article suggesting the creativity of American school children may be on the decline. The article cites results from the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) to measure the creativity of students. Although TTCT is very popular in some parts of the world, critics point out that it is an out-of-context test, like IQ tests and is not situated in the context of actual activity. Regardless of whether or not the numbers are in fact declining, the article highlights the need to ensure creativity is encouraged throughout a child's educational experience. This is deeply embedded in on-going work at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).

 

Operational Best Practices Publication Released

The Operational Best Practices for Statewide Large-Scale Assessment Programs publication was officially released on Wednesday July 28. The publication, commonly referred to as Operational Best Practices, presents the first comprehensive guide for designing, developing, administering, scoring, and reporting state assessment results.

 

Successful Summer SCASS meeting in Detroit

CCSSO held its second round of summer State Collaboratives on Student Standards (SCASS) meetings in Detroit, MI June 23 – 25, directly following the National Conference on Student Assessment.

 

Tune in to CCSSO’s 2010 National Conference on Student Assessment

CCSSO’s 40th National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA) is currently being held in Detroit. The 2010 NCSA focuses the salient issues around assessment that look at where we are, where we need to be, and what needs to be done to get it right. Plenary sessions from the 2010 NCSA will be available as webcasts for free at the National Conference on Student Assessment web page at www.ccsso.org/ncsa. You can also join in or follow the conversations on Twitter @CCSSO or #NCSA2010.

 

State Collaboratives to Meet in Louisville for Spring 2010 SCASS Meetings

CCSSO held its collaborative advisors’ retreat and spring State Collaboratives on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS) meetings for six SCASS groups from May 16-20, 2010 in Louisville, Kentucky. The SCASS members held meetings to develop original publications, generate grant proposals for future work, meet with national education organizations, and engage in professional development with their peers. The meetings attracted over 135 attendees from over 30 states.

 

SCASSs Travel to Washington, DC to Participate in BOTA Conference

Members of three CCSSO State Collaboratives on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASSs) recently participated in the second of a series of workshops addressing "Best Practices for State Assessment Systems" in Washington, DC. The workshop was sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences Board on Testing and Assessment (BOTA), James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy, and the William and Melinda Gates Foundation.

 

CCSSO’s State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards System Wraps up Successful Winter 2010 Meetings

CCSSO’s State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS) System held its winter meetings for 14 collaboratives, February 9-13, 2010, in New Orleans, Louisiana. In the SCASS System meetings, members developed original publications, analyzed data, and engaged in professional development with their peers. The meetings attracted over 330 attendees from over 30 states.