Performance 
Task Overview
Introduction
PERFORMANCE TASK 
• This training module answers 
the following questions: 
– What is a performance task? 
– What is a Classroom 
Activity? 
– What does a performance 
task in mathematics or 
English language 
arts/literacy look like?
What Is a 
Performance 
Task?
ELA and Mathematics 
Online Assessment 
CAT 
Classroom 
Activity 
Performance 
Task
PERFORMANCE TASK (PT) 
• Portion of the test that requires 
students to answer a set of 
complex questions centered on a 
common topic or problem
PERFORMANCE TASK 
• Administered online 
• Helps ensure test items are 
more accessible 
• Allows students to respond in 
ways that are different from 
how they might respond to or 
access paper-and-pencil tests
PERFORMANCE TASK 
• Measures how well a student can 
integrate knowledge and skills 
across multiple claims and 
targets 
– Claim: Broad evidence-based 
statements about what students 
know and can do as demonstrated 
by their performance on the 
assessment 
– Target: Connects the Common 
Core State Standards to evidence 
that will be collected from the 
assessment
PERFORMANCE TASK 
KNOWLEDGE + SKILLS
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Classroom 
Activity 
Performance 
Task
What is a performance task? 
Introduction to Performance Tasks 
• Measure capacities such as depth of 
understanding, research and writing 
skills, and/or complex analysis with 
relevant evidence 
• Designed to provide students with an 
opportunity to demonstrate their ability 
to apply their knowledge and higher-order 
thinking skills to explore and 
analyze a complex, real-world scenario 
Mathematics 
ELA 
Expectations
Simplifying 
rational 
expressions 
Order of 
operations 
Conversion 
of decimal 
to percent
Mathematics 
Mathematics performance tasks require 
students to integrate skills across multiple 
domains, clusters, and standards of the 
Common Core State Standards to demonstrate 
their ability to use their math knowledge to solve 
real-world problems. 
Mathematics 
ELA 
Expectations 
What is a performance task?
What is a performance task? 
ELA 
In ELA, performance tasks require students to 
integrate research and writing to inform/explain, 
to narrate, or to support an opinion/argument for 
a designated audience. 
Mathematics 
Expectations 
ELA
What is a performance task? 
• Student is expected to work more 
extensively with the test materials, 
such as 
– informational sources 
– research articles 
– tables of data 
Mathematics 
ELA 
Expectations
Classroom 
Activity
Technology of the Future 
Let’s 
work 
I have 
an idea! 
together! 
What do 
you guys 
think? 
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY 
Classroom Activity Guidance for 
Needs-Specific Accessibility Options 
The Online Test 
Administration Manual 
includes a section about 
accessibility features and 
defines accessibility options 
that may be implemented 
during the Classroom 
Activity for students with 
disabilities and English 
learners.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY 
• Takes place before 
students engage in the 
performance task 
• Is administered separately 
for both ELA and 
mathematics 
• Is the same activity for the 
entire class 
• Is not scored
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY— 
Administration 
• Designed to be completed in 
approximately thirty minutes 
• In a group setting by a certified teacher or 
other instructional staff 
• No more than three days before the 
student takes the online performance task 
• ELA — Classroom Activity should be on a 
different day than the performance task. 
• No information should be added or 
provided outside the directions and 
information provided.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY — 
Absent Students 
• Schedule a make-up session. 
• Provide students the opportunity to 
interact with the teacher and other 
students. 
• Provide students with an 
experience similar to that of their 
peers.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY 
Technology of the Future 
Now it’s 
time to try it 
myself!
ELA Performance 
Task Examples
PERFORMANCE TASK 
To review these and other 
examples in more detail, 
please visit the online 
Practice Tests.
Before the ELA Performance Task: Classroom Activity 
ELA 
Classroom Activity 
Technology of 
the Future 
ELA 
Performance Task 
Robots
Before the ELA Performance Task: Classroom Activity 
Students are 
given 
information: 
In this Classroom 
Activity, students 
look at images of 
some examples of 
outdated technology 
and read a brief 
description about 
each of them.
Before the ELA Performance Task: Classroom Activity 
Discussion: 
Then, they talk 
about what they 
have read with 
classmates in a 
structured 
discussion.
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Classroom Activity 
Within 
3 days 
Individually Administered 
Performance Task
ELA Performance Task — After the Classroom Activity 
What happens next: 
• Students work 
independently, 
without discussion, 
on different secure 
tasks. 
• There are two parts 
to the individually 
administered ELA 
task: 
– Part 1: Research 
– Part 2: Writing 
• Administer the two 
parts in two 
sessions.
ELA Performance Task — After the Classroom Activity 
What happens next: 
• In Part 1, students are 
given a set of two or 
more sources to be 
used on both parts of 
the test. 
• Information may be in 
the form of 
informational or 
argumentative articles, 
research articles, 
charts, or other 
sources.
ELA Performance Task — After the Classroom Activity 
Example: 
• In this example, 
students access 
research articles 
from several sources 
about the same 
topic — in this case, 
what real robots can 
do. 
• Notes can be taken 
on paper or on the 
computer.
ELA Performance Task Questions 
ELA Performance Task Question Examples 
The ELA task then requires the student to answer 
research questions about the sources.
ELA Performance Task Questions 
Example Question 1 
1) The student is asked to explain 
appropriate evidence from a variety of 
sources.
ELA Performance Task Questions 
Example Question 2 
2) The student is asked to explain evidence 
that supports the given statement.
When writing your story, find ways to 
use information and details from the 
sources to improve it.
Mathematics 
Performance Task 
Examples
Before the Math Performance Task: Classroom Activity 
Mathematics 
Classroom Activity 
Food Baskets 
Mathematics 
Performance Task 
Example
Mathematics Performance Task 
Facilitator Directs 
Students: 
In the Classroom Activity 
for this performance task, 
the teacher or facilitator 
leads the students 
through an activity that 
familiarizes them with the 
context in which a food 
basket would be used and 
how individual foods are 
selected for inclusion 
based on certain 
nutritional requirements or 
needs.
Mathematics Performance Task — After the Classroom Activity 
What happens next: 
After completing the 
Classroom Activity, 
students are then 
ready to begin the 
individual component 
of the performance 
task.
Mathematics Performance Task — After the Classroom Activity 
More information is given: 
The individually 
administered 
component of the 
mathematics 
performance task has 
a stimulus that 
provides information 
for the student to use 
in the task.
Math Performance Task Questions 
The student has the opportunity 
to use the tools to help complete 
the task.
Mathematics Performance Task Questions 
The set of questions in the mathematics 
performance task is designed to give 
students a coherent picture of how 
mathematics is used to plan and make 
decisions in the real world.
Administration, 
Timing, and 
Sequencing
ADMINISTRATION SEQUENCE 
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 
Classroom 
CAT Activity PT
ADMINISTRATION SEQUENCE 
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 
ELA ELA 
Classroom 
Activity 
ELA 
Part 1 
ELA 
Part 2 
P 
T 
Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 
Math Math 
Classroom 
Activity 
Math 
P 
T 
P 
T 
CAT 
CAT 
CA 
CA 
Administer the 
performance 
task within three 
days of the 
Classroom 
Activity. 
• ELA PT—2 sessions 
• Math PT—1 session
PERFORMANCE TASKS 
Performance Task 
Classroom Activity 
Continue and complete, but 
report as an irregularity.
ADMINISTRATION 
SEQUENCE AND TIMING 
Outlines the number and duration of: 
• Sessions 
• Breaks 
• Total assessment
Don’t forget these 
details
PERFORMANCE TASK 
You might want 
to take a few 
notes on the 
information in 
the next few 
slides.
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Ten-day 
expiration
PERFORMANCE TASK — 
Pausing 
• There are no pause rules for the 
performance task. 
• Students can take breaks during the 
administration of the performance task 
but will be automatically logged out 
after twenty minutes in a paused state 
or thirty minutes of inactivity. 
• For mathematics, students can access 
the same items after a break. 
• For ELA, students have access to the 
items within either Part 1 or Part 2.
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Tools Global Notes — ELA 
• Used only for the ELA PT (not math). 
• Global Notes is an online embedded 
universal tool. 
• Notes are retained from Part 1 to Part 2. 
– A student taking Part 2 of the ELA PT 
may refer back to the notes even 
though the student is not able to go 
back to the research questions in 
Part 1. 
• Preferred mode for note taking
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Tools Scratch Paper — ELA 
• Students may choose to use 
scratch paper to make notes in 
ELA. 
• Collect scratch paper at completion 
of Part 1 of the ELA performance 
task and store securely until Part 2. 
• After administration, all scratch 
paper must be securely destroyed 
in adherence to test security 
procedures.
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Tools — Scratch Paper and Graph Paper — MATH 
• Scratch paper must be available to all students 
taking the math assessment. Graph paper is 
required in 6th grade and above. 
• If the mathematics performance task is 
administered over more than one test session, Test 
Administrators must retain scratch paper and 
graph paper between test sessions. 
• Scratch paper and graph paper may not be 
retained between test sessions for the CAT portion. 
• Following the conclusion of the mathematics PT, 
scratch paper and graph paper must be collected 
and securely destroyed to maintain test security.
PERFORMANCE TASK 
Mathematics — Calculator 
• A calculator is required for 
students in 6th grade and above. 
• Calculator is an embedded 
universal tool within the test 
delivery system.
For more information, 
please visit: 
www.smarterbalanced.org

SBAC Performance Task Overview

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
    PERFORMANCE TASK •This training module answers the following questions: – What is a performance task? – What is a Classroom Activity? – What does a performance task in mathematics or English language arts/literacy look like?
  • 5.
    What Is a Performance Task?
  • 6.
    ELA and Mathematics Online Assessment CAT Classroom Activity Performance Task
  • 7.
    PERFORMANCE TASK (PT) • Portion of the test that requires students to answer a set of complex questions centered on a common topic or problem
  • 8.
    PERFORMANCE TASK •Administered online • Helps ensure test items are more accessible • Allows students to respond in ways that are different from how they might respond to or access paper-and-pencil tests
  • 9.
    PERFORMANCE TASK •Measures how well a student can integrate knowledge and skills across multiple claims and targets – Claim: Broad evidence-based statements about what students know and can do as demonstrated by their performance on the assessment – Target: Connects the Common Core State Standards to evidence that will be collected from the assessment
  • 10.
  • 11.
    PERFORMANCE TASK Classroom Activity Performance Task
  • 12.
    What is aperformance task? Introduction to Performance Tasks • Measure capacities such as depth of understanding, research and writing skills, and/or complex analysis with relevant evidence • Designed to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge and higher-order thinking skills to explore and analyze a complex, real-world scenario Mathematics ELA Expectations
  • 13.
    Simplifying rational expressions Order of operations Conversion of decimal to percent
  • 14.
    Mathematics Mathematics performancetasks require students to integrate skills across multiple domains, clusters, and standards of the Common Core State Standards to demonstrate their ability to use their math knowledge to solve real-world problems. Mathematics ELA Expectations What is a performance task?
  • 15.
    What is aperformance task? ELA In ELA, performance tasks require students to integrate research and writing to inform/explain, to narrate, or to support an opinion/argument for a designated audience. Mathematics Expectations ELA
  • 16.
    What is aperformance task? • Student is expected to work more extensively with the test materials, such as – informational sources – research articles – tables of data Mathematics ELA Expectations
  • 17.
  • 18.
    Technology of theFuture Let’s work I have an idea! together! What do you guys think? CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
  • 19.
  • 20.
    CLASSROOM ACTIVITY ClassroomActivity Guidance for Needs-Specific Accessibility Options The Online Test Administration Manual includes a section about accessibility features and defines accessibility options that may be implemented during the Classroom Activity for students with disabilities and English learners.
  • 21.
    CLASSROOM ACTIVITY •Takes place before students engage in the performance task • Is administered separately for both ELA and mathematics • Is the same activity for the entire class • Is not scored
  • 22.
    CLASSROOM ACTIVITY— Administration • Designed to be completed in approximately thirty minutes • In a group setting by a certified teacher or other instructional staff • No more than three days before the student takes the online performance task • ELA — Classroom Activity should be on a different day than the performance task. • No information should be added or provided outside the directions and information provided.
  • 23.
    CLASSROOM ACTIVITY — Absent Students • Schedule a make-up session. • Provide students the opportunity to interact with the teacher and other students. • Provide students with an experience similar to that of their peers.
  • 24.
    CLASSROOM ACTIVITY Technologyof the Future Now it’s time to try it myself!
  • 25.
  • 26.
    PERFORMANCE TASK Toreview these and other examples in more detail, please visit the online Practice Tests.
  • 27.
    Before the ELAPerformance Task: Classroom Activity ELA Classroom Activity Technology of the Future ELA Performance Task Robots
  • 28.
    Before the ELAPerformance Task: Classroom Activity Students are given information: In this Classroom Activity, students look at images of some examples of outdated technology and read a brief description about each of them.
  • 29.
    Before the ELAPerformance Task: Classroom Activity Discussion: Then, they talk about what they have read with classmates in a structured discussion.
  • 30.
    PERFORMANCE TASK ClassroomActivity Within 3 days Individually Administered Performance Task
  • 31.
    ELA Performance Task— After the Classroom Activity What happens next: • Students work independently, without discussion, on different secure tasks. • There are two parts to the individually administered ELA task: – Part 1: Research – Part 2: Writing • Administer the two parts in two sessions.
  • 32.
    ELA Performance Task— After the Classroom Activity What happens next: • In Part 1, students are given a set of two or more sources to be used on both parts of the test. • Information may be in the form of informational or argumentative articles, research articles, charts, or other sources.
  • 33.
    ELA Performance Task— After the Classroom Activity Example: • In this example, students access research articles from several sources about the same topic — in this case, what real robots can do. • Notes can be taken on paper or on the computer.
  • 34.
    ELA Performance TaskQuestions ELA Performance Task Question Examples The ELA task then requires the student to answer research questions about the sources.
  • 35.
    ELA Performance TaskQuestions Example Question 1 1) The student is asked to explain appropriate evidence from a variety of sources.
  • 36.
    ELA Performance TaskQuestions Example Question 2 2) The student is asked to explain evidence that supports the given statement.
  • 38.
    When writing yourstory, find ways to use information and details from the sources to improve it.
  • 40.
  • 41.
    Before the MathPerformance Task: Classroom Activity Mathematics Classroom Activity Food Baskets Mathematics Performance Task Example
  • 42.
    Mathematics Performance Task Facilitator Directs Students: In the Classroom Activity for this performance task, the teacher or facilitator leads the students through an activity that familiarizes them with the context in which a food basket would be used and how individual foods are selected for inclusion based on certain nutritional requirements or needs.
  • 43.
    Mathematics Performance Task— After the Classroom Activity What happens next: After completing the Classroom Activity, students are then ready to begin the individual component of the performance task.
  • 44.
    Mathematics Performance Task— After the Classroom Activity More information is given: The individually administered component of the mathematics performance task has a stimulus that provides information for the student to use in the task.
  • 45.
    Math Performance TaskQuestions The student has the opportunity to use the tools to help complete the task.
  • 46.
    Mathematics Performance TaskQuestions The set of questions in the mathematics performance task is designed to give students a coherent picture of how mathematics is used to plan and make decisions in the real world.
  • 47.
  • 48.
    ADMINISTRATION SEQUENCE Day1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Classroom CAT Activity PT
  • 49.
    ADMINISTRATION SEQUENCE Day1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 ELA ELA Classroom Activity ELA Part 1 ELA Part 2 P T Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Math Math Classroom Activity Math P T P T CAT CAT CA CA Administer the performance task within three days of the Classroom Activity. • ELA PT—2 sessions • Math PT—1 session
  • 50.
    PERFORMANCE TASKS PerformanceTask Classroom Activity Continue and complete, but report as an irregularity.
  • 51.
    ADMINISTRATION SEQUENCE ANDTIMING Outlines the number and duration of: • Sessions • Breaks • Total assessment
  • 52.
  • 53.
    PERFORMANCE TASK Youmight want to take a few notes on the information in the next few slides.
  • 54.
  • 55.
    PERFORMANCE TASK — Pausing • There are no pause rules for the performance task. • Students can take breaks during the administration of the performance task but will be automatically logged out after twenty minutes in a paused state or thirty minutes of inactivity. • For mathematics, students can access the same items after a break. • For ELA, students have access to the items within either Part 1 or Part 2.
  • 56.
    PERFORMANCE TASK ToolsGlobal Notes — ELA • Used only for the ELA PT (not math). • Global Notes is an online embedded universal tool. • Notes are retained from Part 1 to Part 2. – A student taking Part 2 of the ELA PT may refer back to the notes even though the student is not able to go back to the research questions in Part 1. • Preferred mode for note taking
  • 57.
    PERFORMANCE TASK ToolsScratch Paper — ELA • Students may choose to use scratch paper to make notes in ELA. • Collect scratch paper at completion of Part 1 of the ELA performance task and store securely until Part 2. • After administration, all scratch paper must be securely destroyed in adherence to test security procedures.
  • 58.
    PERFORMANCE TASK Tools— Scratch Paper and Graph Paper — MATH • Scratch paper must be available to all students taking the math assessment. Graph paper is required in 6th grade and above. • If the mathematics performance task is administered over more than one test session, Test Administrators must retain scratch paper and graph paper between test sessions. • Scratch paper and graph paper may not be retained between test sessions for the CAT portion. • Following the conclusion of the mathematics PT, scratch paper and graph paper must be collected and securely destroyed to maintain test security.
  • 59.
    PERFORMANCE TASK Mathematics— Calculator • A calculator is required for students in 6th grade and above. • Calculator is an embedded universal tool within the test delivery system.
  • 60.
    For more information, please visit: www.smarterbalanced.org

Editor's Notes

  • #2 Performance Task Overview
  • #3 Introduction
  • #4 This training module provides an introduction to performance tasks by answering the following questions: What is a performance task? What is a Classroom Activity? What does a performance task in mathematics or English language arts/literacy look like?
  • #5 This presentation is a general overview of the performance task. Test Administrators and classroom teachers who administer the performance task and its related Classroom Activity should be sure to review the additional information provided in the Online Test Administration Manual. This information provides greater detail about where to obtain the Classroom Activity, how to administer it, and how to plan for the performance task event within the Smarter Balanced test administration process.
  • #6 What is a performance task?
  • #7 As you know, the online assessment for English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics consists of three components: a CAT portion of the test, a Classroom Activity, and a performance task.
  • #8 A performance task, also referred to as a PT, is a portion of the test that requires students to answer a set of complex questions that are centered on a common topic or problem. There is one performance task per content area on the summative assessment.
  • #9 The online assessments are administered primarily as an online assessment on the computer, which helps ensure test items are more accessible. Online assessments allow students to respond in ways that are different from how they might respond to or access the paper-and-pencil tests.    
  • #10 The performance task is intended to measure how well a student can integrate knowledge and skills across multiple claims and targets.
  • #11 The ability to integrate knowledge and skills across multiple claims and targets is a very important part of being college- and career-ready.
  • #12 A performance task is made up of two components: a Classroom Activity and an individually administered, computer-generated performance task.
  • #13 As its name suggests, a performance task measures capacities such as depth of understanding, research and writing skills, and/or complex analysis with relevant evidence. It is designed to provide students with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge and higher-order thinking skills to explore and analyze a complex, real-world scenario.
  • #14 When students enter college or begin a career, they are often confronted with tasks that require them to seek information, analyze that information, determine which information is needed and which is not, and then evaluate and/or synthesize that information.   Problems in the world do not come to us neatly packaged and ready to solve. Performance tasks are intended to measure a student’s ability to grapple with these scenarios.
  • #15 In mathematics, the performance tasks require students to integrate skills across multiple domains, clusters, and standards of the Common Core State Standards to demonstrate their ability to use their math knowledge to solve real-world problems.
  • #16 In ELA, performance tasks require students to integrate research and writing to inform/explain, to narrate, or to support an opinion/argument for a designated audience.
  • #17 In a performance task, a student is expected to work more extensively with the test materials, such as informational sources, research articles, or tables of data, in ways that closely mirror the kinds of tasks students would be expected to do in the real world.
  • #18 Classroom Activity
  • #19 The Classroom Activity is a short, teacher-led activity designed to provide students with the opportunity to discuss contextual information and key terms and/or ideas on the topic they will encounter in the individually administered performance task. These activities are not intended to cover the content of the performance task. The Classroom Activity ensures that all students have a common understanding of the contextual elements of a performance task topic or theme.  
  • #20 The Classroom Activity provides context-setting information so that all students, regardless of their backgrounds and experiences, are able to access and demonstrate understanding of the content of the performance task.
  • #21 The Online Test Administration Manual includes a section about accessibility features and defines accessibility options that may be implemented during the Classroom Activity for students with disabilities and English learners.
  • #22 The non-secure Classroom Activity takes place before the student engages in the performance task on the test. There is one Classroom Activity per performance task topic. Each student should have a Classroom Activity administered for ELA and a Classroom Activity administered for mathematics. Each class will be assigned the same Classroom Activity. The Classroom Activity is not scored, but it is an important prerequisite for the performance task to ensure that students are not at a disadvantage in demonstrating the skills the task intends to assess.
  • #23 The Classroom Activity is designed to be completed in approximately thirty minutes. It should be administered by a certified teacher or other instructional staff, in a group setting, where possible, to allow students an opportunity to interact with their teachers during the activity. The Classroom Activity should be administered no more than three days before the student takes the performance task test and should be administered only once to a student. It is recommended that the ELA Classroom Activity not be administered on the same day as the performance task. No information should be added or delivered outside the directions and information provided.
  • #24 In the event that a student is absent on the day of the Classroom Activity, a make-up session must be scheduled. Although the Classroom Activity may be recorded, the make-up session should provide students with an experience similar to that of their peers. For example, where possible, the make-up session should provide students the opportunity to interact with the teacher and other students.
  • #25 Though students participate in the Classroom Activity together and it’s not scored, the individually administered performance task that follows is part of the student’s overall score.   While taking the performance task, like any other part of the test, students cannot talk to each other, and all students must provide their own responses.
  • #26 ELA performance task examples
  • #27 Let’s look at a performance task example for English language arts/literacy and mathematics. Examples such as these can be found on the Practice Tests.
  • #28  We will start with an ELA example.
  • #29 In this Classroom Activity, students review information about outdated technology.
  • #30 Then, in a structured discussion, they talk about what they have read with classmates.
  • #31 Within three days of participating in the Classroom Activity, students take the individually administered performance task.    
  • #32 At this point, the students work independently, without discussion, on different secure tasks related to the Classroom Activity. There are two parts to the individually administered ELA PT: Part 1 is Research and Part 2 is Writing (sometimes referred to as the “full-write”). It is recommended that these two parts be administered in two sessions.
  • #33 In Part 1, students are given a set of two or more sources to be used on both parts of the test. This information may be in the form of informational or argumentative articles, research articles, charts, or other sources.
  • #34 In this example, students access research articles from several sources about the same topic — in this case, what real robots can do. They may take notes on paper or on the computer.
  • #35 The ELA task then requires the student to answer research questions about the sources.
  • #36 First, the student is asked to explain appropriate evidence from a variety of sources.
  • #37 Then, the student is asked to explain evidence that supports the given statement.
  • #38 In the final part of the ELA online performance task, students are asked to respond to a writing assignment using the full-write process: drafting, revising, and editing.
  • #39 The writing assignment, or full-write assignment as it is sometimes called, is designed so students use information from the sources presented previously in the performance task. They use these sources when writing their multi-paragraph essays, articles, reports, or narratives. In the ELA performance task, sources and global notes from Part 1 are available in Part 2 so students may refer to the sources and their global notes even though they are not able to return to the research questions in Part 1.
  • #40 The online system provides many common word-processing tools such as an embedded dictionary and thesaurus, bold, italics, underlining, copy, paste, and spell check to assist the student with the writing assignment.    
  • #41 Mathematics performance task examples
  • #42 The mathematics performance task looks very similar to the ELA performance task.
  • #43 In the Classroom Activity for this performance task, the teacher or facilitator leads the students through an activity that familiarizes them with the context in which a food basket would be used and how individual foods are selected for inclusion based on certain nutritional requirements or needs.
  • #44 After completing the Classroom Activity, students are then ready to begin the individual component of the performance task.
  • #45 The individually administered component of the mathematics performance task has a stimulus that provides information for the student to use in the task.
  • #46 In this sample task, the student has the opportunity to use the tools to help complete the task.
  • #47 The set of questions in the mathematics performance task is designed to give students a coherent picture of how mathematics is used to plan and make decisions in the real world.
  • #48 Administration, timing, and sequencing
  • #49 Smarter Balanced recommends the following sequence:   1) Students take the computer adaptive test (CAT), then the Classroom Activity, and then the performance task.   2) Once a student starts either portion of the assessment, he or she completes that portion of the test before moving on to the next portion.   3) It is recommended that the CAT portion of the test be administered first, followed by the performance task.   In all instances, the Classroom Activity MUST be administered prior to the performance task and the performance task must be completed within 10 days of starting the task.
  • #50 Here’s a sample order of administration for both the ELA and mathematics performance tasks. The ELA performance task should start with the Classroom Activity, and then, within three days, the performance task should be administered. The ELA performance task should be administered over two sessions (Part 1 and Part 2). The performance task should not be administered on the same day as the Classroom Activity.   The mathematics performance task requires a Classroom Activity first, and then, within three days, the performance task should be administered. The mathematics PT requires one test session at minimum but may, in some instances, be administered over multiple sessions.
  • #51 There may be an instance when the performance task is inadvertently administered prior to the student(s) being exposed to the Classroom Activity.  If this happens, the student(s) should continue with and complete the performance task. The Test Administrator must report this occurrence as a testing irregularity. Further directions about testing irregularities can be found in the Online Test Administration Manual.
  • #52 The Online Test Administration Manual includes tables of recommended sequences for ELA and mathematics. The tables provide estimated average times for students to complete the online assessments and outlines the number and duration of sessions, breaks, total duration of the assessment, and additional resources for the mathematics and ELA CAT items, Classroom Activities, and performance tasks.
  • #53 Don’t forget these details
  • #54 There are some other important details to know about performance tasks, so please take note of the following information.
  • #55 Performance tasks expire after ten calendar days once initiated by the student.
  • #56 There are no pause rules for the performance task. Students can take breaks during the administration of the performance task but will be automatically logged out after twenty minutes in a paused state or thirty minutes of inactivity. The mathematics PT is presented on a single screen. Following a break, students have access to the same items in the mathematics task. For ELA, after taking a break, students will have access to only those items within the part of the task they were working on (Part 1 or Part 2) prior to the break.  
  • #57 During the ELA PT, the notes on the embedded universal tool, Global Notes, are retained from Part 1 to Part 2 so that the student may go back to the notes even though he or she is not able to go back to the research questions in Part 1. Online Embedded Global Notes is the preferred mode for note taking. Global Notes is not available for the mathematics PT.
  • #58 To ensure that students using scratch paper for notes have the same allowance as students using the online notes, TAs should collect students’ scratch paper at the completion of Part 1 of the ELA PT and securely store the paper for students’ use during Part 2 of the ELA PT. After administration, all scratch paper must be securely destroyed in adherence to test security procedures.
  • #59 Scratch paper must be made available to all students taking the math assessment. Graph paper is required for students in 6th grade and above. If the mathematics performance task is administered over more than one test session, Test Administrators should retain scratch paper and graph paper between test sessions. Scratch paper and graph paper may not be retained between test sessions for the CAT portion. Following the conclusion of the mathematics PT, all scratch paper and graph paper must be collected and securely destroyed to maintain test security.  
  • #60 A calculator is required for students in Grade 6 and above taking the mathematics performance task. This is an embedded universal tool available through the online test delivery system.
  • #61 For more information, please visit: www.smarterbalanced.org