The Assessment Blueprint

The Assessment
Blueprint
Designing an Excellent
Assessment Set

Assessments in a Nutshell
My students grow and learn every day!!

Assessments in a Nutshell
So…
HOW can we gather
information/data/artifacts
to prove growth is happening?
Measure Change
Measure Student Learning
Measure Student Growth
Important Term:
Mirrored Assessment Set:
A series of comparable assessments that can measure
and monitor learning over 2 or more points in time. They
are designed with the same form, content, and level of
complexity.

Lets Make A Blueprint:
Teachers can design their own, or pick from available options
Assessment Blueprint Development Protocol
Step One: Identify what essential skills & knowledge you will assess.
Step Two: Select the form(s) for your assessment.
Step Three: Determine the number of items at each level of cognitive demand

Getting Focused.
Imagine a list of everything you taught in an
instructional interval….

I teach so many different things…
How can I determine what is “essential?”
How do we prioritize?
Essential Skills/Knowledge

Bookend your course:
What do you want all students to
know & be able to do
by the end of your instructional interval?

1. Endurance: Will this standard or indicator provide students with
knowledge and skills that will be of value beyond a single test date?
This is information a student will need to know far beyond the last test
the teacher gives.
2. Leverage: Will this provide knowledge and skills that will be of
value in multiple disciplines? (For example: making inferences is a
skill that can be used in many subjects)
3. Readiness for the next level of learning: Will this provide
students with essential knowledge and skills that are necessary for
success in the next grade of the next level of instruction?
Ainsworth, L. (2003)

the teacher gives.
Examples:
#1: What year was this composer born?
IF you ask students to do this for one test and never again all
year long...it doesn’t have endurance.
#2: Clap out a rhythm of quarter notes and half notes.
IF you will revisit quarter notes and half notes again and
again, they have endurance.

the teacher gives.
Example:
#1: Analysis (of students own work and others work)
Students can apply this in writing, ceramics, social studies
and more. Analysis includes creative thinking and problem
solving which is applicable to nearly every subject area.

the teacher gives.
3. Readiness for the next level of learning: Will this
provide students with essential knowledge and skills that are necessary
for success in the next grade of the next level of instruction?

the teacher gives.
3. Readiness for the next level of learning: Will this
provide students with essential knowledge and skills that are necessary
for success in the next grade of the next level of instruction?
Essential Skills/Knowledge Examples:
#1: 7th grade math to 8th grade math
What is the entry level expectation for advanced courses?
What must students master in prereq courses?
#2: Fine Motor Skills
Are there skill that must be developed for success in the next
grade?

Typically, this is what you have an
opportunity to teach again and again in
an instructional interval.

Comparable assessments in a set are of the same format
Selected Response Assessments: Ask students to
select the correct answer from a provided set of answers.
Constructed Response Assessments: Ask students to
construct their own answer to a question.
Performance Assessments: Ask students to demonstrate
understanding by performing or creating a product.
Be Intentional about Question
Form

Constructed Response Assessments:
● Take more time to grade
● Require a specific rubric
● Require inter-rater and intra-rater reliability
● Write descriptive rubrics: less than full credit should
point out misconceptions, next steps
● May not be appropriate for all ages or subjects
● Be consistent in administration technique (directions,
etc.)
Considerations in Selecting
Question Form

Inter-Rater Reliability:
● Same/Repeatable results when
2+ people are using 1 rubric
● Practice as a team, share samples,
keep on file
Intra-Rater Reliability:
● Repeatable results when
1 person is using 1 rubric
● Photograph/record samples, keep on file
Reliability:
Consistent, Repeatable Results

Determine the Spectrum of
Complexity
Acknowledging the various levels of cognitive demand within each standard will
help teachers write questions at a consistent cognitive level across the
assessment sets thus allowing the sets to mirror in complexity.

Complexity
Mirrored questions - same range of cognitive demand.
Blooms Taxonomy
(Revised)
Marzano's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
Remembering Level 1: Retrieval Recall and reproduction
(DOK1)
Understanding Level 2: Comprehension Skills and concepts (DOK2)
Applying Level 3: Analysis Strategic thinking/complex
reasoning (DOK3)
Analyzing Level 4: Knowledge Utilization Extended thinking/reasoning
(DOK4)
Evaluating Level 5: Metacognition
Creating Level 6: Self-System Thinking

Complexity
Blooms Taxonomy
(Revised)
Marzano's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
(DOK1)
reasoning (DOK3)
(DOK4)
These are the EASIEST
questions.
* Recall this term.
* Why is this called an
impressionist painting?
* Why does the singer get
louder?

Complexity
Blooms Taxonomy
(Revised)
Marzano's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
(DOK1)
reasoning (DOK3)
(DOK4)
These are a bit HARDER...
* Recall a concept and apply it
to a new situation.
* Answer a question about a
piece that requires “read
between the lines”: What is the
artist’s main message?

Complexity
Blooms Taxonomy
(Revised)
Marzano's
Taxonomy
Webb's Depth of
Knowledge
(DOK1)
reasoning (DOK3)
(DOK4)
These are the HARDEST
questions.
* Recall facts and use them to
evaluate a new situation or
create a new piece.
* Evaluate between multiple
positions or opinions or ideas

Complexity
Keep the number of questions in each level of complexity
consistent!
Commit to a number of hard questions…
Commit to a number of easy questions….
And stick with that pattern on all assessments so they
are comparable in difficulty!

Complexity
consistent!
Commit to a number of hard questions…
Commit to a number of easy questions….
And stick with that pattern on all assessments so they
are comparable in difficulty!
Key: This is how you get
COMPARABLE results!
Difficulty level remains CONSTANT

Complexity
consistent!
Key Standard/ Objective
Basic:
(Remember & Understand)
Standard:
(Apply & Analyze)
Expanded:
(Evaluate & Create)
Key Ideas and Details 2 questions 5 questions 2 questions
Craft and Structure 2 questions 4 questions 3 questions
Integration of Ideas 2 questions 3 questions 1 questions
Assessment Total: 6/24 questions
=25% of test
12/24 questions
=50% of test
6/24 questions
=25% of test
For Example, in Assessments A, B and C:

Complexity
consistent!
Key Standard/ Objective
Basic:
(Remember & Understand)
Standard:
(Apply & Analyze)
Expanded:
(Evaluate & Create)
Key Ideas and Details 2 questions 5 questions 2 questions
Craft and Structure 2 questions 4 questions 3 questions
Integration of Ideas 2 questions 3 questions 1 questions
Assessment Total: 6/24 questions
=25% of test
12/24 questions
=50% of test
6/24 questions
=25% of test
For Example, in Assessments A, B and C:
Is 25%, 50%, 25% a magic formula?
NO!
Think about your class/course and what would make
an appropriate balanced assessment!
Example: Honors class? Remedial Class?

Teachers can design their own, or pick from available options
Assessment Blueprint Development Protocol
Step One: Identify what essential skills & knowledge you will assess.
(Circle, Triangle Square Analogy)
Step Two: Select the form(s) for your assessment.
Step Three: Determine the number of items at each level of cognitive demand
Try writing the question right
into the graphic organizer

EXAMPLE Blueprint Set:
EXCERPT Questions for Assessment #1
Essential Skill &
Knowledge
Basic Level 1
(Remember &
Understand)
Standard Level 2
(Apply & Analyze)
Expanded Level 3
(Evaluate &
Create)
Reading Literature-Forgetting the Words (Lexile 780)
http://www.readworks.org/passages/forgetting-words
CC.3.R.L.1-Ask and answer
questions to demonstrate
understanding of a text,
referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
How is Andy involved in the
school play?
a. Andy is watching his friends
act in the play.
b. Andy is starring in the
school play.
c. Andy is writing the play.
d. Andy is directing the play.
The main idea of this story is
that
a. Andy is not able to perform
in the play because he is so
nervous
b. Andy is able to get over his
nerves and feel confident with
encouragement
c. Andy says the wrong thing,
his mother sees, and the whole
play is ruined
d. People sometimes do not
know what to do when on stage
and don’t say anything
In the passage, the author says
that Andy is afraid to make a
mistake in the play when he can’
t remember what to say. What
evidence best shows Andy is no
longer frightened by being on
stage?
a. “Andy is worried about
letting her down”
b. “He has been looking
forward to this for weeks.”
c. “He still can’t remember his
line, but it doesn’t matter.”
d. “Andy loves pretending to be
a pirate.”
This is only a one row
excerpt...

EXAMPLE Blueprint Set:
EXCERPT Questions for Assessment #2
Essential Skill &
Knowledge
Basic Level 1
(Remember &
Understand)
Standard Level 2
(Apply & Analyze)
Expanded Level 3
(Evaluate &
Create)
Reading Literature-Lessons from Fishing (Lexile 780)
CC.3.R.L.1-Ask and answer
questions to demonstrate
understanding of a text,
referring explicitly to the text as
the basis for the answers.
Why does Martin jump into the
water?
a. Martin wants to touch a fish.
b. Martin wants to see how fast
a fish can swim.
c. The fish escaped with the
stringer.
d. Martin can’t swim.
What is the main theme of the
story?
a. Learning how to fish is a
good way to learn how to swim.
b. Fishing makes you strong if
you hold onto the pole.
c. Fishing is a good family
activity.
d. Fishing is like life, with
some days that are a success and
other days that are not.
In the passage, the author says
that Morgan “goes fishing all
the time” and that he “has gotten
even better at it than his father
and his grandfather.”
Based on this evidence, what
can be concluded about the sport
of fishing?
a. Fishing can be learned in
less than a week.
b. Being good at fishing takes a
lot of practice.
c. Only teenagers are good at
fishing.
d. Fishing is best taught by
family members.

Downloads:
WORD: www.KidsAtTheCore.com/growthassessmentblueprint.docx
PDF: www.KidsAtTheCore.com/growthassessmentblueprint.pdf

The Assessment Blueprint

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The Assessment Blueprint