Mississippi CTE Performance-Based Assessment Project is Piloted in Early Childhood and Polymer Science In May 2010, the Research and Curriculum Unit (RCU) began
into the Questionmark assessment system. At the end of
a pilot project with approximately 43 Early Childhood and
the 2010–2011 school year, a postsecondary and university
eight Polymer Science secondary instructors. The goal of this
expert will serve as a second rater and evaluate randomly
project is to develop, implement, and evaluate a performance-based
selected student performance assessments using the same
assessment in secondary career and technical education (CTE)
rating system as the instructor. A test of inter-rater reliability
pathway programs by 2012 that can do the following:
will be used to assess the consistency of the implementation of the rating system. If there is no strong agreement between
e Be seamlessly implemented into classroom-based
the instructor and second rater, then another postsecondary
instruction (does not disrupt instruction).
or university expert will conduct a third rating.
e Be a valid indicator of student knowledge and abilities.
This project will be completed under the expertise and guidance of the established Performance-Based Advisory Committee.
e Provide impetus for improving instruction.
The committee consists of a variety of professionals from
e Increase students’ understanding of what they need to
institutions of higher learnings (IHLs), postsecondar y
know and be able to do.
institutions, and secondary institutions. Additionally, external experts in curriculum, assessment, and professional learning
The participants in this pilot project will implement performance
will participate on this committee.
assessments aligned to the 2010 revised Early Childhood and Polymer Science curriculum frameworks. The instructors
Improvements in the assessment, professional learning,
completed professional learning sessions dedicated to creating
and curriculum content and processes will be implemented
common assessments, implementing research-based strategies,
based on data collected from all participants and analyzed
and documenting student performance through the e-Portfolio
throughout this project. Upon the completion of this pilot
tool in the Blackboard learning management system. Postsecondary
project, an internal procedure for performance-based
and university instructors and experts reviewed the common
assessments will be created. Additionally, a publication
assessments and evaluation procedures and processes. All
explaining the procedure for performance-based assessments
professional learning offerings were evaluated using the National
will be developed for local education agencies.
Staff Development Council’s Standards for Staff Development. For more information about the Performance-Based Throughout the 2010–2011 school year, instructors will
A ss essment proje ct, cont act D enis e Sibley, Interim
meet online to look at student work and discuss student
Coordinator for A ss essment a nd Account ability, at
evaluation procedures and processes. Additionally, instructors
denis e.sibley@rcu.m sstate.edu or 662.325.2510.
will input their evaluation scores on student performance 5