New GACE Assessments Passing Scores For

Summary of July 11th GaPSC Presentation: GACE Passing ScoresPassing Scores forNew GACE Assessments Update on Standard-setting StudiesProfessional/Induction: ScalingPassing Scores to Support Professional/InductionGACE Paraprofessional UpdateUpdate on Standard-setting Studies As of July 11th – 30 separate panels– More than 300 educators have volunteeredtheir time and expertise Coming up – Remaining studies will be completed byJuly 26th– All results (except for GACE Paraprofessional)will be presented at the September GaPSCmeetingFeedback from Panelists I was very impressed with the entire standardsetting study. The experience I gained isinvaluable.— Middle School Mathematics panelist Great experience! Please contact me in the futureto be on a panel.— Agricultural Education panelist Excellent opportunity to serve with this studygroup. I am very appreciative for the experience.— Early Childhood Special Education panelist1 PagePresentation given by EducationalTesting Service to the GeorgiaProfessional Standards Commission onJuly 11th, 2013.As of July 11th, 30 of the 45 standardsetting studies for the new GACEassessments have been completed. Allstudies will be completed by July 26thwith the results presented to GaPSC atthe September meeting.

Summary of July 11th GaPSC Presentation: GACE Passing ScoresScaling (the conversion of raw scores tothe GACE reporting scale) will supportthe reporting of two passing scores –Professional and Induction.ScalingPROFESSIONAL/INDUCTION300250 Professional220 Induction Professionalpassing score Recommended Value Inductionpassing score Recommended Valueminus # CSEMs100– Policy decision– Same for all tests withtiered reportingProfessional/Induction Applied to the GACE content assessmentsand Educational Leadership Single passing score for– Program Admission– Paraprofessional– Certification Upgrade Teacher Leadership Curriculum & Instruction Instructional Technology2 PageThe GACE scale will be 100 to 300 for alltests. Two passing score values will befixed for each test – 250 for theProfessional passing score and 220 forthe Induction passing score.The Professional passing score will beset at the recommended score from thestandard-setting panel (and scaled to250 on the GACE scale). The Inductionpassing score will be set below therecommended score, most likely twoconditional standard errors ofmeasurement (CSEM). The number ofCSEMs below the recommended scoreis a policy decision and would be thesame for all GACE tests. The Inductionpassing score would be scaled to 220on the GACE scale.Use of two passing scores (Professionaland Induction) would apply to mostGACE assessments except the ProgramAdmission Assessment, theParaprofessional Assessment and threecertification upgrade assessments.

Summary of July 11th GaPSC Presentation: GACE Passing ScoresProfessional/Induction(cont’d.) Candidates that take assessments with two testsand earn scores– at or above the Professional passing score on both testscomplete the assessment requirements for aProfessional Certification– at or above the Induction passing score on both tests,BUT below the Professional passing score on one or bothtests, complete the assessment requirements for aInduction Certification– below the Induction passing score on one or both testsdo not complete the assessment requirements for a anycertificationProfessional/Induction(cont’d.) Candidates receiving Induction Certification havethree years to fulfill the assessment requirementsfor a Professional Certification– receive a score at or above the Professional passingscore OR– Receive evaluations that demonstrate competency(GaPSC to determine criteria) Professional and Induction Certification applies toinitial certification and additional content-areacertificationsMeeting or exceeding the Professionalor Induction passing scores is onerequirement for receiving aProfessional or Induction Certification.Candidates receiving an InductionCertification must satisfy theassessments requirements for aProfessional Certification during thefirst three years of teaching. (Anemploying district can petition theGaPSC for a fourth year.) There are twopaths – earn score(s) at or above theProfessional passing score or receiveevaluations that meet criteriaestablished by the GaPSC.Professional and InductionCertifications apply to a teacher’s firstcertification area and any additionalcontent-area certifications.3 Page

Summary of July 11th GaPSC Presentation: GACE Passing ScoresPassing ScoresPROFESSIONAL/INDUCTIONPassing Scores Passing rates using the recommendedvalues (Professional) will differ by test Passing rates at minus two CSEMs will differby test Examined 11 assessments from ETS’s otherstate-specific and national teachercertification programs– No evidence to suggest Professional certification bar will be too high across theboard Induction certification bar will be too low across the boardA few examples Remember– Recommended Adopted Passing Score– Test content and formats may be different thanGACE– Expectations (Target Candidate) may bedifferent for GACE– Test-taker populations are different for GACERegardless of the values used toestablish the Professional and Inductionpassing scores, the passing rates willvary by test. ETS examined the passingrates for 11 other teacher certificationtests to see if bars set with theProfessional passing score would be toohigh across all the GACE tests or if thebars set with the Induction passingscore would be too low.The following are a few examples fromother tests. There are a few caveats toconsider. 4 PageThe recommended passing scorefrom a standard-setting panel maynot be the score adopted by a state.The content and format of theGACE tests may different from theexample tests.The expectations of the GACEstandard-setting panels may behigher or lower than other panels.The GACE test-taker population willbe different from the test-takers inother states.

Summary of July 11th GaPSC Presentation: GACE Passing ScoresElementary Education(estimates percent passing at select ed70-1.0 CSEM80-1.5 CSEMs90100-2.0 CSEMsSecondary Education Subjects(estimates percent passing at select scores)Spanish8359Business Ed9792Social Studies7963English89795060Recommended5 Page70-1.0 CSEM80-1.5 CSEMs90-2.0 CSEMs100Two elementary education (earlychildhood) teacher certification tests.Within the same content area, passingrates would differ for therecommended passing scores (fromseparate standard-setting panels) andat two CSEMs below the recommendedpassing scores.Four secondary teacher certificationtests for four different content areas.Passing rates differ across contentareas.

Summary of July 11th GaPSC Presentation: GACE Passing ScoresSetting Passing ScoresGACE PARAPROFESSIONALASSESSMENTStandard-setting Study Results Panel of Georgia educators reviewed andapproved existing assessment Study conducted on June 12-13 14 educators– Seven teachers– Six paraprofessionals– One faculty member Recommended value 55 (out of 75)– -1 CSEM 52– -2 CSEMs 48Standard-setting StudyResults (cont’d.) 33 states have established a passing scorefor this assessment– No states are at or above the recommendedpassing score– 7 states are between the recommendedpassing score and minus 2 CSEMs– 8 states are at minus 2 CSEMs– 18 states are below minus 2 CSEMs6 PageToday, ETS will present the results fromthe standard-setting study for the GACEParaprofessional Assessment. (Resultsfor remaining standard-setting studieswill be presented at the SeptemberGaPSC meeting.)The GACE Paraprofessional Assessmentalso is administered nationally. A panelof Georgia educators reviewed thecontent specifications and a form of thenational assessment and determinedthat they met the state’s needs.

other tests. There are a few caveats to consider. The recommended passing score from a standard-setting panel may not be the score adopted by a state. The content and format of the GACE tests may different from the example tests. The expectations of the GACE standard-setting panels may be higher or lower than other panels.