1	How Did We Get Here ? It began with No Child Left Behind – but it became a shared vision of high standards and quality assessment.
2
3	Overview of Test Design Who? The NECAP includes “all” public school students in grades 3-8 in NH, RI, and VT. Through explicit planning during test construction and the use of accommodations, the tests will be accessible to as many students as possible. The NECAP does not include each state’s alternate assessment and English language proficiency assessment programs.
4	Overview of Test Design What? The content, skills, and depth of knowledge contained in the Grade Level Expectations (GLE) developed jointly by the three states expressly for this assessment program. Reading and Mathematics tests at all grades. Writing tests at grades 5 and 8. At each grade level, the test will measure student performance on the beginning of year GLE developed for that grade. Each test will be designed to measure a range of student performance across four performance levels.
5	Overview of Test Design When? Testing will occur during a 3-week window in October. Operational testing will begin in October 2005. A “full-scale” field test will be administered in late October 2004 All schools and students will participate. Students will complete only one content area test. No results will be reported from the field test. Item results will be used to revise and select items for the initial operational test. Feedback from the field test will be used to make adjustments to administration procedures.
6	Overview of Test Design Why - Why fall testing? Assessments results will be returned in December (January in the initial year), followed later by accountability results. Allows time for interpretation and use of the assessment results for curriculum and instruction improvement during the spring and summer. Provides timely information for budgeting Improves ability of classroom teacher to make data driven decisions.
7	Overview of Test Design How? Item Types Each test will include a variety of item types Multiple-choice Constructed-response Short Answer (mathematics) Short Constructed-response (mathematics,writing) Extended Writing (writing) Form Follows Function
8	Overview of Test Design Common/Matrix Design (Reading,Mathematics) Common Items A common set of items completed by all students. All performance level scores (student, school, district, and state) are based solely on common items Matrix-Sampled Items Unique sets of items distributed across forms. Matrix-sampled items used for linking tests across years and field testing new items.
9	Common/Matrix Design Each test will include multiple forms Test forms are distributed randomly to students Each student completes a single test form Common items comprise approximately 70% of each student’s test form.
10	Common/Matrix Design
11	Common/Matrix Design