About Us

RTTT District-developed Assessments for Hard-to-measure Performing Arts

Our vision is a Performing Fine Arts Assessment for dance, music and theatre that is a world-class model.  Be a part of our team to help make this goal a reality by 2014.

Overview 

The Project is developing unique, interactive, and engaging Performing Fine Arts Assessments for Florida by developing a test bank of High Quality test items that assess individual student achievement of the Performing, Creating, and Responding NGSSS.  Test Items directly address the benchmarks outlined the the course description of the Highest Enrolled Florida Performing Fine Arts classrooms. The Test Blueprint is a two part assessment plan - Responding and Performing/Creating.
 
The Item Bank and Test Platform will be a tool for assessing the Performing Fine Arts "Next Generationi Sunshine State Standards."   The test items and platform will be available to School Districts and teachers.
 
The Project leadership believes that those closest to the students of Florida should play the leading role in shaping how our students will be assessed in the Performing Fine Arts.  One hundred, twenty (120) Writers and Reviewers from 30 Florida Public School Districts have been trained to write and review test Items for the assessment.  One hundred, forty (140) Scorers, from 36 Public School Districts, joined the Project in Year III.   Other successes include:  the development of this website; the leadership of the Project Team and Steering Task Force; the on-line application and training for Writers, Reviewers and Scorers; Item Development Plan; Item Specifications; Guide to Writing and Reviewing Test Items; Test Blueprints; Test Maps; Item Try-out Plan; and the Field Test.  Florida’s young dance, music and theatre artists will be the beneficiaries.

Background

On August 24, 2010, the U.S. Department of Education announced that Florida was a winner of the federal Race to the Top Phase 2 competition.  A competitive grant process awarded the Polk County School Board two “Race To The Top” Performing Fine Arts Assessment Projects (Project C - Dance,  Elementary Music, Secondary Vocal Music, Theatre; and Project D - Secondary Instrumental Music) to create high-quality assessments for hard-to-measure content areas - dance, music and theatre.  To read more, visit the Florida Department of Education.

Purpose

The mission of the “Race To The Top” Florida Performing Fine Arts Assessment Project is to design and develop high-quality assessment items for Dance, Music and Theatre "highest enrolled" courses in the state of Florida.  A test item bank will be ready for field-testing by 2013-2014.
 
As part of the the Race-to-the-Top state initiative, DOE provided grants for district-developed item bank creation in seven (7) Hard-to-Measure areas that include the Performing Fine Arts.  This item bank will be accompanied by formative and summative assessments for the highest enrolled courses, which can be used by districts as “End-of-Course” exams.

• The primary purposes of the student assessment program are to provide information needed to improve the public schools by enhancing the learning gains of all students and to inform parents of the educational progress of their public school children.
• End-of-course assessments must be rigorous, statewide, standardized, and developed or approved by the department.  Participation in the assessment program is mandatory for all students attending public school.                                                                                                                - Florida Department of Education

 

What are the Content Areas for the Performing Fine Arts Assessment?  

Florida Performing Fine Arts content areas include dance, music, and theatre.

NOTE: This information was developed under a grant from the U. S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U. S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.