PARCC

PARCC. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers was a consortium of states that developed standardized assessments aligned with the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Funded through the Race to the Top program by the U.S. Department of Education, its primary goal was to measure student preparedness for postsecondary education and careers. The consortium, managed by the nonprofit PARCC Inc., represented a significant shift in large-scale testing toward computer-based testing and complex, performance-based tasks.

Overview

The consortium was formed in 2010 by a coalition of state education chiefs and governors from across the United States, with initial membership including states like Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey. Its creation was a direct response to the Race to the Top assessment competition, which awarded grants to develop next-generation evaluations. Governing the partnership was a board comprised of state commissioners of education, such as those from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Department of Education. The operational work was carried out by the nonprofit PARCC Inc., which contracted with major testing vendors like Pearson Education and Educational Testing Service for test development and scoring.

Development and implementation

Development was led by PARCC Inc. in collaboration with educators from member states, including curriculum specialists from districts like the Chicago Public Schools and the District of Columbia Public Schools. The process involved extensive field testing and pilot programs in states such as Maryland and Rhode Island before full operational launches. Key implementation milestones included the first operational administration of the ELA and Mathematics assessments in the 2014-2015 school year across several states. The consortium saw significant membership fluctuation, with original members like Indiana and Oklahoma withdrawing early, while others like New Mexico and the Arkansas Department of Education remained participants for longer periods. The design emphasized computer-based testing, requiring substantial technological infrastructure investments in districts like the Philadelphia School District.

Test design and content

The assessments were exclusively computer-based testing, featuring a variety of innovative item types beyond traditional multiple-choice questions. These included technology-enhanced items, multi-part tasks, and extended performance-based assessments requiring essays and complex problem-solving. In ELA, students analyzed full texts, such as excerpts from works by Shakespeare or Martin Luther King Jr., and synthesized information from multiple sources. The Mathematics sections focused on modeling, reasoning, and applying concepts to real-world scenarios, moving away from simple computation. The tests were designed as a series across grade levels, with end-of-year components and optional mid-year performance tasks, influencing curricula in districts from the Los Angeles Unified School District to the Broward County Public Schools.

Scoring and results

Scoring utilized a five-level performance scale, with Level 5 indicating distinguished command and Level 1 minimal understanding. Student reports provided detailed diagnostic information, linking scores to specific skill descriptors to inform instruction in schools like those in the Boston Public Schools. Results were used for federal accountability under the Every Student Succeeds Act and for state-level systems, such as the New Jersey Department of Education's school performance reports. Data was also aggregated to provide comparative benchmarks across participating states, including Ohio and Pennsylvania. The scoring process involved centralized, automated systems and trained readers, often managed through contracts with Pearson Education, to evaluate open-ended responses.

Reception and criticism

The assessments faced significant political and public criticism, often linked to broader debates over the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Opponents, including groups like the GOP and parent advocacy organizations, criticized test length, cost, and the perceived federal overreach of the U.S. Department of Education. Several states, including Florida under Governor Rick Scott, withdrew from the consortium, opting for alternative assessments like the Florida Standards Assessments. Technical challenges with computer-based testing platforms, particularly in districts like the Clark County School District, also drew complaints. Proponents, including former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and organizations like the National Education Association, argued the tests provided a more authentic measure of critical thinking compared to predecessors like the New England Common Assessment Program. By 2021, the multi-state consortium had effectively dissolved, with most former members, such as Colorado and Illinois, transitioning to state-specific or smaller collaborative assessments. Category:Standardized tests in the United States Category:Education in the United States Category:Common Core