Where Can I Find PARCC Math Assessment Sample Items and Examples?

by | Oct 17, 2014 | Common Core Assessments

In today’s blog post, we wanted to take a quick look at the available PARCC online assessment practice and sample resources.
PARCC UpdateThe Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), one of two state consortia developing Common Core-aligned assessments, has recently released updates to it’s “sample items” and “task prototypes”.

  • Looking for Smarter Balanced practice resource information instead? Be sure to check out last week’s blog post!

These free resources are designed to help both educators and students visualize and practice the basic scope and functionality of the mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) interactions prior to the 2014-2015 assessment deadline.
Read below the break to learn where you can find the free PARCC resources and what value they provide to teachers and students practicing for the online tests.

PARCC practice resources

PARCC’s official website, parcconline.org, contains two types of practice resources: Task Prototypes and Online Samples. The mathematics resources encompass grades 3-8 and high school tasks. The ELA resources include grades 3-11.
1) Task prototypes:

  • Released in August 2012, the PARCC task prototypes provide early models of the online test items. The prototypes indicate the standards alignment and scoring methods as well as providing select interactive models to help students and educators practice the online assessment functionality.

2) Sample items:

  • Released in (and subsequently after) August 2013, the PARCC sample items feature a visual and in-depth view into the current state of assessment item development. Many of the select sample items are currently presented in PDF form and are not interactive.

According to PARCC, the consortium plans to release interactive “technology-based items that students, educators, and parents can use to better understand the content and the technologies PARCC will be using” in 2013 (like this slider ruler for the sixth grade math assessments).

  • However, as of the posting of this blog (December 2, 2013), a majority of the sample items are still not interactive

Links to sample items and additional PARCC resources

You can access the PARCC task prototypes and sample items at the links below (click link and then use toolbar at on the left of the page to navigate between grade levels):

Also be sure to check out the following resources to learn a bit more about steps you and your students can take to better prepare for the PARCC online assessments!

Tell us about your classroom’s PARCC practice efforts!

The PARCC officials intend to enhance the interactive level of practice materials as we inch closer to next school year’s deadline. However, there are other interactive online resources available to help students prepare for the upcoming online tests (hint, hint, Wowzers).
Are you utilizing the PARCC-provided resources we listed in this post in your classroom or have you found other resources that help you and your students prepare for these online assessments? We’d love to hear your stories, comments, and concerns.
Start your conversation on our Facebook Page or Tweet us at @Wowzers!


Is your school ready for the PARCC online math assessments?

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PARCC (R) is a registered mark of PARCC, Inc. Wowzers is not owned, endorsed by, or affiliated with PARCC Inc. nor the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, and no fees paid to Wowzers are paid to PARCC, Inc.

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