Press Release: Smarter Balanced Awards Item Authoring and Item Pool Application Contract to Pacific Metrics

OLYMPIA, Wash. — May 8, 2012 – The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) has awarded a contract to Pacific Metrics to develop an application to support the development and storage of assessment items and performance tasks. The item authoring and item pool application will allow writers and reviewers around the country to create and maintain items for the assessment system.  

“Computer adaptive assessments like Smarter Balanced rely on stable and secure item banks,” said Joe Willhoft, Ph.D., executive director of Smarter Balanced. “This contract will help ensure that the assessment system can support a large number of items and performance tasks that go beyond multiple-choice questions to measure the full depth and breadth of the Common Core State Standards.”

Smarter Balanced is developing a balanced system of assessments—with formative, interim, and summative assessments—that measure achievement and growth toward college and career readiness. The work of Smarter Balanced is guided by the belief that a high-quality assessment system can provide information and tools for teachers and schools to improve instruction and help students succeed—regardless of disability, language, or subgroup.

To date, Smarter Balanced has issued 13 requests for proposals and awarded nine contracts (out of an expected 17) toward the development of the summative assessment. More information on the Consortium’s procurement is available at: http://www.k12.wa.us/SMARTER/Jobs-Contracts.aspx.

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About Smarter Balanced
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium brings together states to create a common, innovative assessment system for mathematics and English language arts that is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and helps prepare students for college and careers. The Consortium involves educators, researchers, policymakers, and community groups in a transparent and consensus-driven process to help all students thrive in a knowledge-driven global economy. The Consortium’s projects are funded through a four-year, $175 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, comprising 99 percent of activity resources, with the remaining support provided through generous contributions of charitable foundations. Membership is open to any interested U.S. state. For more information, please visit www.smarterbalanced.org.