Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment (MoSCPA) Candidate Handbook

Transcription

1 Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment (MoSCPA) Candidate Handbook July 2015 Version 2.0

2 Table of Contents General Overview... 3 The Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators... 4 What are the Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators?... 4 Overview of the Tasks... 7 Support and Ethics Getting Started Writing and Formatting Guidelines Thinking About Evidence Video Recording Scoring Ownership Technical Issues Ancillary Materials Permission Forms MoDESE. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. Inquiries related to Department programs and to the location of services, activities, and facilities that are accessible by persons with disabilities may be directed to the Jefferson State Office Building, Office of the General Counsel, Coordinator Civil Rights Compliance (Title VI/Title IX/504/ADA/Age Act), 6th Floor, 205 Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 480, Jefferson City, MO ; telephone number or TTY ; civilrights@dese.mo.gov Page 1 of 29

3 This Candidate Handbook will help you understand the history and background of the MoSCPA and will provide a general overview of the assessment as well as the specific details you will need to submit the contents of your performance assessment. The Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment has been developed by a team of exemplary professional school counselors and school counselor educators. Appreciation is extended to the following members of the Content Development Team. Karen Bader Kimberly Connor Marcia Dowdy Geoff Heckman Rochelle Hiatt Becky McIntyre Sarah Sadewhite Laura Shelton Catherine Simpson Janice Speck Jason Thompson Shelly Vertin Janice Ward Cherri Williams Aurora R-8 School District Lincoln University Missouri State University Platte County School District Northwest Missouri State University Raytown C2 School District Columbia Public Schools Savannah R-3 School District Missouri Baptist University Missouri Baptist University Missouri Baptist University Savannah R-3 School District Southeast Missouri State University Cole R-1 School District Appreciation is also extended to the Educational Testing Service consultants who facilitated the development process: Project Owners Seth Weiner and Ethan Taylor, Product Manager Jean Reckage, and Assessment Developers Steve Schreiner, Sue Obetz, Jenna Norton, and Holly Mayberry. Page 2 of 29

4 General Overview The Missouri School Counselor Assessment (MoSCPA) is an evidence-based performance assessment designed to assess the counseling skills of school counselor candidates during their clinical experience prior to their receiving a license. This assessment evaluates school counselor candidates on their ability to enhance the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program (MCGCP), to improve impact instructional services, to contribute to student learning, and to contribute to school improvement as stated in the Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators and the three MoSCPA tasks. The assessment consists of three summative tasks. The tasks are described later in this handbook. Before beginning this assessment, review the entire handbook for information about the tasks, rubrics, writing guidelines, online authoring system, video, and more. There are also other documents that are written to help support you through this process. Consult the Missouri Performance Assessments Web site ( for these documents. Are there permission forms that must be signed for the Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment? Yes. Your response to the task prompts includes the submission of artifacts, which include samples of student work and, for Task 3, a fifteen-minute video recording of you interacting with colleagues. You are required to obtain a signed permission form for every adult and student whose work you submit and/or who appears in the video recording. The MoSCPA Adult Permission Form and a MoSCPA Student Permission Form can be found directly on the Missouri Performance Assessments Web site ( ). You must use these MoSCPA permission forms; district or school permission forms will not be accepted. Page 3 of 29

5 The Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators What performance standards does the Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment measure? The Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment (MoSCPA) provides a meaningful measure of a school counselor candidate s readiness and ability to provide effective counseling. It provides a comprehensive picture of a school counselor candidate s potential for success. This is a standards-based assessment that reflects the standards and quality indicators described in the Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators. What are the Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators? The standards are articulated across five general areas of professional practice. Quality indicators are provided for each standard. These quality indicators further describe the particular benchmark or criterion of the professional practice. Missouri School Counselor Standards Standard #1 Student Development The school counselor utilizes his/her skills and knowledge of student development and behavior to promote the mental health and well-being of all students by facilitating their academic, personal/social, and career development. Quality Indicator 1 Human Growth and Development: The professional school counselor demonstrates knowledge of human development and personality and how these domains affect learners, and applies this knowledge in his or her work with learners. Quality Indicator 2 Counseling Theories and Interventions: The professional school counselor knows and understands established and emerging counseling theories and applies knowledge of techniques and strategies for innovative and differentiated interventions. Quality Indicator 3 Helping Relationships: The professional school counselor establishes helping relationships with students through individual counseling, group work, classroom guidance, and mental health and well-being activities within the comprehensive guidance and counseling program. Quality Indicator 4 Social and Cultural Diversity: The professional school counselor demonstrates knowledge and understanding of how social and cultural diversity affects learning and development within the context of a global society and a diverse community of families through lesson plans, guidance activities, and interactions with students. Quality Indicator 5 Appraisal of Student Growth and Achievement: The professional school counselor knows and understands the principles of measurement and assessment for both individual and group approaches as they Page 4 of 29

6 apply to the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students through full implementation of a comprehensive guidance and counseling program and defines the counselor s role in assessment consistent with level of training, expertise, and a fully implemented comprehensive guidance and counseling program. Quality Indicator 6 Career Development and Planning: The professional school counselor demonstrates knowledge and understanding of career development and planning processes across the life span and assists all students in their career awareness, exploration, decision making, and planning. Standard #2 Program Implementation The school counselor collaborates with school and community members to plan, design, implement, evaluate, and enhance the school and district-wide comprehensive guidance and counseling program to advance the academic, personal/social, and career development of all students. Quality Indicator 1 Structural Components: The professional school counselor knows and understands the structural components of a fully implemented comprehensive guidance and counseling program, including a philosophy and definition, facilities, advisory council, resources, budget, and staffing patterns. Quality Indicator 2 Program Components: The professional school counselor knows, understands, and implements the four program components of the district s comprehensive guidance and counseling program providing all students with essential knowledge and skills defined by the Grade Level Expectations through the guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and system support. Quality Indicator 3 Technology: The professional school counselor integrates and utilizes technology for program delivery and management to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. Quality Indicator 4 Program, Personnel, and Results Evaluation: The professional school counselor knows, understands, and uses program, personnel, and results based evaluation procedures to plan, design, implement, evaluate, and enhance a comprehensive guidance and counseling program. Standard #3 Professional Relationships The school counselor develops collaborative professional relationships throughout the school and community which support the comprehensive guidance and counseling program as well as the overall mission and improvement plans of the school and district. Quality Indicator 1 Interpersonal Skills: The professional school counselor promotes, models, and teaches interpersonal skills to enhance relationships with and among administrators, staff, students, families, community members, agency representatives, and other professional school counselors to facilitate planning, implementing, maintaining, evaluating, and enhancing a comprehensive guidance and counseling program supportive of the academic, career, and personal/social success of all students. Page 5 of 29

7 Quality Indicator 2 Collaboration: The professional school counselor develops collaborative professional relationships with administrators, staff, students, families, community members, agency representatives, and other professional school counselors in order to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development success of all students. Quality Indicator 3 Consultation Theories and Strategies: The professional school counselor uses theories, models, and processes of consultation strategies to improve communication, develop and promote professional, family, and school relationships, and coordinate school and community resources to promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. Quality Indicator 4 School and Community Involvement: The professional school counselor is actively involved in school and community initiatives that promote the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. Standard #4 Leadership and Advocacy The school counselor serves as a change agent, demonstrating leadership, vision, collaboration, and advocacy for the on-going development of self, students, the comprehensive guidance and counseling program, and the school. Quality Indicator 1 Personal Well-Being: The professional school counselor knows, understands, uses, and models techniques of self-care. Quality Indicator 2 Leadership and Professionalism: The professional school counselor knows, understands, models, and promotes personal leadership and professionalism. Quality Indicator 3 Student Advocacy: The professional school counselor knows and understands the advocacy processes needed to address individual, institutional and social factors that influence access, equity, and success for all students. Quality Indicator 4 Program Leadership: The professional school counselor uses knowledge of comprehensive guidance and counseling program concepts to promote and enhance the success of students and the comprehensive guidance and counseling program while contributing to school improvement. Quality Indicator 5 School Climate and Culture: The professional school counselor uses the comprehensive guidance and counseling program to contribute to the development of a positive and safe school climate and culture. Standard #5 Ethical and Professional Conduct The school counselor knows, understands and adheres to current ethical and professional standards and legal requirements. Quality Indicator 1 Ethical Standards: Page 6 of 29

8 The professional school counselor knows, understands, and practices in accordance with ethical standards appropriate to the school counseling profession. Quality Indicator 2 Professional Standards: The professional school counselor knows, understands, and practices in accordance with local school policy and procedures. Quality Indicator 3 District and School Policies: The professional school counselor knows, understands, and practices in accordance with local school policy and procedures. Quality Indicator 4 Legal Requirements: The professional school counselor practices in accordance with local, state, and federal statutory requirements and is familiar with legal resources. Overview of Tasks: What is the general design of the Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment? The MoSCPA consists of three tasks. Each of the three tasks will take place during the school counselor candidate s internship. The school counselor candidate s task submissions will provide a variety of artifacts, including plans, presentations, and feedback, that will be submitted as part of the tasks. The school counselor candidate will be able to work on the tasks as he or she experiences the internship and will submit all three tasks simultaneously. What are the specific tasks of this assessment? Task 1: Evaluate, Plan, and Support the Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program In this task, you will demonstrate your ability to enhance the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program and contribute to school improvement. Task 1 Overview: Standards and Indicators The following Missouri School Counselor Standards represent the focus of this task. The evidence you submit must address and will be scored according to the following. Standard 2, Quality Indicators 3 and 4 Standard 4, Quality Indicators 3 and 4 What Do I Have to Do for This Task? For this task, you must submit the following evidence. 1. Written Commentary of a maximum of 25,500 characters (approximately eight typed pages) that responds to all parts of the guiding prompts; references your artifacts to support your written evidence; and describes, analyzes, and reflects on the evidence. Page 7 of 29

9 2. Six different artifacts (maximum of seven pages), including a representative page of a summary sheet of the Excel version of the Internal Improvement Review (IIR) (maximum of one page); a representative page of a prioritized list of the program s needs (maximum of one page); representative pages of the Program Improvement Plan (maximum of two pages); a representative page of the plan for implementation (maximum of one page); a representative page of feedback* from your site supervisor (maximum of one page); and a representative page of feedback* from an intern site colleague, other than the site supervisor, who was involved in the plan (maximum of one page). *A sample template is provided, but candidates may create a feedback form of their own. How to Submit Your Evidence (Refer to the Submission System User Guide for details.) Upload your artifacts into your Library of Artifacts. Refer to the artifacts in the Written Commentary. Attach the artifacts to your Written commentary within the appropriate box. How to Compose Your Written Commentary: This task has four steps, each with guiding prompts to help you provide evidence that supports your response. Your response needs to address all parts of each of the guiding prompts. Step 1: Identifying Resources and Collecting Data Step 2: Analyzing Data Step 3: Planning for the Implementation Step 4: Reflecting Please read the entire task before responding to any guiding prompts. Use the textboxes under the guiding prompts to compose your responses and attach your artifacts. Task 2: Implementing Program Components In this task, you will demonstrate your ability to implement program components within the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program (MCGCP). Task 2 Overview Standards and Indicators: The following Missouri School Counselor Standards represent the focus of this task. The evidence you submit must address and will be scored according to the following. Standard 1, Quality Indicators 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 Standard 2, Quality Indicators 2, 3, and 4 Standard 3, Quality Indicator 1 Standard 4, Quality Indicator 5 Page 8 of 29

10 What Do I have to do for This Task? For this task, you must submit the following evidence. 1. Written Commentary of a maximum of 28,500 characters (approximately nine typed pages) that responds to all parts of the guiding prompts; references your artifacts to support your written evidence; and describes, analyzes, and reflects on the evidence. 2. Five different artifacts (maximum of eight pages), including representative pages from your guidance curriculum unit plan (maximum of two pages); a representative page of your pretest assessment (maximum of one page); a representative page of your posttest assessment (maximum of one page); representative pages of a lesson plan that includes the assessment section plan* (maximum of two pages); and representative pages of the report concerning the pretest and posttest results (maximum of two pages). *A sample template is provided, but candidates may submit a form of their own. How to Submit Your Evidence (Refer to the Submission System User Guide for details.) Upload your artifacts into your Library of Artifacts. Refer to the artifacts in your Written Commentary. Attach the artifacts to your Written Commentary within the appropriate textbox. How to Compose Your Written Commentary: This task has four steps, each with guiding prompts to help you provide evidence that supports the rubric. Your response needs to address all parts of each of the guiding prompts. Step 1: Planning and Designing Step 2: Implementing Step 3: Analyzing Step 4: Reflecting Please read the entire task before responding to any guiding prompts. Use the textboxes under the guiding prompts to compose your responses and attach your artifacts. Page 9 of 29

11 Task 3: Professional Relationship: Interacting with Faculty, Family, and/or community In this task, you will demonstrate your ability to develop relationships by interacting with faculty, family, and/or the community. Task 3 Overview Standards and Indicators: The following Missouri School Counselor Standards represent the focus of this task. The evidence you submit must address and will be scored according to the following. Standard 3, Quality Indicators 1, 2, 3 and 4 Standard 4, Quality Indicator 2 What Do I Have to Do for This Task? For this task, you must submit the following evidence. 1. Written Commentary of a maximum of 28,500 characters (approximately nine typed pages) that responds to all guiding prompts; references your artifacts to support your written evidence; and describes, analyzes, and reflects on the evidence. 2. Five different artifacts (maximum of five pages), including a representative page of a list of questions/topics, used to prepare for the meeting with the site supervisor (maximum of one page); representative pages of a presentation plan (maximum of two pages); a representative page of a presentation feedback form* (maximum of one page), completed by the site supervisor; a representative page of a presentation feedback form* (maximum of one page), completed by a participant in the audience for the interactive presentation; and one fifteen-minute video recording (unedited). *A sample template is provided, but candidates may create a feedback form of their own. How to Submit Your Evidence (Refer to the Submission System User Guide for details.) Upload your artifacts into your Library of Artifacts. Refer to the artifacts in your Written Commentary. Attach the artifacts to your Written Commentary within the appropriate textbox. How to Compose Your Written Commentary: This task has five steps, each with guiding prompts to help you provide evidence that supports the rubric. Your response needs to address all parts of each of the guiding prompts. Step 1: Planning the Interactive Presentation for the Internship Site Step 2: Implementing the Interactive Presentation for the Internship Site Step 3: Analyzing the Interactive Presentation for the Internship Site Step 4: Reflecting Step 5: Uploading the Video Page 10 of 29

12 Please read the entire task before responding to any guiding prompts. Use the textboxes under the guiding prompts to compose your responses and attach your artifacts. The chart below shows the specific Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators that are measured by each of the three tasks. Page 11 of 29

13 Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Evaluate, Plan, and Support the Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program Implementing Program Components Professional Relationship: Interacting with Faculty, Family, and/or community Evidence 1 Evidence 2 Evidence 3 Written commentary: maximum of 25,500 characters Written commentary: maximum of 28,500 characters Written commentary: maximum of 28,500 characters 6 artifacts: maximum of 7 pages 5 artifacts: maximum of 8 pages 5 artifacts: maximum of 5 pages and video Stnd #1 QI #1 X Stnd #1 QI #2 Stnd #1 QI #3 X Stnd #1 QI #4 X Stnd #1 QI #5 X Stnd #1 QI #6 X Stnd #2 QI #1 Stnd #2 QI #2 X Stnd #2 QI #3 X X Stnd #2 QI #4 X X Stnd #3 QI #1 Stnd #3 QI #2 Stnd #3 QI #3 Stnd #3 QI #4 Stnd #4 QI #1 Stnd #4 QI #2 Stnd #4 QI #3 X Stnd #4 QI #4 X Stnd #4 QI #5 X Stnd #5 QI #1 Stnd #5 QI #2 Stnd #5 QI #3 Stnd #5 QI #4 X X X X X Page 12 of 29

14 The required submission information for each task is summarized below. You will see the steps included in each task as well as the evidence that you will be required to submit. The full tasks and their rubrics are provided as separate documents on the Missouri Performance Assessments Web site ( ). Notice that the tasks and their corresponding materials have been color coded to make it easier for you to organize your task materials. Task 1: Evaluate, Plan, and Support the Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program (Required Submission for Each Task) Steps Step 1: Identifying Resources and Collecting Data Step 2: Analyzing Data Step 3: Planning for the Implementation Step 4: Reflecting Evidence Your ability to identify resources to complete the IIR and to collect data Your ability to analyze the data from your IIR Your ability to plan for the implementation of your program improvement plan, your advocacy for the enhancement of the comprehensive guidance and counseling program, and your contributions to school improvement Your ability to reflect on the completion of the IIR, the development of the Program Improvement Plan, the plan for implementation, and feedback you received Submission: Written commentary of no more than 25,500 characters (~8 typed pages), using the provided textboxes to respond to the steps. 6 artifacts of no more than 7 pages that support responses to the guiding prompts and provide evidence of your summary of the IIR, the program s needs, the Program Improvement Plan, your plan for implementation, and your feedback from two individuals. Page 13 of 29

15 Task 2: Implementing Program Components (Required Submission for Each Task) Steps Step 1: Planning and Designing Step 2: Implementing Step 3: Analyzing Step 4: Reflecting Evidence Your ability to work with colleagues to develop a guidance curriculum unit plan and a pretest and a posttest Your ability to implement your guidance and counseling unit plan Your ability to analyze the effectiveness of your lesson and the pretest and posttest results Your ability to reflect on the effectiveness of the implementation of your guidance and counseling curriculum unit Submission: Written commentary of no more than 25,500 characters (~8 typed pages), using the provided textboxes to respond to the steps. 6 artifacts of no more than 7 pages that support responses to the guiding prompts and provide evidence of your summary of the IIR, the program s needs, the Program Improvement Plan, your plan for implementation, and your feedback from two individuals. Page 14 of 29

16 Task 3: Professional Relationships: Interacting with Faculty, Family, and/or community (Required Submission for Each Task) Steps Step 1: Planning the Interactive Presentation Step 2: Implementing the Interactive Presentation Step 3: Analyzing the Interactive Presentation Step 4: Reflecting Step 5: Uploading the Video Evidence Your ability to plan an interactive presentation about the roles and responsibilities of the professional school counselor in a comprehensive guidance and counseling program as part of your efforts in developing relationships with faculty, family, and/or community Your ability to present an interactive presentation to your site-related audience Your ability to analyze the quality of the content and interaction, including the fostering of rapport to build relationships during your site-related presentation Your ability to self-reflect on your interactive presentation Submission: Written commentary of no more than 28,500 characters (~9 typed pages), using the provided textboxes to respond to the steps. 5 artifacts of no more than 5 pages that support responses to the guiding prompts and provide evidence of the questions/topics used to prepare for the meeting with the site supervisor, the presentation plan, the presentation feedback form completed by the site supervisor and completed by a participant in the audience, and the video recording. Page 15 of 29

17 Support and Ethics: What kinds of content support can I get from my instructors/site supervisor? They should do the following: Work with you to review the assessment and the assessment process Check for your understanding of the requirements Facilitate your working through the process Provide feedback on your responses by using questioning techniques as much as possible What kinds of general support can I get from my instructors/site supervisor? They should do the following: Acknowledge the challenges you will encounter and provide encouragement Guide you in developing strategies to balance work, family, and other obligations while completing the process Honor and respect the professional decisions you make Maintain commitments to you regarding time and type of support Discuss with you the summative nature of the tasks What are the general guidelines regarding ethics and support? You may engage in professional discussions about the Missouri School Leader Standards and Quality Indicators; have the instructors help you record, watch, and analyze your video recordings; and have them read and comment on your analyses and on the student work you have chosen. However, the work you submit as part of your response to each performance assessment task must be yours and yours alone. Remember that all materials and information necessary for you to complete the MoSCPA are available and public. You will have ample opportunity to review the tasks and rubrics before you begin the assessment process. What is the ethical role of my instructors/site supervisor as they provide support for me? They should do the following: Know, understand, and uphold the MoSCPA policies and guidelines Share only information that is public for all school counselor candidates Understand the difference between personal opinions and policies Acknowledge and respect the fact that responsibility for developing and submitting the performance assessment rests solely and completely with you Immediately report violations of confidentiality, incidents of falsified information or materials, and breaches of security Understand that breaches of trust and confidentiality may destroy the validity of the assessment and may negatively affect the reputations of school counselor candidates Additionally, they should never state or imply that you will or should be successful or will achieve a particular score. Page 16 of 29

18 What should my instructors/site supervisor avoid as they provide support for me? They should never engage in the following conduct: Making choices for you Creating evidence for you Falsifying or fabricating evidence for any task you submit Copying the work of others to use on a school counselor candidate s performance assessment Giving, asking for, or receiving information about secure assessment materials Comparing your response to another school counselor candidate s response Assigning a score to a task Grading, evaluating, or correcting a task Getting Started: What do I need to do to begin the MoSCPA process? The following tips are designed to help you prioritize your activities and organize your thinking as you build your MoSCPA. Create an account in the online registration system and purchase the assessment. Using this account, you will build and submit your assessment. Review the directions for each task and the corresponding rubrics. Review the ancillary materials for the MoSCPA, which can be found near the end of this Candidate Handbook. Get a calendar, and work backward from your submission deadline date to set a task-completion schedule. Develop a simple task analysis that lists what you are going to do, the evidence you need, and by what date you will complete the task. (See suggested sample below.) What do I need to do? What evidence do I need? Completion date o (List) o (List) o (Date) o (List) o (List) o (Date) o (List) o (List) o (Date) Build each task on the private, secure Web site. Review your responses to ensure that you have demonstrated the knowledge and skills required in the Missouri School Counselor Standards and Quality Indicators. Compare your responses with the textboxes within the rubrics. Submit the task responses no later than the submission deadline date. Page 17 of 29

19 What are the key steps in task development? Below is a checklist of steps to follow for developing a task. Use this checklist to organize your thinking, plan your time, and carry out the work needed to complete each task. Read each task and the corresponding rubrics for each step in the task thoroughly. Locate and become familiar with all the ancillary materials referenced in the tasks. Develop a timeline for completing the three tasks. Develop an outline for each task and related artifacts. (Some parts of each task can occur simultaneously.) Before you submit your task responses, check to see that you have done the following. Addressed all the guiding prompts? Linked all the artifacts within your response? Compared your responses to the descriptions in the rubrics? Completed all the items in the checklists and included all required components? Make sure that you make and keep a copy of all your final documents before you submit each task. Writing and Formatting Guidelines: What are the guidelines for writing responses? Each task requires some form of written response. It is imperative that you understand what kind of writing is required by each guiding prompt. Please read the suggestions below in order to craft good written responses for your performance assessment. 1. Writing about school counseling The three tasks required in the MoSCPA encourage the use of three kinds of writing: descriptive, analytic, and reflective. The evidence that you select as representative of your practice for the purposes of this assessment should provide raters with a view not only of what is happening within your building but also of your rationale for those events and processes and your view regarding the significance of the results of your school counseling. 2. Writing about description, analysis, and reflection There are essential differences between descriptive and analytic writing. As you compose your written commentary, you need to keep these differences in mind. Basic definitions of these terms appear below, followed by more detailed explanations of each type. Description: A retelling of what happened in a school situation or event. This kind of writing is meant to set the scene for raters. Your description should be logically ordered and provide enough detail to allow raters to have a basic sense of your building situation so that they can understand what you are conveying in your analysis. Checklist for Descriptive Writing Accurate, precise enumeration or explanation of critical features Clear, logical ordering of the elements or features of the event, person, concept, or strategy described Inclusion of ALL features or elements that would allow an outsider to see whatever you have described in the same way you see it Page 18 of 29

20 Description is called for when you are asked to state, list, or describe. You want to be sure that your descriptions are clear and detailed enough to allow someone reading about your practice to understand what you are describing. Analysis: Analysis deals with reasons, motives, and interpretation and is supported in the concrete evidence provided by the materials you submit. Analytic writing shows raters the thought processes that you used to arrive at the conclusions you made about a leadership situation or event. Analysis demonstrates the significance of the evidence you submit. In some cases, it will include the achievements that resulted from an activity you facilitated. Or it could be a discussion of the results from a survey that solicits feedback from various sources. Reflection: Reflection is the thought process that occurs after the completion of an activity. This is the kind of thought process that allows you to think deeply about what occurred and what did not occur during the leadership event, and to make decisions about how you would approach similar situations in the future. You could decide to do something the same way, differently, or not at all. Although reflective thought may occur in many places, the reflection questions are where you must show how you use what you have learned from your leadership experiences to inform and improve your practice in the future. 3. Understanding how analysis and reflection overlap Analysis and reflection do overlap, though they are not identical. Analysis involves the interpretation and examination of elements or events supported by evidence. Reflection, a particular kind of analysis, always suggests self-analysis or retrospective consideration of one s practice. When you are asked to analyze or reflect, be certain that your response meets these criteria. For example, if you are to analyze the success of a particular activity or some specific strategy, do not explain what happened in the analysis or reflection sections. This is description. Moreover, simply stating a conclusion (e.g., The professional development was a success! ) or saying that you observed the fulfillment of your goals without giving evidence or examples to support the statement is not analysis. Raters need to be aware of why you interpreted the results of a lesson the way you did. You need to explain your interpretation of the evidence (analysis) as well as your understanding of what should come next (reflection). Analysis deals with reasons, motives, and interpretation. All of these are grounded in the concrete evidence provided by the artifacts that you include in your performance assessment. But you must explain the significance and not expect the rater to draw the conclusions. Your examples cannot tell the rater what you inferred about your practice only your analysis and reflection can do this. Tell the rater how the professional development in your building affected student performance that is analysis and interpretation. Use your evidence of colleagues work to explain and illustrate your practice and also to provide a context for the artifact. Ask yourself the following questions in preparing your analysis and reflection. What did my colleagues know before this professional experience? What did my colleagues learn because of this professional experience? What did I know about my colleagues and their knowledge before this professional experience? What did I learn about my colleagues and my leadership because of this professional experience? What would I do differently? (reflection) Page 19 of 29

21 4. Revising and editing your writing An important step in writing, regardless of the skill or experience of the writer, is to take the time to review the writing with an objective eye. Even professional writers can become so involved in their writing that they sometimes forget to include information that the readers do not know. For some, reviewing with objectivity requires distance, or some time away from the document. Pace your writing so that you can set it aside for a day or so and then come back to it with fresh eyes. The next time you read it, you should have an easier time seeing the important information, where a description or analysis is needed, where something is unclear, or where a transition is needed. In addition, it is important that you read it a third time to edit the language, spelling, and other mechanics of writing. Another good suggestion is to ask another person to read your work with a critical eye for detail. This person should review your written response with the evidence you are including and with the corresponding rubric. Your goal in having someone else read your work is to discover things that are unclear to an external rater. If you use a colleague from your school, be sure that your colleague does not assume critical information because of familiarity with the learning. Give the person a copy of the rubric to determine whether your writing is redundant or if there are any gaps in your work. Summary of Key Points Address the questions. For each task, there is a series of guiding prompts that will result in your written response. Make sure that you have read each guiding prompt and its related rubric criteria carefully. Understand what you are being asked to address and how it will be measured. Organize your information. It is very important that you provide your evidence as clearly and concisely as possible. Raters will be reading your responses supportively. This means that they are reading your response expecting that you will earn a good score. They are looking for information within your response to provide evidence that you have met the rubric criteria. Presenting your evidence in a way that is clear and easy for raters to find will help them to do their job more effectively. Check your response against the rubric. We keep reiterating this point because it is a critical step in making sure that your performance assessment is responsive. Once you believe that you have completed a task, ask a trusted colleague to read your task response against the rubric. Also, ask your colleague to look at the task s guiding prompts and verify that you have addressed each guiding prompt within the task. Do not use any identifying names or titles. This includes, but is not limited to, names of Teachers Colleagues Students Schools Districts In order for your responses to be scored fairly and to protect the identity of colleagues and students, it is extremely important that you do not identify yourself, your colleagues, your school, or the city/town in which your school is located. Instead, refer to students as Student 1, Student 2, and so on. Refer to places as my school or my district. Please remove identifiers from work samples, s, etc. you can do this simply by crossing them out with a marker or correction tape/fluid. Page 20 of 29

22 How should I use the textboxes? Each of the three tasks includes numbered textboxes for your use. Examples of these textboxes are located within the task directions; these are provided as examples to illustrate the text. Use the textboxes at the bottom of each guiding prompt to type your response and link artifacts to text as instructed. Thinking About Evidence: What is evidence, and where can I find it? Evidence is the information that a candidate provides within a commentary, including such things as quotations from colleagues and relevant artifacts. Is any single type of evidence more valuable than another? No, the quality of the evidence is the most important measure of its value. Evidence is found in the responses to the guiding prompts and in both counselor and student artifacts. Evidence is collected from wherever it appears within a task. Sometimes candidates include additional evidence in the response to another guiding prompt within the same task; that evidence is collected by the raters. What else do I need to know about evidence? You should ask yourself the following questions. Am I providing sufficient evidence? Is the evidence appropriate? Do I fully understand the evidence required by each guiding prompt within a task? What are the best artifacts I can provide to address the guiding prompts? You can also obtain a better understanding of evidence by describing to your mentor your understanding of what the prompts within a textbox require; selecting and listing the artifacts that are most appropriate and that will provide the greatest amount of evidence; finding an effective way to explain the value of each artifact; working with a peer to help each other understand the guiding prompts and identify the evidence; and comparing the evidence you have written for each bullet within the rubric. A few caveats to observe: When using the rubric, be sure to focus on the amount and quality of evidence, not the score. Make sure you see the connections of the textbox numbers to the numbers in the rubric. Notice that more than one textbox may address a single standard or indicator. Once you have an idea of the direction each prompt response will take and a list of artifacts, try to distinguish between and among descriptive, analytic, and reflective writing. Reread the Writing and Formatting Guidelines section in this handbook. Recall that solid analysis requires examination and interpretation of the evidence. Then, focus on the following. Are the points you are making clear? How does the evidence support your points? What specific details are referenced within your evidence? How are the details connected to your points? Page 21 of 29

23 How do I select the evidence for my tasks? You will be required to submit different types of evidence for each of the tasks. Each task requires some form of a written response this is part of your evidence. In addition, tasks may require other types of evidence, such as a plan, anecdotal notes from colleagues, and student work samples. For each task, make sure that you clearly understand what type of evidence is required. If an artifact is required, make sure that you include an artifact that does not exceed the required page limit, that addresses the indicators being measured, that gives you a good opportunity to discuss what was done with colleagues to generate that work, that provides the raters scoring your response with a picture of your practice, and that gives them good information on which to score your performance. How do I use other artifacts as evidence? Quality artifacts are carefully selected, and they connect, support, and enhance the written commentary. They also help to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and understanding of the standard/indicator being discussed and are paired with relevant and insightful analysis. When determining the best artifacts to use as evidence, start by identifying a number of artifacts that can be used to support a specific point in the written commentary. Then you can choose the strongest artifact and explain why you believe it supports that point. Remember that only one-page artifacts are allowed unless specifically stated otherwise; therefore, you should choose an artifact that best illustrates and connects with what has been written. You should ask yourself the following questions. What point from the written commentary is the artifact reinforcing? Can the artifact be used as data (e.g., surveys, test scores, communication records, anecdotes) to reinforce the written commentary? What pertinent details does the artifact provide? How does the written commentary identify details in the artifact that prove an assertion? Is the connection obvious and strong? What wording is used to reference the artifact within the written commentary? Artifacts to avoid include blank surveys, artifacts that do not connect directly to the point(s) being made in the written commentary, and artifacts that are difficult to read or decipher. How do I upload artifacts into my Library of Artifacts and attach them to my responses? See the Submission System User Guide for assistance. Page 22 of 29

24 Video Recording: You may submit only one video file. You must summit one unedited 15-minute video. Why is my video task (Task 3) so important? In Task 3 you are required to submit a video recording of your interaction with faculty, family, and/or community. The purpose of the video-recorded task is to provide an authentic and complete view of your ability to foster rapport with the audience in order to demonstrate your ability to build relationships. The content of the interactive presentation focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the professional school counselor. Raters are not able to visit your site; therefore, a video recording is the only illustration of the following key practices. How you interact with faculty, family, and/or community members and how they interact with you and with one another The rapport you begin to establish with the audience The ways in which you facilitate and engage faculty, family, and/or community members in the learning Your video-recorded task conveys to raters how you practice your profession, the decisions you make, and your relationships with colleagues and other stakeholders. What should I do before I get started? You must complete two key steps before you start video recording: (1) obtain and complete permission forms to video record and (2) make sure your video and audio equipment is adequate for the task. Permission Forms The MoSCPA Student Permission Form (for student work) and the MoSCPA Adult Permission Form can be found directly on the Missouri Performance Assessments Informational Web site You must use these MoSCPA permission forms; district or school permission forms will not be accepted. These forms are used to collect and document the signed permission given for all individuals who appear in your submitted photographs or are seen or heard in video recordings. You must secure permission from all participants in your videos. You must have a signed MoSCPA Student Permission Form for each student who appears in a photograph or whose work samples you submit, as well as a signed MoSCPA Adult Permission Form for any adult who is included in your submitted video recordings or in a photograph. The signed permission forms must be submitted to ETS when you submit your assessment. The permission forms must be completed, scanned, and uploaded to the system before you submit your tasks. Video Equipment Consider the following equipment, at minimum, to make video recordings of your presentation. Page 23 of 29

25 Video camera, flip camera, tablet, etc. External, omni-directional boundary microphone to be placed near faculty, family, and/or community members and connected to the camera at some distance from the group (If such a microphone is not available with your video recording equipment, consult a local audio retailer or search the Internet for more information.) Tripod Extension cord Use the best video-recording equipment available to you when making your recordings. Because it is often difficult to hear faculty, family, and/or community members speaking, make sure that the equipment you use has a sensitive microphone. Some handheld cameras have audio reception that is sensitive; others require a separate microphone. How should I video record my presentation? You should record as many videos as you can and store them in an external file. Your Library of Artifacts will not be able to store any video. Only one video can be uploaded into Step 5 of Task 3. In addition to providing some tips on the mechanics of recording, the strategies presented in this section can give you important practice in recording your presentation. Observing your facilitation lets you practice analyzing that facilitation in a way that would not be possible without a video recording. With a video recording, you are able to watch what you do and when you do it as the session unfolds. Until both you and the faculty, family, and/or community members get used to the experience, video recording may present an inauthentic view of your facilitation. It is a good idea to make several practice video recordings to allow you to become familiar with the mechanics of video recording and with maintaining a natural demeanor in front of the camera. You should experiment to find the most effective use of video recording for your situation. To get the maximum benefit from practicing your video recordings, you should record at least two different sessions, using different audiences if appropriate. The key is to practice as frequently as possible to emphasize your ability to interact with the audience. Place the camera on a tripod or at a good vantage point (for example, on top of a file cabinet), where the camera view takes in the entire area. Record several sessions, and watch these recordings alone so that you can become accustomed to how you look and sound. You will also begin to notice what your colleagues are doing and how their learning could be improved. How should I practice my video recording? The purpose of practice sessions is to make you comfortable with video recording as a medium for conveying your practice. The following guidelines apply to the video recording you submit. 1. Decide on the sessions you plan to video record. 2. Arrange for a colleague to operate the video equipment at some practice sessions. Review video-recording procedures with that individual, including the need to avoid stopping the camera or using the fade-in/fade-out function of the camera so that no content is lost and so that your recording does not give the appearance of having been edited. Make sure both you and the members of the audience can be seen during the presentation. Seeing the interactions is very important. The video recording of your presentation, must be unedited. Page 24 of 29

26 3. Consider finding other people who have the time and expertise to assist in video recording your presentation. If your college or university offers courses in video communication, there may be students there who would welcome the opportunity to help with camera work. Alternatively, such courses within a high school may have students who are looking for experience. Consider seeking advice from your school or school district library media specialist or audio visual specialist. 4. Tag the recordings and your notes so that you can quickly and correctly match them. How should I analyze my video recordings? To select which video recording you wish to submit, review all your video recordings. You may want to watch your videos several times. In fact, you may wish to initially watch each recording with the sound turned off to gain greater awareness of your and your audiences nonverbal behavior (for example, facial expressions and body language). What are some video-recording tips? You will want to produce video recordings that best reflect your work with faculty, family, and/or community members. Professional quality is not expected. The following technical tips are provided to help you provide the best quality for your Task 3 submission. Improving Video Quality Review the following suggestions for improving the quality of your video recordings. If possible, use a tripod. Having the camera in a fixed position eliminates the wobbly effect of an unsteady hand. In general, the camera should be pointed at the speaker. That is, when the faculty, family, and/or community member is speaking, the camera should be aimed at member. To improve the sound quality, you may need to have the camera person follow you as you move from group to group. If you have to move the camera while you are recording, set the zoom lens to its widest setting to cut down on the shakiness of the recorded image. Increase the amount of light in the room to improve the quality of the video recording. Be sure to turn on all the lights and, if possible, open the curtains or blinds. Try to not record into bright light. If there are windows on one side of the classroom, try to record with your back to that light source. If you are using an older camera, you may have to adjust it based on the type of light source in the room each time you record. Newer cameras may have a switch for recording in incandescent light, fluorescent light, or daylight, or they may be completely automatic. Improving Audio Quality Audio quality is important and can be the most troublesome aspect of video recording. If you or your colleagues cannot be heard, it is difficult for raters to recognize and score your performance. Even if you can be heard, clarity of conversation is extremely important for raters because they need to interpret the content of the dialogue. There are environmental and technical challenges when trying to get the best audio quality. Flat, echoing walls and multiple colleagues talking at the same time make it difficult to understand what is being said in the recording; even with professional recording equipment, it can be difficult to hear everything colleagues say. What are some guidelines for video editing and audio enhancement? There are established guidelines for submitting video recordings. You may not submit Page 25 of 29

27 edited videos (that is, videos that have undergone postproduction processing or videos in which cuts have been made to an otherwise continuous segment). Examples of editing include the addition of footage, fade-ins and fade-outs, the addition of audio-recorded material from a device other than the video recorder, and the blurring of an image to conceal a face or name tag. In addition, video segments may not be created with two or more cameras, giving the video recording a studio effect. However, amplifying the sound to enhance the audio on a video is acceptable as long as the amplification of the audio does not conflict with the postproduction editing guidelines described above. Scoring: Your MoSCPA is scored by Missouri educators who meet the qualifications established by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and ETS. Each rater will be trained and monitored to become an expert in only one task. Raters include members from the following groups of Missouri school counselors and counselor educators: Faculty from schools of education in institutions of higher education who work with school counselors Practicing school counselors who have been in the field for a minimum of four years Retired school counselors and school counselor educators who have been out of the field for no more than four years. The MoSCPA uses rubrics (Task 1 Rubric, Task 2 Rubric, Task 3 Rubric) containing quantitative and qualitative elements of evidence related to both the holistic overall performance and the responses to individual textboxes. Before a final score is awarded, the rater reviews each step s rubric. Each step in a task receives an individual score. Each task is scored by two raters who are experts in that task. Therefore, at least six raters will be scoring your tasks. If the scores differ by more than one point, the task will be scored by a third rater to ensure you receive a fair and accurate overall score. Scores are carefully analyzed by ETS psychometricians before being approved for release. There is a total of four steps within each task. Each step receives a score. In addition, scores are summed to form a total task score and a composite score for all three tasks. Task 3 with the video is double weighted. See the chart below. Task 1 Task 2 Step points 1 4 points 1 4 points Step points 1 4 points 1 4 points Step3 1 4 points 1 4 points 1 4 points Step points 1 4 points 1 4 points Total 16 possible points 16 possible points Task 3 (double weighted) 32 possible points (double weighted) Composite 64 possible points In order to receive a score on each step, you must provide evidence that addresses the guiding prompts within the step, and you must submit the required artifacts for a step. This includes the video in Task 3, which is considered a type of artifact. A passing score is based on the composite of the scores. All of the scores listed above will be visible on your score report. For the cumulative score, you will receive a Passed/Not Passed designation in addition to the numeric score. You will Page 26 of 29

28 receive feedback for individual steps directly related to the guiding prompts and the rubric. This feedback will be helpful when deciding whether or not to resubmit a task. Receiving your scores: Your official score report will be available via your online account, where you will be able to view and print it as often as you wish. You will receive your scores within four weeks of the submission deadline date you chose at the time of registration. Score reports will be available online only and all candidates in the same submission window will receive their scores at the same time. See the assessment calendar for specific information on score release dates. Scores for Resubmitted Tasks In the event your composite score does not meet the passing score, you can resubmit any task(s) you choose. All steps on a resubmitted task will be scored. The highest score on each task regardless of whether it was earned on the initial submission or on a resubmitted task will be the score used to calculate your composite score. This gives you the best chance to pass your assessment. Delivery of Scores to Other Score Recipients All scores will automatically be provided to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and any other entity identified by you at the time of registration. Further, your score report and the information reported to DESE will not mention any nonstandard testing accommodations made for you. Score Banking All of your scores are automatically banked and you can choose to resubmit one, two, or all three of your task responses. Your score report will contain helpful guidance for making these choices. You will need to register and pay for resubmission and rebuild your portfolio by concentrating on the task(s) you selected to resubmit. Understanding Your Scores Score Report You will receive a score report that identifies the score you received for each step, each task, and the cumulative score as well as your Pass/Not Pass status. For each step, you will also receive feedback that can be used to improve your response in the event you decide to resubmit a task. This feedback is directly related to the guiding prompts and the rubric. Paper Score Reports Paper score reports will not be issued; however, you can print your online score report as many times as you wish. Evaluating Your Scores and Resubmitting Tasks In the event you do not pass the assessment, identify those tasks on which you scored lowest. Prepare to resubmit the tasks, addressing those with lower-scored steps. In order to resubmit tasks, you will need to register for resubmission through your online account and pay a resubmission fee. There is one resubmission fees regardless of the number of tasks you choose to resubmit. Also identify those criteria on which you scored highest. Do these scores reflect a level of Page 27 of 29

29 performance with which you are comfortable, or would you like to strengthen your performance? If you are satisfied, identify the strongest elements of your work and consider how you can continue to improve your teaching practice. Score Review Scoring protocols and processes are employed to safeguard your work and make certain that you receive an accurate, fair, and valid score report. However, you may request a review of responses scored if you believe that your scores do not adequately reflect your performance. A trained rater will review your responses and scores to determine whether they are consistent with the scoring rules established for the assessment. There is a $100 fee for this service. You should allow 60 days from the date of your request to receive results. If there is a change in your reported score, the revised score (which may be higher or lower) is reported to you and to the recipients of the original score report, and your review fee is refunded. Please note that your score for this assessment will be reviewed only once. Ownership: Who owns the MoSCPA responses? The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will maintain ownership of all responses and accompanying materials. By submitting your performance assessment, you agree that DESE and ETS may use your response, without any identifying information, to support the future scoring of the MoSCPA. Your response may be used as a benchmark, for training, or for another exemplar case. Technical Issues: What if I need technical support or have questions about how the submission system works? Our goal in designing the online submission system was to make it as intuitive as possible for you to author and submit your tasks. Technical help and information are available via and phone through the Submission System User Guide and our Customer Service. Customer Service is available Monday Friday, 8:00 A.M. 6:45 P.M. Central Time. Ancillary Materials: What ancillary materials are available for me to use, and what is their purpose? The Purpose of the Ancillary Materials The ancillary materials described on the MoSCPA Missouri Performance Assessments Web site ( ) were created with the school counselor candidate in mind. These materials are optional. The ancillary materials can be used throughout the clinical experience. These documents are additional resources that are intended to be helpful as a school counselor candidate works to fulfill the requirements of the Missouri School Counselor Performance Assessment. Permission Forms What permission forms must I complete? For Tasks 1, 2, and 3, your response will be based, in part, on your work with colleagues Page 28 of 29

30 and students. MoSCPA Student Permission Form required of every student who appears in submitted photographs or whose work is submitted MoSCPA Adult Permission Form required of every adult who appears in the video or photographs and/or whose work is submitted It is necessary for you as a school counselor candidate to get permission from parents/guardians for the use of any student work or image. You must also get permission from any colleagues or other adults whose work you may supply as artifacts or who appear in your video for Task 3 or in photographs You must use the MoSCPA permission forms; district or school permission forms will not be accepted. The MoLPA permission forms can be found on the Missouri Performance Assessments informational web site ( ). How do I submit the signed permission forms? You must scan and upload all signed permission forms in the online submission system when you submit your tasks. See the Submission System User Guide (PDF) for assistance. Score reports will be delayed if permission forms have not been uploaded. Page 29 of 29