Making Sense of Testing in Arizona

A Policy Retreat at the Westward Look Resort, October 13, 2007

8:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast, Palm Terrace

9:00 a.m. Introduction and orientation to the task at hand

9:15 a.m. What mathematics tests do Arizona students take?

11:00 a.m. Arizona Superintendent of Education Tom Horne

12:00 p.m. Luncheon, Palm Terrace

1:00 p.m. Is there a problem? What is it and what are we doing about it?

3:30 p.m. What's next? Five initiatives we can work toward now

What do teachers need to know to teach a fourth year of mathematics?
What professional development will universities need to offer? What are the critical components of teacher preparation programs?
How does the fourth year affect recruitment and retention of teachers?
What support for this change is needed from business, government, school districts, and higher education?
What is the correlation between tests student take?
SAT, ACT, Achieve Algebra II, university placement tests, grades in later courses.
Can Arizona institutions of higher education agree on a common placement test?
What existing test or set of tests can serve this purpose?
What advanced placement credit is appropriate for IB students?
How does IB credit compare with AP credit?