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As part of state transitions to college- and career-ready (CCR) standards, including the Common Core State Standards in more than 40 states (NGA & CCSSO, 2010), states are for the first time administering new summative assessments aligned to those standards and aiming for a higher bar in assessment quality. For a majority of states, this means the "consortia assessments"--the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) or Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced). In this supplement to the original "Right Trajectory" study, the authors evaluate only the Smarter Balanced consortium assessment. To do this, they assembled a group of former State Teachers of the Year (STOYs) from multiple states, each of whom has been recognized at local and state levels for their teaching excellence. The panel reviewed the 5th grade Smarter Balanced and two prior state assessments: OAKS from Oregon and the Nevada state assessments (both states currently use Smarter Balanced). The results were clear: There was consensus across participating teachers that the new consortium assessment--Smarter Balanced--is an improvement and still the right trajectory. [For "The Right Trajectory," see ED581172. For "Beginning a Higher Trajectory: Grade 11 Study," see ED581170.]

The premise of the white paper is that education policy results are better for students when policies are informed and shaped by highly effective educators who know firsthand what it takes to deliver excellent teaching and learning. Policymakers and educators should share a sense of urgency to work together to provide every child in our country with an excellent education. Through interviews with ten educators throughout the United States, the authors provide real-life examples of ways in which these practitioners have successfully engaged in the policy process. In some examples, that engagement is at the local level; at the state or national level; and through different policy mechanisms. The paper is organized by the types of policy engagement experienced by State Teachers of the Year (STOYs) and Finalists. These are: (1) Informing and Shaping Federal Policy; (2) Engaging Educator Colleagues in the Policy Process; (3) Working With Policymakers to Craft Legislation; (4) Effectively Engaging With State Policymakers; (4) Hybrid Roles: Bridging Policy Development and the Classroom; (5) Advancing Teacher Leadership Through Policy at the National and International Levels; (6) Shaping Policy Through Relationships with Unions and Organizations; (7) Educators Serving as Policymakers; and (8) Supporting Engagement in Policy Through Teacher Leadership.