Quality Performance Assessment (QPA) Internships

About Performance Assessment and QPA

Performance assessments better prepare students for success as lifelong learners by shifting the focus to critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills that will serve them well in college and throughout careers and civic life. The Center for Collaborative Education'sQuality Performance Assessment (QPA) program provides professional development and tools for building the assessment literacy that enables teachers, administrators, and policy makers to create and implement performance assessment systems that are aligned with the Common Core State Standards and contribute to students' demonstrating college and career readiness.

QPA Interns

QPA typically hosts 2-3 Interns through the year. The Interns are members of the QPA team. QPA Interns will have the opportunity to influence local, state and national policies on student assessment through work on a variety of dimensions of QPA. Each intern works on multiple aspects of the project as well as having at least one focus area during the internship.

Communications and Outreach: Update and create new QPA outreach and communications materials to support QPA public relations and policy work. This work will include strategic planning and preparation for communication with people associated with state and local policymaking and higher education to build support for performance assessment.

• Ø Refine and create new materials to reach QPA constituencies
• Ø Work with the QPA team on developing and implementing QPA outreach strategies to promote QPA services to schools, districts, and other policy makers
• Ø Identify and support efforts to reach out to people associated with state and local policymaking and higher education to build support for performance assessment
• Ø Assist with organizing and maintaining the QPA website as well as developing QPA's online presence
• Ø Write short articles about QPA work and performance assessment events in cohort schools for the QPA website and/or local newspapers

Program Development: Assist the QPA team in the planning and execution of QPA's upcoming work with schools. In this role, the QPA Intern will have the opportunity to refine the assessment literacy professional development used with Schools and participate in/lead professional development and scoring sessions intern will be responsible for the following activities:

• Ø Support the QPA team in the planning, execution, and documentation of outcomes for QPA's upcoming work; this includes opportunities to attend professional development and scoring sessions and possibility for interns to facilitate depending on experience and interest
• Ø Assist in the refinement of QPA performance assessment materials including task anchor papers and score reports
• Ø Document how schools apply what they learn from professional development and coaching on the elements of the QPA technical quality framework

Additional areas of potential work for QPA Interns:

• Ø Assist in organizing, proofreading, and formatting the forthcoming QPA Guide and Toolkit
• Ø Research topics of interest in performance assessment and assessment policy such as scoring protocols for other assessments (IB, AP, NY Regents etc) or resources for teaching 21st century skills and writing
• Ø Analyze data from past professional development and common scoring sessions
• Ø Organize and maintain the QPA archive of materials
• Ø Complete additional assignments, as needed

Qualifications

The ideal candidate for the position of QPA Intern should have the following qualifications:

• Graduate or top undergraduate student in education, marketing/communications, public policy, or relevant field
• Ø Knowledge about and interest in authentic performance assessment
• Ø Commitment to equity in public education
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Strong communication and analytical skills
• Self-starter who takes initiative
• Strong organizational skills, ability to multi-task and complete projects by deadline
• Knowledge of design software and web 2.0 technologies such as WordPress as well as experience with Excel, Publisher, formatting in Word etc.
• Ø K-12 teaching experience is a plus for program work
• Knowledge of marketing and communication tools and strategies is a plus for outreach work

About CCE
The mission of the Center for Collaborative Education (CCE) is to transform schools to ensure that all students succeed. We believe that schools should prepare every student to achieve academically and make a positive contribution to a democratic society. CCE partners with public schools and districts to create and sustain effective and equitable schools. We fulfill this mission in four primary ways:

• Building understanding with the larger public that innovative schools can increase opportunity and justice for every student.
• Creating effective models of urban education, district redesign, and leadership development.
• Providing onsite coaching, professional development, and networking opportunities for educators.
• Conducting research that documents school progress and student results.

The Center for Collaborative Education is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Dates and Hours

• School Year: Fall and/or Spring semesters, approximately 8-12 hrs/week (negotiable)
• Summer: May or June through August, approximately 24-32 hours per week (negotiable)

Compensation: Interns receive a $500 stipend ($250/semester during the school year). Depending on school requirements, it may also be possible to earn course credit.