SCCOE Accountability Newsletter
June 2020
LCAP Advisory Services
Visit the LCAP Advisory Services Page to access resources for LCAPs
Visit the AAN/SF Meeting Folder for previous meeting resources and information.
ALL EVENTS: Scroll to the bottom to sign up for all events.
Summer Collaboration and Thought Partners
We are wishing and hoping that each of you will get a few days to take a deep breath, relax, and find a moment of peace this Summer.
Chris Izor: Director of LCAP Advisory Services
Annie Murphy: Coordinator of LCAP and District Support
Dawn River Ed.D: Coordinator of State and Federal Programs
Dan Mason: Manager of Assessment and Accountability
Deann Walsh: Manager of Assessment and Accountability
Rhonda Beasley: Coordinator of MTSS and District Support
Erica Boas Ph.D: Associate Research Analyst
Stephanie Lo: District Business Advisor
SCCOE Accountability Newsletter Survey 2019-2020
Link to complete survey: https://forms.gle/hpBnu2JFBpr3ELbY7
LCAP Update
Last Friday, the CDE hosted its State and Federal Programs meeting. There was a limited update on the LCAP timeline. Essentially, the CDE and legislature are still working on the exact template, metrics and engagement process. A question about the 2020-21 Annual Update was asked and the CDE stated that the Annual Update is part of the LCAP that is still under review and districts should not be using the template that was released earlier this year. LEAs should wait until the one year template is finalized before doing any more work on the 2020-21 LCAP.
Supporting Your Efforts for Reopening
These discussions will be held either at 9:00 AM or 1:00 PM. Feel free to sign up for either one at the links below.
9:00AM: https://sccoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUvdO6urzwrEtdJQ5raSbVDFpkolL8Fa96L
1:00 PM: https://sccoe.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvcOitpjkiGtTnYdoakz3jWRNCyzZEyQFp
2020-21 Title Grant Preliminary Calculations
I will send out info about the other grants when I get them from CDE.
**NOTE: remember to apply for Title I Carryover waiver in CARS in the Winter 2021 data collection to carry over more than 15% for 2019 funds
You can estimate your Title III EL and Immigrant apportionment with the following:
English Learner preliminary per pupil is $114.40 (decreased from previous amount)
Immigrant preliminary per pupil is $104.70
More info at: EL- https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r28/el20rfa.asp or Immigrant -https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/r28/imm20rfa.asp.
CARES Act Update (from State & Federal Meeting - June 19)
More information was released about ESSER and GEER (CARES Act) funds. I created a summary table to help simplify the info about CARES Act.
Districts will get a notification letter/email and an email with link to the application soon.
CARES Act general info and preliminary allocations: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/cr/caresact.asp
Summary Table about CARES Act information
**EQUITABLE SERVICES UPDATE: There is conflicting information about how the proportional share is calculated for private schools. CDE has said that the share of ESSER funds is calculated based on Title I guidelines -- only for low income students. This is in conflict with the (non-binding) guidance from ED which says to count all students enrolled (like Title II). This can be a considerable difference for some districts. CDE guidance is to set aside the difference in the case that the private school files a complaint or the guidance changes to reflect the larger sum. See # 9-11 of the FAQs
ESSER FAQ by CDE: https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/cr/esserfaqs.asp
PLEASE contact Dawn if you have further questions.
2019-20 Consolidated Application (CARS) Reopen
Select data collection forms from the 2019–20 CARS Winter Release have been temporarily reopened. Specific waiver information can be found on the CDE Coronavirus (Covid-19) Federal Funding Flexibility web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/es/covid19fundflex.asp.
The forms have been reopened Monday, June 15, 2020, and will remain open through Tuesday, June 30, 2020.
**if you are not making changes, you do not need to recertify
**If you are carrying over more 2018 funds, you must go in an make adjustments
Additional information regarding the 2019–20 CARS Winter Release forms being reopened can be found on the 2019–20 Consolidated Application Winter Release Reopened Forms web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/ca19winstoc2.asp.
Windows that will re-open
2018-19 Title I, Part A LEA Carryover
2019-20 Federal Transferability
2019-20 Title I, Part A Nonprofit Private School Equitable Services Reservations
2019-20 Title I, Part A LEA Allocation and Reservations
2019-20 Title I, Part A School Allocations
2019-20 Title I, Part D LEA Allocations and Reservations
2019-20 Title II, Part A LEA Allocations
2019-20 Title III English Learner LEA Allocations and Reservations
2019-20 Title III English Learner YTD Expenditure Report, 6 months
2019-10 Title III Immigrant LEA Allocations and Reservations
2019-20 Title III Immigrant YTD Expenditure Report, 6 months
2019-20 Title IV, Part A LEA Allocations
Questions regarding whether a local educational agency (LEA) should make any changes, or what information is allowed to be changed, must be directed to the CDE Program Contact for the specific form. Program Contact information is listed on the CARS Instructions.
2020–21 CARS Spring Release Scheduled to Open
The target date to open the 2020–21 CARS Spring Release is Monday, July 6, 2020. The spring open date is subject to change, as system changes and testing are still being conducted. The anticipated deadline for submission is August 17, 2020.
Note: If you have not logged into CARS recently, you may want to verify your login information is up-to-date and your password has not expired. Login information, such as your contact information, is updated in the Centralized Authentication System (CAS). Information on how to reset your password, along with a link to CAS, can be found on the CARS Frequently Asked Questions web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/cafaqs.asp.
Reclassification Update (from June 3 BCN)
- Annual ELP (Criteria 1): CDE is still “working on” whether there will be the opportunity to complete the spring annual assessment (for 2019-20) in the fall. This is dependent on what is passed in the state budget.
- Only students with a completed (ALL 4 domains) spring 2020 ELPAC (Overall 4) can be reclassified
- Criterial 2,3,4 are locally determined
Federal Program Monitoring (From June 3 BCN)
- CDE training sessions will be virtual and will take place at 2 different times:
July 29-31, 2020 for LEAs scheduled for September 2020 - January 2021 reviews
December 9-11, 2020 for LEAs scheduled for February - June 2021 reviews
- All fall reviews will be online/virtual and decision for Feb. - June reviews later (in-person)
- Instruments will be available in July 2020 (in the next 2 weeks)
- Schedule for reviews and selected programs were sent by email to district contact
Williams Compliance Update
I know that everyone is planning for the 2020-21 school year and that Williams Case Compliance is a topic that is on the minds of those districts/schools that are on the list of being visited. The list of schools to participate has not been updated because it requires legislation to change identified schools. There is a bill (AB 1761) to change this, but it has been stalled due to COVID-19.
We are currently waiting for guidance from CDE about the timeline and process will be for the 2020-21school year. Since this compliance is based on Ed Code and a lawsuit settlement, CDE is seeking advice from their lawyers about a variety of topics. County Offices have submitted questions and concerns about the current process and timeline. I have collaborated with other COEs to begin the planning process for the many different scenarios of reopening in fall.
Our SCCOE team is planning for how we will conduct the process, but we are still in the beginning stages until we get the answers we need from CDE. One thing you can do to start to prepare/organize is your inventory process with your list of locally board approved materials. This will be the starting place for the materials portion of the Williams process.
More information is coming soon. Please email me with questions you may have to prepare if you are on the visit list.
Initial ELPAC Essential Information and Dates for Entering Scores
Changes to the administration of the 2019–2020 Initial ELPAC surrounding COVID-19 can be viewed on the Implications of COVID-19 and the Suspension of Testing web page.
The 2019–2020 paper-based Initial ELPAC administration concludes on June 26, 2020, to allow for the system rollover into the new administration year.
As the administration of the 2019–2020 paper-based Initial ELPAC draws to an end, here are a few reminders:
- The Local Scoring Tool (LST) in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) will be retired on June 27, 2020. LEAs must locally score completed Answer Books, enter raw scores into the LST, and generate official Student Score Reports and parent/guardian letters no later than Friday, June 26, 2020, at 5 p.m.
- Any new student who enrolls in an LEA after June 26, 2020, whose primary language is not English, and who is eligible to take the Initial ELPAC, should be tested in the 2020–2021 administration year.
- If an LEA was unable to enter a student’s scores into the LST by June 26, 2020, students will need to be re-tested in the 2020–2021 administration year based on the students’ newly enrolled grade level.
- The 2020–2021 Initial ELPAC begins on July 1, 2020. From July 1 through August 19, 2020, LEAs will use existing unused 2019–2020 Initial ELPAC test materials to administer the Initial ELPAC to new arrival students based on their 2020–2021 grade level. Additional 2019–2020 test materials can be requested in the TOMS through the first week of August as a supplemental materials order for the 2019–2020 test administration year. For more information on this period of testing, please refer to the 2020–2021 Initial ELPAC section on the Implications of COVID-19 web page.
LEAs must take the following actions for students who are administered the Initial ELPAC between July 1 and August 19, 2020:
- Retain a list of the SSIDs of tested students; the SSIDs will be needed to enter student scores and responses into the Data Entry Interface (DEI). LEAs will submit this list to CalTAC. Information cannot be entered into the DEI until ETS has approved the SSIDs.
- From August 20 through September 30, 2020, enter scores for the Writing and Speaking domains and responses for the Listening and Reading domains into the DEI for each student who was administered the Initial ELPAC paper-pencil test prior to August 20, 2020.
The computer-based 2020–2021 Initial ELPAC administration begins on August 20, 2020 and ends on June 30, 2021. To learn more about the new computer-based Initial ELPAC, please refer to the “2020–2021 Initial ELPAC” section of the Initial ELPAC web page.
Initial ELPAC Resources and Training
The CDE-sponsored statewide computer-based Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Make-Up Trainings scheduled for August 2020 have been cancelled. To support educators who would typically attend these make-up trainings, the CDE and the Sacramento COE will be hosting a “Question and Answer” webinar in early August to support new staff responsible for administering the Initial ELPAC. Further information will be provided in next month’s communication.
LEA ELPAC coordinators and other educators can fulfill their training requirements by accessing the ELPAC Administration and Scoring Moodle Training Site. Trainers should be certified by August 1, 2020. More information can be found on the Computer-based Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Trainings web page. LEA ELPAC coordinators can also access the Initial ELPAC Training Frequently Asked Questions in Moodle and the 2020–2021 Online Initial ELPAC Test Administration Manual to prepare for the upcoming administration.
2020–2021 Initial ELPAC Supplemental Ordering Window Opens
The primary ordering window for Initial ELPAC Writing Answer Books for students in kindergarten through grade two (K–2) by individual school sites closed on May 29, 2020.
LEA ELPAC coordinators can now order supplemental materials, which will be at the LEA level. The LEA ELPAC coordinator can use TOM) to place supplemental orders. Currently, shipments of ordered materials are contingent on closures caused by the shelter-in-place order due to COVID-19.
CALPADS and ELPAC webinar
CDE hosted a CALPADS and ELPAC webinar on June 4th. The recorded webinar and notetaking guide has been posted on the ELPAC website here. The main topics were:
- Computer Based Initial ELPAC Timeline
- Initial ELPAC Administration Options
- Data Needed to Take the Initial ELPAC
- ELAS (English Language Acquisition Status) Data Flow
- Accessibility Resources
- Question and Answer
The notetaking guide below that CDE included with the presentation contains detailed information and examples.
Optional Fall Summative ELPAC
Administration of the Summative ELPAC for 2019–2020 was suspended because of COVID-19. To support reclassification of students who were unable to complete testing in 2019–2020, CDE has proposed an optional administration of the 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC to occur in fall 2020. This optional administration is pending approval by the governor and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The Implications of COVID-19 and the Suspension of Testing web page will be updated as more information becomes available. At this time, the CDE recommends that LEAs interested in this fall administration begin to prepare for it.
If approved, the optional fall test administration window for the 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC will be open from August 20 through October 30, 2020. This is an optional testing window, open to all LEAs that have not finished testing, and can be used as an opportunity to assess English learner students for the purpose of reclassification at the beginning of the 2020–2021 school year. LEAs interested in participating in the optional administration will not need to take further action in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) because the optional fall test administration window will be assigned automatically to all LEAs.
What follows are key considerations for administering the optional 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC:
1. Students will be administered the assessment for the academic grade in which they were enrolled during the 2019–2020 administration year.
2. Test settings can be updated for the optional administration as long as the student is reenrolled for the upcoming (2020–2021) school year.
For step-by-step guidance, please refer to the following videos:
- Importance of Implementing CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility Resources: Voices from Educators (Video; 8:31)
- Configuring Student Test Settings One-by-one in TOMS (Video; 3:02)
- Configuring Online Student Test Settings By Batch File Upload (Video; 3:19)
For step-by-step guidance, please refer to the following video:
- Requesting an Unlisted Resource in TOMS (Video; 10:11)
4. Students tested during the optional fall administration will receive a Student Score Report within four weeks of submitting all four domains for grades three through twelve or receipt of Writing Answer Books by the test contractor for kindergarten through grade two.
Ongoing ELPAC Reminders
Alternate ELPAC Operational Field Test
The Alternate ELPAC will replace locally determined summative alternate assessments for English language proficiency (ELP). The Alternate ELPAC will also provide, for the first time, a consistent, standardized measurement of ELP across the state for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Sacramento COE is recruiting LEAs who are willing to test students with the most significant cognitive disabilities whose primary language is English. If you have any questions about the Alternate ELPAC operational field test, please contact Salina Donek, Alternate ELPAC field test coordinator, at SCOE by phone at 916-228-3301 or by email at elpac@scoe.net.
Update Student English Language Acquisition Status
Although Summative ELPAC testing has been suspended, it is important to ensure that each student’s ELAS is up-to-date. This means the LEA should take the following steps:
- Ensure that Initial ELPAC scores are entered into the LST in TOMS for students with an ELAS of To Be Determined (TBD).
- Update students’ ELAS in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System from TBD to English learner or initial fluent English proficient.
Educator Opportunities for the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC
New opportunities for the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC are available on the ELPAC and Alternate ELPAC Opportunites to Get Involved web page. Simply create an account in the Educator Opportunities Database. Those who already have an account can go directly to the Educator Opportunities Portal. For questions about how to get involved in these educator opportunities, please contact the CAASPP and ELPAC Project Team, by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.
Previous ELPAC Monthly Communications, as well as other email communications, can be found on the ELPAC Coordinator Emails web page.
2019-2020 ELPAC Then, Now, and Beyond Webcast
Topics will include the following:
- Test suspension updates
- ELPAC score information
- ELPAC data
- Accessing and using ELPAC score results
- Future ELPAC events, including the introduction of the Alternate ELPAC
- Tools and resources
Webcast Link: Access the webcast early from the ELPAC Webcast web page to verify that the video and audio work correctly for you.
Support: If needed, use the chat feature on the webcast page to send a message requesting technical support; a staff person will respond to the inquiry.
Following the Webcast: Materials and an archive of the webcast will be available on the ELPAC Archived Webcasts web page, which is available on the [Training] tab of the ELPAC website.
Webinars for All LEA CAASPP and ELPAC Coordinators in 2020–21
LEA CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators have been asking for additional updates from CDE throughout the year, and now CDE has now scheduled three check-in webinars in 2020–21 for LEA CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators. These webinars will address common questions, provide assessment updates, and include an interactive question-and-answer section and will take place in November, January, and March.
To register, visit the CAASPP 2020–21 Training Opportunities web page.
2020-2021 Planned Systems Downtime
As part of the transition to the 2020–2021 school year, various CAASPP and ELPAC systems will experience the following scheduled downtimes:
- Friday, June 26 at 5 p.m. through Monday June 29, 2020, at 8 a.m.
- Friday, August 14 at 5 p.m. through Thursday, August 20, 2020, at 8 a.m.
- Friday, September 4 at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, September 8, 2020, at 8 a.m.
- Friday, October 30 at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, November 3, 2020, at 8 a.m.
- Wednesday, January 6 at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 8 a.m.
- Friday, March 26 at 5 p.m. through Monday, March 29, 2021, at 8 a.m.
Additional details about impacted systems are available on the 2020–2021 CAASPP Planned System Downtime web page and the 2020–2021 ELPAC Planned System Downtime web page. Select a downtime date displayed on the calendar to determine which system(s) will be inactive. The web pages also include any scheduled weekend maintenance downtimes, which are used for periodic systems upkeep.
Impacted systems may include the following:
- Test Operations Management System (TOMS)
- Test Administrator Interface
- Completion Status and Roster Management
- Online Reporting System (ORS)
- Data Entry Interface (DEI)
- Interim Assessment Viewing System
- Interim Assessment Hand Scoring System
- Teacher Hand Scoring System (THSS) for the Initial ELPAC (new for 2020-2021)
- California Educator Reporting System (CERS)
- Tools for Teachers (formerly “Digital Library”)
- Practice and training tests
CAASPP and ELPAC: 2020-2021 Assessment Release Dates
Please notify all test site coordinators within the LEA of upcoming assessment component releases and system downtimes. System downtime dates are now available on the CAASPP Planned System Downtime web page and the ELPAC Planned System Downtime web page.
Questions regarding 2020–2021 scheduled downtimes and assessment releases should be directed to the California Technical Assistance Center, by phone at 800-955-2954 or by email at caltac@ets.org.
Current Updates to Supported Operating Systems and Browsers for 2020-21
Operating systems and browsers supported for 2020–2021 CAASPP and ELPAC online testing will be updated as of June 29, 2020. These technology requirements also will include the computer-based Initial ELPAC, which is available beginning August 20, 2020.
As of June 29, only the operating systems listed on the Secure Browsers web page are supported for testing.
The desktop secure browser version 12.5 (Windows, MacOS, Linux) is required for all CAASPP and ELPAC computer-based test administration.
The PDF that follows lists the changes in supported operating systems, browsers, and associated software that are supported for 2020–2021 testing
Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers
Tools for Teachers is now available! Tools for Teachers, a new website from Smarter Balanced, is available for preview to all California LEA staff. Tools for Teachers is replacing the Digital Library as the formative assessment component of the Smarter Balanced assessment system. It is an online collection of resources that supports K–12 teachers in their use of the formative assessment process to adjust teaching for improving student learning. The grand opening of Tools for Teachers is scheduled for September 30, 2020.
All LEA staff members who had a Digital Library account on the date it was decommissioned have automatic access to Tools for Teachers. Self-registration is available for new users with an LEA email address. Tools for Teachers can be accessed by selecting the previous link or by selecting the “Tools for Teachers” button on the CAASPP website or ELPAC website.
Reminder: You are invited to a webinar on June 22, 2020, from 3–4 p.m., to view a demonstration by CDE staff of the Tools for Teachers website. Registration details can be found in the June 11, 2020 email from CalTAC.
For more information about Tools for Teachers and other formative assessment resources, visit the CDE Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers web page.
Newly Updated Smarter Content Explorer
The Smarter Content Explorer has recently been updated. Offering new features based on educator feedback, this user-friendly web tool combines the information provided in the Smarter Balanced Content and Item Specifications—key resources used in test and item development—into an easy-to-use search interface. Users can access customized content generated by a quick search by subject, grade, and target or standard.
The recent updates include the following:
- Range achievement level descriptors, which are grade- and content-specific explanations of the knowledge, skills, and processes that students display at predetermined levels of achievement
- Task model-specific information, such as item type and depth of knowledge, that describes how test items should be written so a student can show mastery of skills and understanding
- Enhancements to the search functionality that allow users to select multiple grades
These updates provide further detail about test items to assist educators in deepening their understanding of how the English language arts/literacy and mathematics standards are assessed on the Smarter Balanced Interim and Summative Assessments. For more information, access the Smarter Content Explorer and the five-minute video demonstration, which provide an overview of the features found throughout the web tool. Check out these updates and share with your colleagues.
Two New Web Pages for the Science Assessments
CDE is happy to announce two new web pages for the science assessments now available on the CAASPP website—Available Resources for the California Science Test and Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessment for Science. These web pages are intended to replicate and replace the Available Resources series of flyers, which were available as PDFs and contained links to science resources.
Now, instead of first navigating to a PDF flyer to open links to the resources available for each assessment, users can go directly to the new web pages and gain access to links that lead to a collection of helpful science assessment resources that are designed to support testing coordinators, teachers, parents and guardians, and other stakeholders. Some of these resources include fact sheets, quick reference guides, additional web pages, videos, and much more.
We hope you will take a moment to visit these new web pages, and then share the news with your colleagues.
Administration of the PFT to Continue
In the May Revision to the Education Omnibus Trailer Bill, the Governor withdrew the proposed legislative changes to the Physical Fitness Test (PFT), which called for a suspension and study of the test. Therefore, the PFT will continue as a requirement for students enrolled in grades five, seven, and nine for the 2020–2021 school year. The PFT data for all LEAs will be collected by the California Department of Education during the data submission window, which will be February 1 through June 30, 2021.
CDE will not be collecting PFT results for the 2019–20 PFT administration. Please note, however, if LEAs administered the PFT in 2019-20, LEAs are still responsible for reporting aggregate results in their annual school accountability report cards (SARCs).
2nd Annual California Assessment Conference
July 1, 2020
LCAP and Accountability Weekly Updates
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/619092779
July 15, 2020
LCAP and Accountability Weekly Updates
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/619092779
July 29, 2020
LCAP and Accountability Weekly Updates
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/619092779
August 12, 2020
LCAP and Accountability Weekly Updates
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/619092779
August 26, 2020
LCAP and Accountability Weekly Updates
LCAP Advisory Services
Email: cizor@sccoe.org
Website: www.sccoe.org
Location: Santa Clara County Office of Education, Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: (408) 453-6500