SCCOE Accountability Newsletter
March 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.
We are here to support you!
We want you to know that we are here to support you with whatever you need. This challenge has thrown a wrench into many of the accountability activities that you were undertaking. ELPAC, CAASPP, LCAP, Local Indicators, Differentiated Assistance, CSI/ATSI, School Planning and more. It is not lost on us that these processes have been greatly impacted.
We are hoping that the CDE provides guidance, waivers, and extensions for many of these activities but they have not as of yet. We continue to call and stay in communication with the CDE and promise to share any and all information as it becomes available.
All of the team here is still working. Some of us from home and a couple in the office. If you are taking any of this time to work on pieces of your LCAP we are happy to connect with you and provide your guidance and feedback. We all have access to Zoom accounts and can connect with you in virtual meetings.
Below are a couple meetings we would like to try holding virtually. Please find the time to join us if you can next week.
Meeting updates in response to COVID 19
As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, updated guidance has been provided to us by SCCOE cabinet members. In an effort to limit contact and mitigate the potential spread of the virus, we are cancelling the in person LCAP Writing Session on March 25th and the in person Assessment and Accountability Lunch and Learn on March 26th. In place of these meetings, we will be holding shorter, virtual meetings using Zoom.
UPDATE 3/23: CANCELLED UNTIL GUIDANCE FROM CDE :The LCAP Writing Session Zoom will be scheduled from 9-10:00 AM on March 25th. We will share the information we wanted to present about writing Goals and Actions and determining if actions are “Contributing to the Increased and Improved Services” requirement. See below for the information to join the meeting on March 25th.
The Assessment and Accountability Lunch and Learn will be offered as a one hour Accountability Hot Topics Virtual Discussion at 11:15 AM on March 26th. There may be specific questions that you were hoping would be addressed at our next meeting and we want to offer this time to respond to those. In order for us to use the time efficiently, we are asking people to email us questions in advance they would like to have addressed or discussed on the Zoom call. See below for the information to join the meeting on March 26th.
As always, we remain committed to providing you timely support and technical assistance related to your LCAP. We are happy to meet with you in person or virtually to discuss your specific LCAP question as you continue to complete the process.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR ONE OR BOTH ZOOM MEETINGS
Topic: LCAP Writing Session
Time: Mar 25, 2020 09:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/722767783?pwd=RjZBbytQcEpTaTRzRWJ0bnFod3RMZz09
Meeting ID: 722 767 783
Password: 109508
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 722 767 783
Topic: Assessment and Accountability Hot Topics Virtual Discussion
Time: Mar 26, 2020 11:15 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/939291856?pwd=a0UvaHhTOFp5V2hPYUJhUkpzME51dz09
Meeting ID: 939 291 856
Password: 355316
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 939 291 856
Serving Students with Disabilities: The Basic Components Tool
The Serving Students with Disabilities: A Resource for Assessing the Basic Components of Your Special Education Infrastructure, also known as the Basic Components Tool, could be the resource for your district as you continue to analyze how to build and sustain a comprehensive system for Students with Disabilities.
Developed through a partnership between the CCEE, CDE, and WestEd, this tool serves as a resource for LEAs in identifying, establishing or strengthening, and continuously improving the very basic components of a healthy special education system. The Basic Components Tool aims to support effective implementation of frameworks, such as a multi-tiered system of support and Universal Design for Learning. The six basic components are not intended to replace these comprehensive frameworks, which are essential for effective academic, behavioral, and social-emotional education for all students, including students with disabilities. Instead, these components provide a method for examining an organization’s basic technical aspects of a special education system.
The Basic Components Tool identifies six basic, or foundational, components for the kind of infrastructure needed to have a well-functioning special education system. This tool provides a structured process for LEA teams and special education leaders, directors, and coaches to examine the degree in which these components are in place within their systems. To provide context, each of the six components are defined by practices that indicate implementation of the components, and are further clarified by examples of evidence. The Basic Components Tool also includes supplemental resources that guide users in applying the results of the tool to plan and prioritize next steps for system improvement efforts.
State Seal of Biliteracy
It is the season to request State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) insignias!
LEAs may request insignias from the CDE by completing the online Insignia Request Form available on the CDE SSB web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/er/sealofbiliteracy.asp. In addition to the Insignia Request Form, this web page includes helpful resources such as a webinar, booklet, and PowerPoint presentations. This year, two new resources have been added: a poster and bookmark. LEAs interested in spreading the word about the SSB may print these resources and distribute them to teachers, counselors, parents, and students.
For questions regarding the State Seal of Biliteracy, contact Gina Garcia-Smith, EPC, English Learner Support Division, by phone at 916-319-0265 or by email at ggarciasmith@cde.ca.gov.English Language Development Video Series
The CDE video series contains videos that demonstrate each integrated and designated English language development (ELD) instruction for English learners in elementary, middle school, and high school classrooms. Currently, the CDE is developing guidance to accompany the videos in the series. The guidance will assist administrators, instructional coaches, and teachers in how to use the videos for professional learning. Upon completion, the video series will be available on the CDE ELD Standards web page in spring 2020.
For more information, contact Gustavo Gonzalez, EPC, Language Policy and Leadership Office (LPLO), by phone at 916-319-0420 or by email at ggonzalez@cde.ca.gov.English Learner Program Data Reporting
Note to LEAs: Once the data is certified, it cannot be changed.
Student National Origin Report (SNOR)
Nonprofit Private Schools Only- Public LEAs info is now collected through CALPADS
Nonprofit private schools submitted their 2019–20 Student National Origin Report (SNOR) between January 15, 2020, and February 28, 2020. The CDE will add the private school SNOR immigrant student count collected to the LEAs’ 2019–20 immigrant student count to determine whether the LEA met the growth requirement for 2020–21 Title III Immigrant Student Program funding.
It is in the best interest of the LEA to encourage private schools to submit a SNOR even if they do not plan to participate because their counts are part of the LEA counts even if the private school does not want to participate in the Title Grant (Titles I/II/III/IV).
Cash Management Data Collection
The CDE will apportion funds to LEAs whose cash balance meets the established threshold. For more information on the CMDC system, including clarification on how the CDE uses reported CMDC data to calculate thresholds and issue apportionments, visit the CDE Federal Cash Management web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/cm.
Observation Protocol for Teachers of English Learners
A field test of the OPTEL is currently underway and will end in April, 2020.
In fall 2020, the CDE will recommend the OPTEL to the SBE for approval as the statewide standardized protocol for criterion two (teacher evaluation) and three (parent opinion and consultation) for reclassification purposes. Upon SBE approval of the OPTEL, professional development and guidance will be provided to school districts, COEs, and charter schools to implement the protocol.
For more information, visit the CDE OPTEL web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/t3/optel.asp
ELPAC Dashboard Participation Rate Follow up Letter
This is a follow-up to a letter sent in December 2019 in which the CDE informed districts that a participation rate for the English Learner Progress Indicator (ELPI) was calculated based on the number of summative assessment of the ELPAC. LEAs & schools that did not test at least 95 percent of their ELs were automatically assigned an ELPI Status of ‘Low’ on the ELPI. Through CALPADS, LEAs have real-time access to their English learner (EL) students’ data and can monitor reclassification progress and determine if students are required to take the summative ELPAC during the annual testing window.
It is important that EL students’ and reclassified students’ data in CALPADS be updated in real time in order to accurately reflect those EL students required to take the summative ELPAC. If EL students have been reclassified during the annual ELPAC testing window, their data should be updated immediately in CALPADS.
Additionally, all EL students’ data should be certified no later than the CALPADS End-of-Year submission deadline which for this year is on July 31, 2020. Additional information about current year CALPADS submissions is available on the CALPADS Calendar web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/rptcalendar.asp.
English Learner Roadmap Policy Resources
The CDE is excited to announce new English Learner (EL) Roadmap Policy resources to support local EL Roadmap Policy implementation. These resources were created by partner organizations.
Californians Together EL Roadmap Teacher Toolkits:
For local educational agencies (LEAs) looking for a way to engage teachers in EL Roadmap Policy implementation, Californians Together created EL Roadmap Teacher Toolkits. Each level is featured, specific to elementary, middle, and high school teachers. The toolkits are available for free as a download on the Californians Together EL Roadmap web page at https://bit.ly/CalTogToolkits.
Education Trust-West Resources:
The Education Trust-West created resources that clarify English learners’ basic rights and outline ways to support the EL Roadmap Policy implementation at the local level. This three-part suite of resources includes handouts in English and Spanish that are ideal for use with English Learner Advisory Committees and other parent groups. The resources are: 1) What is California’s EL Roadmap? 2) 10 Questions to Ask Your School & District about California’s EL Roadmap. 3) English Learners have Rights! An Advocacy Guide for Parents & Other Stakeholders.
Resources are available for free download on the Education Trust-West website at https://west.edtrust.org/?p=25205.
Early Edge California Video Series:
This video series, developed by Early Edge California, highlights the benefits of bilingual education in the early years and the ways that investing in teacher development and training can support young dual language learners. The video series is available on the Early Edge California Instructional Videos web page at https://bit.ly/EarlyEdgeVideos.
For questions regarding the EL Roadmap Policy, please contact Gina Garcia-Smith, Education Programs Consultant (EPC), English Learner Support Division, by phone at 916-319-0265 or by email at ggarciasmith@cde.ca.gov.
Private School Participation: Title III English Learner/Immigrant Student Program Subgrants
LEAs that receive Title III EL and Immigrant Student Program Subgrants are required to serve EL and immigrant students enrolled in nonprofit private schools whenever the administration of a particular private school requests participation in the program. LEAs must inform and consult with private schools within their geographic jurisdiction to determine whether the private schools’ students and teachers will participate in the Title III EL and Immigrant Student Programs, as part of ESSA, programs available to them.
For questions regarding private school participation, please visit the CDE Title III EL Student Program Private Schools web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/el/t3/elprivateschools.asp or visit the CDE Equitable Services Ombudsman web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/sw/t1/ombudsmaneqservices.asp.
As always, contact Dawn with questions or below are CDE contacts:
For fiscal or consortium questions regarding Title III EL & Immigrant Student Programs, contact Kevin Webb, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, LPLO, at 916-323-6257 or kwebb@cde.ca.gov.
For Title III program and private school questions, please contact Geoffrey Ndirangu, EPC, LPLO, by phone at 916-323-5831 or by email at gndirang@cde.ca.gov.
For CMDC questions, contact Derrick Andrade, Education Fiscal Services Consultant, School Fiscal Services Division, by phone at 916-327-5922 or by email at dandrade@cde.ca.gov
Coronavirus
The CDE is monitoring the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and working closely with agency partners. LEAs are encouraged to follow California Department of Public Health recommendations and should identify plans for communicating with families and consider learning supports for possible school closures.
Please refer to the CDE Coronavirus (COVID-19) web page for resources and a letter from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond to county and district superintendents, charter school administrators, and school principals regarding COVID-19 and guidance for kindergarten through grade twelve schools and school districts.
The CDE Assessment Development and Administration Division has protocols in place should schools close just before or during CAASPP and ELPAC testing. These protocols have been used when natural disasters or emergencies have occurred. The CDE will work directly with LEAs, schools, and the US Department of Education to facilitate next steps on a case-by-case basis. If a school or district expects or experiences a school closure that significantly undermines test administration, the LEA coordinator should notify the CAASPP Office by phone at 916-445–8765 or by email at caaspp@cde.ca.gov.
CAASPP and ELPAC--Connectivity Issue on Chromebooks
Some students were experiencing a connectivity error on Chrome operating systems during testing. A message was intermittently displayed as some students attempted to launch a test, displaying a sad face icon instead of entering the secure browser.
If you experience this issue, you should consult with your technology staff and update your testing devices to Chrome OS 80, which is now stable and approved for testing. Older devices may not have the capacity to upgrade to OS 80 due to Google’s Chrome OS Auto Update Expiration Policy. See the CAASPP Known Issues Log or ELPAC Known Issues Log for additional details.
CAASPP and ELPAC: Video Student Score Reports (SSRs)
Optional video Student Score Reports will provide parents/guardians, students, and teachers a personalized, detailed audio and video explanation of a child’s CAASPP and ELPAC scores and allow families to become more familiar with the student’s progress.
Video SSRs are offered in the same languages as SSRs for CAASPP and ELPAC assessments. The reports speak to families in their home language and provide a video presentation as a means of understanding scores, as opposed to a written, PDF report.
During the current CAASPP and ELPAC administrations, video SSRs are available for only the summative Smarter Balanced for English language arts/literacy and mathematics assessments and the Summative ELPAC. The cost of a video SSR is $1.00 per video.
More information about video SSRs will be provided in an upcoming informational, interactive live webcast. You can also register for a webinar with CDE’s Spotlight here. If you are currently interested in reserving your videos, please do so here.
All About CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility
Mouse Pointer
An embedded designated support available for both CAASPP and ELPAC testing is the “mouse pointer.” This resource, which allows the mouse pointer to be set to a larger size and the color to be changed, benefits students who are visually impaired and need additional enlargement or a mouse pointer in a different color to more readily find it on the screen. It also is an accessibility resource that benefits students who have visual perception challenges. In addition, the mouse pointer can be used with the zoom universal tool.
Students should receive ample opportunities to practice using the mouse pointer support/accessibility resource during daily instruction to determine their preferences as to size and color. A test administrator or test examiner sets the size and color of the mouse pointer prior to testing.
Amplification
A non-embedded designated support that is available for both CAASPP and ELPAC testing is “amplification.” This accessibility resource allows the student to adjust the volume control beyond the computer’s built-in settings, using headphones or other non-embedded devices. Students may use amplification assistive technology (e.g., headphones, FM system, noise buffers, white noise machines) to increase the volume provided in the assessment platform.
Audio Transcript
An accessibility resource available for both CAASPP and ELPAC testing is “audio transcript.” This accessibility resource, which includes braille transcript, is an embedded accommodation for which content is accessed through listening during the course of the assessment. Audio transcript includes the option of closed captioning made available in braille or on-screen as a single text presentation. This embedded accommodation improves upon the one-line-at-a-time access provided through closed captioning.
Line Reader
An accessibility resource available for both CAASPP and ELPAC is the “line reader.” The online line reader is a universal tool a student uses for reading assistance by raising and lowering the tool for each line of text. To move the line reader, which applies to items and passages, the student selects anywhere on the next line to be shaded.
More information on these accessibility resources can be found in Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines, available on the Smarter Balanced website.
Inappropriate Use of the Computer-based Summative ELPAC Audio Files in TOMS
There have been large counts of LEA users accessing audio files for either the Listening or Speaking domains of the Summative ELPAC in TOMS. These audio files are only to be used for the paper-pencil Summative ELPAC and only if the LEA received approval to administer paper-pencil assessments.
LEAs should be administering the computer-based ELPAC, which contains audio files for the Listening and Speaking domains played through the test delivery system and will be accessed by students on the testing device. Please direct Site ELPAC coordinators and test examiners to use the instructions in the Directions for Administrations (DFAs) and the audio in the test delivery system.
For more information about administering the computer-based Summative ELPAC, view the Summative ELPAC Test Administration web page and the 2019–20 Online Summative ELPAC Test Administration Manual.
K-2 Listening and Reading Domains Stopping Markers Guidance and Answer Keys Available
CDE has developed a new resource to be used when administering the 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC for K–2 students taking the Reading domain. The Summative ELPAC – Stopping Marker Guidance for 2019–2020 and the 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC Listening and Reading Domains Answer Keys up to the Stopping Markers guide will help test examiners track students’ responses up to the stopping marker for the different forms.
The Summative ELPAC – Stopping Marker Guidance for 2019–2020 is available on the Manuals, Instructions, and Quick Reference Guides web page under the Quick Reference Guides header. The 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC Listening and Reading Domains Answer Keys up to the Stopping Markers are secure materials and can be accessed electronically by LEA ELPAC coordinators, site ELPAC coordinators, or test examiners just prior to testing. This guide can be printed and stored securely until the Summative ELPAC is administered.
Take the following steps to access the 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC Listening and Reading Domains Answer Keys up to the Stopping Markers guide, which is available through the Moodle Training Site (Moodle). Use an existing Moodle logon credential or, if there is no account, you may create one.
1. Log on to Moodle.
2. Select the [2019–2020 Summative ELPAC Answer Keys] link.
3. Select the [Summative ELPAC Answer Key Downloads] link to access the downloadable materials; enter the enrollment key of “&ku_>nFr4g” when prompted.
4. To unlock the downloadable PDF files, first agree to the Test Security Affidavit by selecting the [Test Security Affidavit] link, checking the I agree box, and then selecting the [Save my choice] button.
Updates to ELPAC Summative Test Administration Manual (TAM)
Impropriety has been added as one of the three types of test security incidents. Impropriety is defined as an unusual circumstance that has a low impact on the individual or group of students who are testing, and has a low risk of potentially affecting student performance on the test or of impacting test security or test validity. These circumstances can be corrected and contained at the local level.
An impropriety should be reported to the LEA ELPAC coordinator and site ELPAC coordinator immediately. The coordinator will report the incident within 24 hours using the STAIRS/Appeals process.
The LEA ELPAC coordinator must immediately report the security breach by calling either the California Technical Assistance Center (CalTAC) if the breach is due to social media exposure on the part of a student or adult; or by sending an email to the California Department of Education at elpac@cde.ca.gov for all other breaches. In addition, the LEA ELPAC coordinator must report the incident in STAIRS within 24 hours.
These and other minor updates are documented on the change log located on the last page of the ELPAC Summative TAM.
ELPAC Pre-identification (Pre-ID) Labels
Pre-ID is the process of electronically identifying students through a bar-coded label rather than marking student demographic information on the kindergarten through grade two Writing Answer Books. LEAs can expect to receive the last round of Pre-ID labels—created on March 13—by March 30, 2020. Students enrolled after those dates will need to have their student demographic information marked completely, as shown in the Directions for Administration (DFAs).
Age Twenty-Two and the ELPAC
Did you know that age twenty-two is a point of change in a student’s not being counted toward an LEA’s participation rate?
- If a student turns twenty-two years of age before starting the first test/domain during the Summative ELPAC testing window, the student will not be counted toward the LEA’s participation rate.
- If a student turns twenty-two during or after completing the Summative ELPAC, the student will be included in LEA’s participation rate. In this instance, the LEA will need to submit a Security and Test Administration Incident Reporting System case to reset all tested domains to ensure that the student does not count against LEA’s participation rate.
If the student begins testing but does not complete all domains, it is not necessary to submit a STAIRS case, as those scores will be purged at the end of the administration window, and the student will not be counted toward the LEA’s participation rate.
Return Summative ELPAC Answer Books for Scoring
K–2 Answer Books must be received by ETS for scoring. It is not necessary to complete all student testing prior to returning test materials for scoring; it is best practice to return materials twice a month. Please review and follow the 2019–20 Summative ELPAC Packing and Return Instructions to help ensure timely scoring and reporting. LEAs can download and complete the ELPAC School Group List to serve as a reference when returning Answer Books, to show the LEA and ETS what is being returned in each shipment. LEAs should reach out to CalTAC to request additional white boxes, if needed.
ELPAC Resources Available Now
Manuals, Instructions, and Quick Reference Guides
- Stopping Marker Guidance for 2019–2020 Summative ELPAC guide
- Technology Readiness Checker for Students Support Guidelines
- How to Submit a Security Incident quick reference guide
- ELPAC Security Incidents and Appeals Procedure Guide
- ELPAC Data Entry Interface Score Entry Guide
Videos
- Starting and Stopping a CAASPP or ELPAC Test Session video tutorial
- Security and Test Administration Incident and Reporting System (STAIRS) video tutorial
- How to Designate LEA ELPAC coordinators in TOMS video tutorial
Website Updates
- STAIRS/Appeals Process for Summative Assessments web page
- Technology Resources web page
ELPAC Resources Coming Soon
Manuals, Instructions, and Quick Reference Guides
- Before, During, and After checklists - These checklists are useful resources for LEA ELPAC coordinators to share with site ELPAC coordinators, test examiners, and educators working with ELs.
- How to Start a Test Session quick reference guide
Videos
- Pausing and Stopping an ELPAC Test Session
- Using the Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAPP) Tool
- Overview of the Computer-based ELPAC
Superintendent Designation Form of LEA ELPAC Coordinators
Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Training Registration Open
The 2020–2021 computer-based Initial ELPAC testing window will begin on July 1, 2020. There will be 16 California Department of Education–sponsored Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Trainings held statewide. The statewide trainings are scheduled to occur from April 14 through May 20, 2020. Visit the Computer-based Initial ELPAC Administration and Scoring Trainings web page for dates and information. This training is mandatory; each LEA must send a trainer. Makeup trainings will be held in August 2020; the specific dates will be announced in the spring. All trainings will run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This training series will focus primarily on the local scoring of the computer-based Initial ELPAC Writing domain.
Additionally, to accommodate your LEA’s training needs, SCCOE will be providing regional workshops on May 19 (grades K-5) and May 26 (grades 6-12). Go here for registration.
Update Student English Language Acquisition Status (ELAS) in CALPADS
Please update students’ ELAS in CALPADS prior to the administration of the Summative ELPAC. Only students with an ELAS of EL in CALPADS are eligible to be tested; therefore, it is critical that students’ ELAS are up-to-date in CALPADS. If the LEA has students who have an EL designation in the TOMS Local Scoring Tool after Initial ELPAC testing, but their ELAS in CALPADS is TBD (To Be Determined), the LEA has not updated the students’ ELAS from TBD to EL in CALPADS.
It is best practice to update CALPADS immediately after a student is tested with the Initial ELPAC and identified as an EL or initial fluent English proficient. This is particularly important for students who enroll in a school and take the Initial ELPAC during the summative testing window, as these students must also take the Summative ELPAC before May 31.
Using ELPAC Completion Status Reports
The Completion Status System is the means of viewing test status completion data and managing rosters for students taking part in both the CAASPP and ELPAC. The Completion Status System used in CAASPP testing is available for ELPAC users to plan and manage testing of each domain by date, school, grade, and student. Using these reports, LEA ELPAC coordinators can monitor the completion rates within the LEA and by school sites. To learn more about how to use this system, refer to the 2019–20 Guide to CAASPP and ELPAC Completion Status and Roster Management.
There are also two new reports in TOMS: the Student Completion Status Report and Student Completion Status Summary Report. These reports allow LEA ELPAC coordinators and site ELPAC coordinators to track the number of tests started and completed at the school and student level for each test or domain. This report will provide information on domain exemptions, domain completions, and could be useful for determining completion rates towards the end of the year.
2019-2020 CAASPP The Results are In - Now What? Workshop
Registration is open for the informational, in-person, 2019–2020 CAASPP The Results are In—Now What?: Analyzing Assessment Results to Inform Teaching and Learning workshop. The registration fee to attend this workshop in person is $50 per person, which includes all workshop materials.
The workshop will focus on the following objectives:
- Use a data analysis protocol that supports decision-making to improve teaching and learning
- Analyze and use the 2019–2020 (and previous years’) results to inform teaching and learning
- Access and use data, supplementary resources, and reference materials to inform the interpretation of student results
- Display results to varied stakeholder audiences for a particular purpose
- Consider steps to take to improve outcomes for students in underserved student groups
These workshops are best suited for LEA CAASPP coordinators, curriculum instruction leaders, and professional development leaders. Attendance with a team of educators from your LEA or site is strongly encouraged.
Select the San Jose workshop link to register:
- Friday, May 29, 2020: Santa Clara COE (San Jose)
Because seating at the workshops is limited, early registration is encouraged. Check-in for an in-person workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. The workshop will start promptly at 9 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided to all participants.
Participants are required to bring a laptop and their Online Reporting System (ORS) logon information to maximize the day’s learning opportunities. Note that the ORS logon credentials are the same as those used to access the Test Operations Management System. It is strongly recommended that all participants visit the ORS website prior to the workshop to verify access.
A focus group discussion will take place during the lunch break; workshop attendees are encouraged to participate.
A live webcast of this workshop will be recorded at the Santa Clara COE on Friday, May 29, 2020, beginning at 9 a.m. The webcast will be archived on the Summative Assessments Training Videos web page on the CAASPP website. Registration is not required to view the webcast.
Educators Needed for 2020 Smarter Balanced Assessment Development Activities
SBAC is recruiting qualified educators for math and ELA assessment development activities in 2020:
- Item authoring and review—week of July 20 for math; week of August 3 for ELA
- Item review for content, fairness, and accessibility—week of October 26 for both content areas
- Range finding—week of July 6 for both content areas, pending the needs of the tests
Smarter Balanced will select educators from across Smarter Balanced Consortium states to support these development activities. The selection of educators will aim to represent a balance of geographic regions, grade levels, years of experience, and other considerations.
Participant qualifications are as follows:
- Currently certified or licensed to teach ELA or math in a K–12 public school or certified to teach English learners or students with disabilities
- Currently teaching in a public school or currently employed by a public school, district, or state education entity, including higher education
- Within the past three years and in grades three through eight and/or high school—Have taught ELA or math or have worked in a classroom content support role (e.g., literacy or district or state content specialist); and/or have taught students with disabilities and/or English learners in those grades or have worked in a support role such as a district/school coordinator or instructional specialist (Specializations in visual impairments or teaching for students who are deaf and hard of hearing are encouraged.)
- Have previously reviewed part or all of the Common Core State Standards for the content area in which they are interested in working
For activities that require participant travel, airfare, hotel, and meal expenses will be covered by Smarter Balanced, as will the cost of substitute pay. On-site activities are scheduled to last three to five days. Item authoring and data review may require additional work outside of the on-site meeting. Educators will be compensated as defined in the invitation letter for any work completed outside of the on-site meetings.
Qualified teachers and other educators interested in these opportunities are strongly encouraged to apply! The online application is available now. The deadline for submitting completed applications is Wednesday, April 22.
California Science Test (CAST) Practice and Training Test Scoring Guides Available
CAST scoring guides for the practice and training tests—for grades five and eight and high school—have been posted on the CAASPP website. To locate these guides, select the “Practice and Training Tests” button, on the home page, and then select the middle button for the Test Administrator and Test Examiner Resources for Practice and Training Tests web page.
This web page has been recently updated with convenient expandable boxes for the various assessments. Expand the CAST box by selecting the plus sign on the left-hand side of the box. When the box expands, both the practice and training test scoring guides, sorted by test type and grade, will appear. Braille versions are available.
These scoring guides have been developed to accompany the CAST practice and training tests, offering students, parents/guardians, and teachers details about the different CAST item types, ways in which students might respond, the correct answers, and related information about the standards being assessed.
The CAST practice and training tests can be used as resources for students to help them become familiar with the types of questions they will be asked on the CAST.
CAST: Available Resources Flyer Updated
CAST Performance Charts Added to CAST Results
The CAST performance charts have been added to the CAST results on the CAASPP Public Reporting website. To access them, select the CAST tile on the home page, and then select the “Performance Charts” tab, which leads to the State Performance Charts web page. Presented on this web page are results for three student groups, available at the state level by grade (i.e., grades five and eight and high school). The following student comparison groups are included:
- Ethnicity
- Students with disabilities
- English learners
Please note that the average scale scores presented on the CAST performance charts are rounded to the nearest integer and may differ slightly from the average scale scores presented in the detailed test results table, which are rounded to one decimal.
CAST Release Resources Posted
The California Department of Education (CDE) has posted two California Science Test (CAST) release resources on the CDE CAST web page:
- CAST Reporting Achievement Level Descriptors, providing descriptions of the four levels possible for a student’s overall performance on the CAST and the three levels possible for a student’s performance, by science domain
- CAST Scale Score Ranges, providing scale score ranges, by grade and achievement level
California Spanish Assessment (CSA): Materials Available in TOMS
The CSA Communications and Outreach Toolkit
The new California Spanish Assessment (CSA) Communications and Outreach Toolkit is now available! The toolkit contains a list of resources that local educational agencies (LEAs) can use to educate and communicate important information about the CSA to parents and guardians. The resources are available on the CSA Communications and Outreach Toolkit web page.
The toolkit has the following information available:
- Key Messages (PDF)—This document provides an overview of the CSA, its benefits, and information about CSA Student Score Reports (SSRs). It is intended to help LEAs provide consistent messaging about the CSA in their outreach efforts.
- Frequently Asked Questions—This document contains information that LEAs can use to help address parent/guardian questions about the CSA.
- “Talking to Parents” (PPT)—LEAs can customize this PowerPoint presentation to provide information to parents and guardians on how to read a CSA SSR.
- Guidance for Analyzing CSA Results—This is a document that LEAs can use to understand the alignment between their LEA’s instructional programs and the CSA.
- Resources for Parents and Guardians:
- Parent Handouts - Fact Sheet; Parent Guide; Benefits of the CSA flyer
- “What is the CSA?”—Informational video
- Starting Smarter—This website for parents and guardians contains information on the CSA, parent resources, and how to understand the SSRs.
New Resources for the CSA
The CSA Score Reporting Ranges document for all grades has been posted on the CDE website. This document offers assistance in determining the score reporting range into which a student’s overall score falls. There are three score reporting ranges for the CSA.
The new “Guidance for Analyzing California Spanish Assessment (CSA) Results” is now posted on the CAASPP website as part of the CSA Communications and Outreach Toolkit. LEAs can use this document to understand the alignment between their instructional programs and the CSA.
DataQuest Update Issue 4
The new DataQuest Update #4 has been released and can be found on the CDE web page https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/cb/update4.asp. This issue provides information about the following topics:
- Update to DataQuest Homepage
- Data and Statistics Web Page Changes
- Release of New Data Reports on DataQuest
- 2018-19 California School Staff Survey
- 2018-19 Foster Data
- Foster Match Reports Explained
- Update on One Year Graduation and Dropout Counts
- DataQuest Tips
Archived Updates can be found on CDE’s DataQuest Update web page https://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/cb/dqu.asp.
2nd Annual California Assessment Conference
March 25, 2020
LCAP Writing Session
Time: Mar 25, 2020 9:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/722767783?pwd=RjZBbytQcEpTaTRzRWJ0bnFod3RMZz09
Meeting ID: 722 767 783
Password: 109508
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 722 767 783
March 26, 2020
Assessment & Accountability Hot Topics Virtual Discussion
Time: Mar 26, 2020 11:15 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sccoe.zoom.us/j/939291856?pwd=a0UvaHhTOFp5V2hPYUJhUkpzME51dz09
Meeting ID: 939 291 856
Password: 355316
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 939 291 856
April 23, 2020
AAN/S&F Lunch & Learn Network Meeting - Session 6
http://santaclara.k12oms.org/201-172757
April 27, 2020
LCAP Writing Session
http://santaclara.k12oms.org/201-175946
May 14, 2020
LCAP Writing Session
http://santaclara.k12oms.org/201-175950
May 21, 2020
Moving People and Driving Action: How to Use Data Visualizations and Storytelling in Engaging and Memorable Ways - Dr. Jenny Grant Rankin
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