STS Public Hearing Announcement

March 13, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THREE REGIONAL PUBLIC HEARINGS

California State Board of Education

Proposed Performance Level Cut Scores for the
Standards-based Tests in Spanish:
Reading/Language Arts in Grades Two, Three, and Four
and Mathematics in Grades Two, Three, and Four

To be used in reporting the results of the Standards-based Tests in Spanish (STS) for Reading/Language Arts (RLA) and Mathematics in grades two, three, and four administered in spring 2009 and thereafter.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
Videoconference

Santa Clara County Office of Education, Saratoga Room
1290 Ridder Park Drive
San Jose, CA 95131

408-453-6500

Thursday, March 26, 2009

2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Videoconference

San Diego County Office of Education
Joe Rindone Regional Technology Center
6401 Linda Vista Road
San Diego, CA 92111

619-778-9876

Thursday, May 7, 2009

10:00 am. - as necessary

California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814

916-319-0827

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To: County and District Superintendents
       Charter School Administrators
       Other Interested Parties

In 2001, program reports for California’s Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program included, for the first time, student performance levels in English–language arts (ELA). Performance standards (i.e., performance levels) relate exclusively to students’ scores on the California Standards Tests (CSTs), which are aligned to California’s rigorous academic content standards. The designations for these performance levels are: advanced, proficient, basic,
below basic, and far below basic.

For 2002 and thereafter, the reporting of student achievement on the basis of these performance levels was expanded to include the CST for History–social Science, the CST for Mathematics, and, in part, the CST for Science. In addition, the performance levels in ELA were modified for grades four and seven to incorporate students’ scores on the writing assessment conducted at those grade levels.  For 2004 and thereafter, performance levels were reported on the CST for Science in grade five. For 2006 and thereafter, the reporting of student achievement on the basis of these performance levels was expanded to include the CST for Science in grades eight and ten. For 2008 and thereafter, performance levels were reported for the modified California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) Levels I–V for ELA and mathematics; CAPA Levels I, II, IV, and V for science; the California Modified Assessment (CMA) for ELA and the CMA for Mathematics in grades three, four, and five; and the CMA for Science grade five.

The State Board of Education (SBE) is proposing to adopt performance levels for the STS for RLA and Mathematics in grades two, three, and four. All of these tests were administered to students during the 2008 STAR Program. Information on the proposed cut scores for establishing the performance levels was made available on the SBE Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/pn/pn/index.asp on March 16, 2009.

Three regional public hearings will be conducted for the purpose of gathering comments from a cross section of interested parties, including teachers, administrators, school board members and other local elected officials, business leaders, parents, guardians, and students. Comments and suggestions are sought on the proposed cut scores on the respective tests that will determine students’ performance levels.

The regional public hearings at the Santa Clara County Office of Education and the San Diego County Office of Education on March 26, 2009 will be videoconferences. SBE and California Department of Education staff will be prepared to accept public comments and input on a continuous basis during the videoconferences. Individuals are not required to prearrange a specific time to present their comments. Oral comments will be accepted as individuals arrive. Some delays may occur if many individuals arrive at the same time; patience will be appreciated if delays do occur.

The third and final regional public hearing will be conducted in Sacramento on May 7, 2009, in conjunction with the SBE’s regular May meeting. It will begin as close to 10 a.m. as possible and will last only as long as necessary to hear from those who wish to orally testify at that time.

Individuals need not attend a regional public hearing to present their comments. The SBE will be pleased to receive comments by mail, e-mail, or fax. See below for contact information.

Mail:
California State Board of Education
1430 N Street, Room 5111
Sacramento, CA 95814

E-mail:
drury@cde.ca.gov

Fax:
916-319-0175

Please help us publicize these regional public hearings!

Attachment - STS Proposed Performance Standards (Posted 16-Mar-2009; DOC; 58KB; 2pp.)