Index of archived SBAC e-mail updates
SBAC CDE News
- Technology Readiness Data Collection
- Technology Readiness Reporting
- Beverly Young named Higher Education representative on Executive Committee
- Item Specifications/Guidelines 3rd draft released and survey posted
The SBAC CDE weekly update is an email sent each week to inform California educators and parents of new developments and upcoming events. Please feel free to share information in the update with those who are interested in the SBAC CDE’s work.
- Technology Readiness Data Collection—To ensure that district and school staff time is used effectively, SBAC and California have implemented a phased rollout of the Technology Readiness Tool. To make the first data collection window effort as easy as possible, CDE will be working with pilot districts in each of the eleven California service regions to test the system in order to provide CDE feedback and suggestions for improving the local educational agencies (LEAs) experience with the tool. The pilot districts will test the system from March 20, 2012 through April 9, 2012. The statewide data collection window will open April 16, 2012 and end June 14, 2012. Prior to April 16, CDE will host a statewide Technology Readiness Webinar that will be archived and available on the CDE Web site SBAC page. Please note that this Webinar and additional training modules will replace the March 12 Technology Readiness Tool training Module noted in previous updates.
As additional information on the Technology Readiness Tool is made available, CDE will provide the latest information on the SBAC CDE weekly updates and on the CDE Web site as noted above. The following revised timeline will allow CDE to provide better support to our districts and schools as they begin the data collection and submission process:- March 20–April 9, Pilot Districts Test Data Collection: To facilitate the success of the data collection window, CDE will work with the pilot districts to test the system in order to provide feedback and suggestions for improving the experience with the tool.
- April 9–16, Enhance Communications for the Technology Readiness Tool Survey: CDE will consider issues and challenges, solidify the state-specific frequently asked questions (FAQs), and help enhance Consortium FAQs; CDE will host a statewide Technology Readiness Webinar that will be archived.
- April 16–June 14, Begin Statewide LEAS Data Collection: Use both the lessons learned from the early implementors and the enhanced FAQs to support California’s statewide rollout.
- Technology Readiness Reporting—It was determined that both consortia need baseline data from districts and schools to help determine the minimum requirements for technology. Therefore, the first data collection window will be a technology readiness inventory. Data collection summaries will be available. These reports will help improve data quality and to inform the two consortia regarding which types of hardware and operating systems are currently being used in schools.
- New Higher Education representative on Executive Committee—Dr. Beverly L. Young, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the California State University System, was elected by the SBAC higher education state leads to serve on SBAC’s Executive Committee. Dr. Young is one of two higher education representatives on the nine-member governing body and also serves as a Smarter Balanced Higher Education Lead for California. Additional information is available on the Consortium’s public Web site (Outside Source).
- Item Specifications 3rd draft released and survey posted—The third draft of the Item Specifications and Guidelines were released for public review and comment. These item specifications provide item writers with specific guidance on how to translate the Common Core State Standards into actual assessment items. In addition, guidelines for bias and sensitivity, accessibility and accommodations, and style help item developers and reviewers ensure consistency and fairness. The item specifications and presentation materials are available on the SBAC’s public Web site (Outside Source). The survey to share feedback on the item specifications is posted in the same location. Feedback is due by 11:59 p.m. Pacific on Friday, March 16.
SBAC CDE Upcoming Events
March 16, 2012 CDE SBAC Bi-monthly Update to Education Coalition Representatives. The Education Coalition is a group made up of advocacy groups including the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association the Association of California School Administrators, the California Association of School Business Officials, the California Federation of Teachers, the California School Boards Association, the California School Employees Association, the California Teachers Association, California’s Parent-Teacher Association and the California Service Employees International Union. One to three representatives from each organization were nominated by their organizations to participate in regularly scheduled monthly WebEx meetings to receive SBAC updates, to provide feedback, and to discuss transition needs for the new set of state assessments scheduled for the 2014–15 school year.
SBAC CDE Resources
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Join the SBAC electronic mailing list by sending a blank e-mail to subscribe-sbac@mlist.cde.ca.gov. To receive CCSS CDE Updates via e-mail notification, subscribe to the from CDE listserv by sending a blank message to join-commoncore@mlist.cde.ca.gov.
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External Web site—The Smarter Balanced external Web site (Outside Source) showcases the SBAC work and provides frequent updates on activities, milestones, and events.
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A list of the parameters collected by the SBAC Information Technology (IT) Readiness Tool for the spring 2012 data collection can be found on the SBAC CDE Web page.
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The IT architecture and requirements are now available online at the SBAC Technology Web page (Outside Source; refer to section titled "IT Systems Architecture Reports and Resources").
- Report on engaging higher education in new assessments available—A new report from the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) identifies the conditions that can help build consensus between state K-12 and postsecondary systems. It also makes recommendations for meaningful involvement by higher education in the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and assessments, which will inform our efforts to engage the postsecondary field. The report is available at the NCHEMS Publication Web page (Outside Source).
SBAC Question/Answer of the Week (From SBAC All States Update)
Q: Twenty states are working to develop next-generation science standards. Will science be incorporated into SBAC’s assessments?
A: SBAC will not include science assessments at the time of implementation in 2014-15. However, it is likely that the online test delivery options selected by states (or SBAC) will support the delivery of online test science assessments in the future—particularly in cases where the science assessments are comprised of selected response items. SBAC will continue to monitor the development and adoption of science standards.
