Index of archived SBAC e-mail updates
SBAC CDE News
- Support for States Implementing the Common Core State Standards
- Formative Assessment Master Work Plan Approved
- Technology Readiness Tool/Best Practices
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.
- SBAC supports member states as they implement the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS) — The Transition to the Common Core Work Group — one of ten state-led SBAC work groups — identifies high–quality curriculum resources aligned to the CCSS, and professional development strategies that can be replicated across states. The tools and resources are posted online and will be incorporated into the digital library — an on-demand resource to help teachers address learning challenges and differentiate instruction — as part of the assessment system. The SBAC CCSS Tools & Resources can be found at the SBAC CCSS Tools and Resources Web page.
- Formative Assessment Master Work Plan Approved—Governing States have approved the SBAC Formative Master Work Plan (Formative MWP), which details the approach to developing formative assessment practices and professional development materials for educators. Formative, interim, and summative assessments comprise the three central components of the SBAC vision for a balanced assessment system that contributes to improved teaching and learning. While the summative component will be used as the accountability instrument, and the interim component can provide information across the school year on student progress using a comprehensive set of released items and tasks, the formative component is designed to provide resources and tools to teachers to improve their thoughtful use of assessment activities to enhance day-to-day classroom instruction. The assessment practices and strategies that will result from the Formative MWP will help teachers address learning challenges and differentiate instruction. The Formative MWP outlines key projects that will help SBAC achieve this vision:
- Digital Library—At the center of the Formative MWP is a digital library that will house resources created by SBAC and those submitted by states and educators. The digital library will allow teachers to rate and comment on materials so that knowledge from the classroom can be shared across the Consortium.
- National Advisory Panel—To develop criteria for the resources to be included in the digital library, SBAC will convene a national advisory panel of experts on formative assessment practices and quality instruction of the CCSS.
- Professional Learning Materials—SBAC will develop online professional learning materials and supplemental assessment resources, including trainings on the components of the assessment system, the CCSS learning progressions, and using reporting data to inform instruction. Additional trainings will also be developed to help educators access and interpret SBAC interim and summative score reports as well as to search the web-based resources, use collaboration tools, and comment on resources in the digital library.
- Exemplar Instructional Modules—SBAC will develop 52 modules across grades, in English language arts/literacy and mathematics, that will demonstrate how to meet the needs of all learners in diverse settings with embedded formative assessment practices and descriptive feedback from rigorous tasks. These instructional modules will include lesson plans, templates, curriculum resources, evidence collection tools, teacher analysis, descriptive feedback strategies, and follow-up planning.
- Engaging Member States and Educators—SBAC will convene State Leadership Teams to provide input throughout the process. These teams will also be charged with recruiting an average of 90 educators per state to form State Networks of Educators that will recommend assessment literacy resources and formative tools for inclusion in the digital library, as well as provide feedback on the development of instructional modules.
- Criteria to Evaluate Publisher Materials—SBAC will provide materials that teachers and districts can use to evaluate the quality of assessment activities found in textbooks and other published materials, with regard to their alignment to the CCSS and the extent to which they assess the acquisition of deeper learning.o
- Professional Learning Social Network—SBAC will host virtual Professional Learning Communities that cut across school, district, and state boundaries. This will greatly expand the learning and collaboration opportunities available to teachers to engage in cooperative professional development
- Technology Readiness Tool/Best Practices— The first data collection window for the Technology Readiness Tool closes on June 30. At that time, a snapshot will be taken of all the information submitted by schools and the first readiness analysis will be completed. The analysis will guide SBAC in the development of the assessment system and help policymakers in developing strategies to systematically address educational technology gaps. To ensure that this information is as accurate as possible, it is critical that all schools complete the inventory by the end of June.
Ongoing Events
Technology Readiness First Data Collection Window to Close June 30, 2012 —
- April 16–June 30, Statewide Local Educational Agencies Data Collection: The statewide data collection window is now open and will close on June 30, 2012. Visit the CDE SBAC Web site to view materials related to the statewide Technology Readiness Tool rollout. The reporting system for the Technology Readiness Tool will include district reports and the submission status for each school where information has been submitted
SBAC CDE Resources
- Join the SBAC CDE electronic mailing list by sending a blank e-mail to subscribe-sbac@mlist.cde.ca.gov.
- To receive Common Core State Standards CDE Updates via e-mail notification, subscribe to the from CDE listserv by sending a blank message to join-commoncore@mlist.cde.ca.gov.
- SBAC CDE Web site—The Smarter Balanced CDE Web site includes access to archived SBAC CDE Updates, resources, and presentations.
- SBAC External Web site—The Smarter Balanced external Web site
showcases the SBAC work and provides frequent updates on activities, milestones, and events. - Smarter News, the SBAC's monthly eNewsletter —Smarter Balanced provides monthly updates on the development of the Smarter Balanced assessment system and activities in member states.
- SBAC is on Twitter—Follow @SmarterBalanced to get resources and links to the latest SBAC news.
- Assembly Bill (AB) 250—The AB 250 Statewide Pupil Assessment Web page provides the latest information about the reauthorization of California's assessment system.
- K-12 Center Report on Technology and Assessments—The K-12 Center at ETS released a new report about how technology impacts assessment through greater accessibility, technology-enhanced items, and personalized learning. Sea Change in Assessment: How Technology Is Transforming K-12 Testing is available online.
SBAC Question/Answer of the Week
Q: Will children with limited computer skills—particularly those in the younger grades—be disadvantaged by an online assessment?
A: SBAC is developing an assessment system that accurately measures achievement and growth for all students—regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, economic status, or background. To achieve this goal, SBAC must eliminate or minimize factors that could distract students from the ability to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. There are several steps SBAC is taking to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by the technology of next-generation assessments:
- SBAC is conducting cognitive lab research to learn how students across a range of grades approach and interact with different types of computer-administered items. This will inform the development of both assessment items and the test delivery system.
- SBAC has developed accessibility guidelines to ensure that items and tasks are designed to work well for as many students as possible, with appropriate accommodations available based on the needs of individual students. It is likely that some accommodations—such as the ability to highlight text—will be available to all students.
- SBAC’s approach to a balanced assessment system—that includes optional interim assessments—will allow students to become familiar with the test interface before taking the summative assessment.
- While eliminating distractions and creating an accessible test interface are critical, it is important to remember that the CCSS will emphasize proficiency with technology. For example, the 4th grade writing standard calls for students to “demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.” Administering assessments by computer is a part of ensuring that schools and teachers can measure mastery of the full range of the standards
