Index of archived SBAC e-mail updates
SBAC CDE News
- State SBAC Membership Changes
- Michigan Assessment Expert Named SBAC Executive Committee Co-Chair
- Item Writing and Review Update
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.
- State SBAC Membership Changes— South Carolina has changed its membership status in SBAC to a Governing State. Since 2010, South Carolina has been an Advisory State. As a Governing State, South Carolina will help shape the design of the assessment system and vote on fiscal and policy decisions. For more information visit the SBAC News section to read about South Carolina becoming a Smarter Balanced Governing State.
- Michigan Assessment Expert Named SBAC Executive Committee Co-Chair
— The SBAC Governing States have elected Michigan’s Joseph Martineau, Ph.D., Executive Committee Co-Chair.
- Item Writing and Review Update
—In the summer and fall of 2012, SBAC will work with educators to develop assessment items and performance tasks in English language arts/literacy and mathematics for the Pilot Test of the assessment system in early 2013.Teachers will be recruited by SBAC Governing States to write and review items and performance tasks for content, bias/sensitivity and accessibility. This work will be guided by the SBAC item/task specifications and review guidelines. To view the Guidelines click on the links below:
- General Accessibility Guidelines
(PDF)
- ELA Audio Guidelines
(PDF)
- Mathematics Audio Guidelines
(PDF)
- ELL Guidelines
(PDF)
- Signing Guidelines
(PDF)
- Tactile Guidelines
(PDF)
- Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines
(PDF)
- Style Guide
(PDF)
- General Accessibility Guidelines
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: What are test blueprints?
A: A test blueprint provides detailed specifications for a student assessment. The blueprint describes the purpose of the assessment, what content will be covered—in this case, the SBAC Content Specifications—and the proportions of the test devoted to each topic. It also includes the approximate test length and technical details related to scoring. In collaboration with work groups and experts, SBAC is developing test blueprints for the summative assessment in English language arts/literacy and mathematics, which are now being reviewed by SBAC member states.
