Assessment Spotlight, Issue 8

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California’s other statewide assessments.

Downtime for CAASPP Online System Components

Various components of the CAASPP online system will be unavailable Wednesday, August 29, through Monday, September 3, for scheduled downtime as CAASPP transitions to the 2018–19 school year. During the downtime, the following will not be available:

• Test Operations Management System
• Test Delivery System
• Online Reporting System
• Test Administrator Interface
• Appeals/Completion Status/Roster Management System
• Interim Assessment (IA) Viewing System
• IA Hand Scoring System

Please note that systems may go offline the day before scheduled downtime—no earlier than 5 p.m.—and will be back online by 8 a.m. the day following the scheduled downtime.

Looking further ahead: Systems also will experience scheduled downtime on Thursday, November 1, through Sunday, November 4. Details about which systems will be affected are available on the CAASPP Planned System Downtime web page .

Questions can be directed to the California Technical Assistance Center by phone at 800-955-2954 or by email at caltac@ets.org.

CAST Academy, October 2018!

Coming right up: the California Science Test (CAST) Academy! This training, which will be offered at several locations in October, will include the following:

• Learning about the CAST test design and expectations
• Deconstructing a Next Generation Science Standards for California (CA NGSS) performance expectation
• Exploring the new and improved CAST training test items and identifying their demands and expectations
• Considering the implications of the CA NGSS and CAST training test items for improved teaching and learning

Registration and details are now available for the Academy. An Academy flyer (PDF) also is available to print and display to help advertise this training opportunity.

Calculating Preliminary Initial ELPAC Scores

Local educational agencies (LEAs) that choose to calculate a preliminary Initial ELPAC score before entering the raw scores into the Local Scoring Tool (LST) can use the helpful Initial ELPAC Preliminary Overall Scale Scoring and Student Score Sheet and conversion tables. These resources are available in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS). In TOMS, select the “Help” button, in the upper right-hand corner, and then select the LST tab, which is where the documents are located.

New ELPAC Resources!

The following new ELPAC resources provide LEAs with support and guidance:

• Quick Reference Guide: How to Complete the Initial ELPAC Process and Correction of Classification Process (PDF), available on the CDE ELPAC web page
• Quick Reference Guide: How to Complete the Initial ELPAC Rotating Score Validation Process (RSVP) (PDF), providing guidance for LEAs that have been selected in 2018–19 to participate in the RSVP, available on the CDE ELPAC web page
• CalEdFacts, which provides information regarding student participation, content and format of the ELPAC, reporting and using Initial and Summative ELPAC results, public reporting, and interim reclassification guidance; available on the CDE ELPAC web page

Please view these resources and learn the latest on the ELPAC!

ELPAC/CALPADS Webinar

If you missed the “Understanding the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System’s (CALPAD’s) Role in the ELPAC” webinar on August 22, do not worry—you still will have the opportunity to learn all about how CALPADS interacts with the ELPAC. The webinar will be posted on the ELPAC website under the Training tab by the beginning of September.

 ELPAC Question Corner

This week, we answer the following question received from the field:

• Is American Sign Language (ASL) considered a language other than English?

No. Per the U.S. Department of Education, ASL is not considered a language other than English for ELPAC testing.

Please share this email with any educators in your local educational agency who would be interested in or benefit from this information. To join the email list, send a blank message to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. Are you a new subscriber? Visit the CDE Assessment Spotlight web page to find previous issues.