Assessment Spotlight, Issue 216
California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) email update, January 6, 2023.Focusing on the CAASPP System and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California’s other statewide assessments. For questions related to test administration, coordination, and trainings, visit the CAASPP website and the ELPAC website .
New Coordinator Training Webinar #4—Test Security
Calling all local educational agency (LEA) CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators who are new to their role or want a refresher!
The fourth New Coordinator Webinar of the 2022–23 series will take place on February 23, 2023, from 3–4 p.m. This webinar includes a deep dive into test security and the Security and Test Administration Incident Reporting System (STAIRS), a review of upcoming coordinator checklist tasks, and a Question-and-Answer session with experienced coordinators. Registration is quick and easy on the New Coordinator Webinar 4 web page!
California Science Test Updates
With the opening of the CAASPP testing window, we would like to remind educators that the practice and training tests are now available to assist students in becoming familiar with the types of questions and format of the California Science Test (CAST). Available for each assessed grade/grade span (i.e., grade five, grade eight, and high school), these practice and training tests include accessibility resources to match those available on the operational CAST. Students are welcome to explore and use any of the three practice tests regardless of their current grade-level.
To accompany the practice tests, CAST scoring guides are available. These guides include the correct answers to and rubrics for the questions so students can gauge their understanding of the types of questions they will be asked on the CAST. In addition to the scoring guides are the CAST Practice Test Constructed Response Annotated Examples, providing examples of actual student responses at each score point level to selected CAST constructed-response questions. Teachers and students can use these examples to better understand how constructed-response items are scored on the CAST.
Beginning this year, students in grade eight and high school who use stacked Spanish translations while taking the CAST will be able to access a Spanish version of the periodic table through the test delivery system. A printable version of this Spanish periodic table (PDF) for classroom use is now available on the CAST web page.
Supporting Student Success with Interim Assessments and Tools for Teachers Webinar
The California Department of Education (CDE) invites you to attend the upcoming webinar Supporting Student Success with Interim Assessments and Tools for Teachers, which will be held onFebruary 21, 2023,from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. This webinar—the third and final webinar in the 2022–23 Tools for Teachers Shared Practices series—is designed for classroom teachers, administrators, and any other LEA staff interested in learning more about how the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments and Tools for Teachers resources can be used to support teaching and learning.
Educators from San Bernardino City Unified School District and Atwater Elementary School District will highlight ways they use Smarter Balanced English language arts and mathematics Interim Assessments and resources on the Tools for Teachers website to promote teaching and learning in elementary through high school classrooms. The webinar will conclude with a question-and-answer session.
Go to the Tools for Teachers Webinar Registration web page to register!
2022–23 Physical Fitness Test Administration Updates
There have been no additional changes to the administration of the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) since the 2021–22 school year. The 2022–23 PFT shall be administered according to the changes that were applied last year. During the November 2022 State Board of Education meeting, all changes were permanently applied to the California Code of Regulations, Title 5. Please visit the Physical Fitness Test rulemaking web page for additional information.
PFT Coordinator Designation Forms Must Be Approved and Submitted
The regulations require that, on or before November 1, of each school year, a PFT coordinator must be designated by an LEA’s superintendent or charter school administrator. At this time, over 30 percent of California LEAs either have not submitted the coordinator designation form, or the form they submitted has not been approved by the superintendent or charter school administrator.
LEA staff are asked to take one of the following actions, as appropriate:
- If your LEA has not yet done so, complete the designation form—and include the signature of the superintendent or charter school administrator.
- If your LEA has submitted the designation form, verify that the superintendent or charter school administrator has approved it.
The quick reference guide on How to Complete the Coordinator Designation Form (PDF) provides step-by-step instructions for accessing, completing, and submitting the form.
System Downtime Underway
Downtime is underway for several CAASPP and ELPAC systems to prepare for the opening of the 2022–23 summative assessment window.
Unavailable from 5 p.m. on January 5 through 8 a.m. on January 10 are the following systems:
- Test Administrator Interface
- Completion Status System
- Data Entry Interface
Unavailable from 5 p.m. on January 6 through 8 a.m. on January 10 is the following system:
- Test Operations Management System
More information about impacted systems and other scheduled downtimes is available on the CAASPP Planned System Downtime and ELPAC Planned System Downtime web pages.
Please share this email with any educators in your LEA who would be interested in or benefit from this information. To join the email list, send a blank email message to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. Are you a new subscriber? Visit the CDE Assessment Spotlight web page to find previous issues.