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Stay informed on changes in education assessment practices, including incorporation of graduation data, new API indicators, CELDT & ELPAC updates, SBAC implementation, and waivers for double testing.
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Assessment and Accountability Update Dr. Chun-Wu Li Assessment and Accountability Services Riverside County Office of Education
Incorporating the Graduation Data into the API At its June 2013 meeting, the Public Schools Accountability Act (PSAA) Advisory Committee recommended a structure for incorporating graduation data into the Academic Performance Index (API). The recommendation is scheduled to go to the SBE for approval in September 2013.
API Indicator Survey The CDE administered a survey to the public regarding the inclusion of new indicators in the API at the high school level. The API indicator survey closed on June 20, 2013 with a total of 1,768 responses. Respondents were provided with five response options (strongly support, support, oppose, strongly oppose, or don’t know). Respondents identified 25 possible new indictors in the API. The top 10 possible indicators receiving the highest percentage of “strongly support” or “support” responses were: 1000 points for graduates, bonus points for disadvantaged, credit for students that earn a special education certificate, a-g requirements, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, Algebra II, industry certificate, Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway, Regional Occupation Centers and Programs (ROCP), and CTE courses. The initial focus for the next year will be on incorporating the college- and career- indicator. Any indicator that is incorporated into the API must be valid, reliable, and readily available.
2013-2014 and 2014-2015 CELDT The CDE proposes to replace the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) with the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), which may include enhanced features such as an initial screener; however, the development of this system is dependent on funding and legislative authority. The ELPA staff has been working with legislative staff to add ELPAC language to a trailer bill to provide the needed funding for the development of this new test, but to date no funding has become available. For 2013–14, the CELDT will be administered, and the 2013–14 form may be used again in 2014–15, rather than developing a new CELDT test. Ideally, there would be no field test forms in 2014–15 included with these administrations.
July State Board of Education Meeting At the July 2013 State Board of Education (SBE) meeting, a Smarter Balanced update was provided (Item #5) that included cost estimates for implementing Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) assessments. The agenda and archived Webcast of this SBE meeting is now available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/ag/ag/sbewebcastarchive.asp. Two options were presented to the SBE: (1) A “Complete System”, which would include interim assessments, summative assessments, and formative tools and practices with an estimated cost of $66 million and (2) A “Basic System”, which would include summative assessments only with an estimated cost of $58 million. The SBE also received a legislative update on AB 484, which included an updated table, listing the SSPI’s recommendations for reauthorization of the statewide assessment system with the relevant text in the bill, according to its latest version.
Practice Test Smarter Balanced released a set of Practice Tests in May 2013 at http://.portal.airast.org/Practice_Test/default.html, that will remain available until the operational implementation of Smarter Balanced assessments. The Practice Tests include tests for grades 3-8 and grade 11 for mathematics and English–language arts. Each test includes one performance task that provides an opportunity to experience the basic functionality of the Smarter Balanced assessments. A parent/guardian notification letter template is available in English, Spanish, and 17 other languages at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/practicetest.asp. Manuals, classroom activities, and scoring guides also are available. They can be found at http://sbac.portal.airast.org/Practice_Test/resources.html.
Double Testing Waiver A recent letter to Chief State School Officers from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) that addressed the issue of “double testing” during the transition from the current statewide assessments to new assessments that are aligned with college- and career-readiness standards. The ED announced it will consider requests from states for a one-year waiver that would allow schools participating in fields tests for the new assessments to administer only one assessment in 2013–14 to individual students– either the current statewide assessment or the Smarter Balanced Field Test. The ED has not yet specified the criteria for the waiver, but the procedures for the waiver process will be the same as the process used for Title I. Details about the Title I waiver process are available at http://www.ed.gov/titlei-waiver. The CDE will be recommending to the SBE that California pursue the waiver request from the ED so that students statewide will not have to take both tests.
State Network of Educators • The Smarter Balanced Digital Library is being developed as a formative assessment component to provide a variety of resources that teachers can use daily to improve teaching and learning in their classrooms. To coordinate the development of tools for the Digital Library, each member state established a State Leadership Team (SLT) that supported the recruitment of the State Network of Educators (SNE). The CDE received over 400 applications to participate in the SNE and was easily able to fill the 150 spots allotted for California. • There are 12 SNE from Riverside County. • Corona Norco USD (3) • Hemet USD (1) • Menifee Union (2) • Perris Elementary (1) • Perris Union High (2) • San Jacinto USD (2) • Val Verde USD (1)
Technology Readiness • Links to the Technology Readiness Tool (TRT) and related information are available on the CDE Smarter Balanced TRT Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/sbac-itr-index.asp. The survey response rate for California is less than 20 percent, and schools are encouraged to complete this information. The CDE recently launched a much shorter technology preparedness survey for LEAs to use to indicate their level of technology readiness. Information Technology (IT) Coordinators at LEAs are asked to complete this survey. • The Technology Readiness Survey is still available at http://surveys.cde.ca.gov/go/smarterbalancedtech.aspfor LEAs that have not yet responded. Questions regarding technology readiness can be e-mailed to the CDE Technology Readiness Coordinator at sbac-itreadiness@cde.ca.gov.
Smarter Balanced Resources • Upcoming Resources: The public review of the draft Accessibility and Accommodations Guidelines for Smarter Balanced is scheduled for August 2013. Notification about this review will be forthcoming. Smarter Balanced also will be releasing a summary of feedback from the Pilot Test and recommendations for the spring 2013 Field Test. • Smarter Balanced presentations and a new resource, Fact vs. Fiction, are available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/smarterbalresources.asp. • The Smarter Balanced Practice Tests, including scoring guides are available at http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice_test/resources.html. • The Smarter Balanced electronic mailing list can be found on the CDE Smarter Balanced Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/smarterbalanced.asp. • Additional information is available on the Smarter Balanced Web site at http://www.smarterbalanced.org/. To receive press releases and other announcements from Smarter Balanced, select the envelope icon that reads “Stay Connected” at the top of the Web site.
Assembly Bill (AB) Assembly Bill (AB) 484 (Bonilla) seeks legislative authority to establish the California Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress for the 21st Century (CalMAPP21), which would succeed the existing Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. This bill, amended on July 3, 2013 in the Senate Education Committee, is now scheduled to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee in August 2013. AB 484 reflects recommendations provided to the State Legislature by State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) Torlakson in his report, Recommendations for Transitioning California to a Future Assessment System (January 2013). Work continues on some of the technical specifications in this bill as it moves forward.
National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC) California is a Tier II participant in the National Center and State Collaborative (NCSC), which is an assessment for students with severe disabilities, who in California are now taking the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA). In 2015, the NCSC is planning to pilot the test now under development. Another option for California is to develop its own assessment based on the CA CCSS. Current activities at the federal level may impact this development.
2013 STAR Statewide Results The CDE released 2013 STAR results to the public on August 8, 2013.