CAASPP Parent Notification and Parental Exemptions

Good afternoon,

As discussed in the CAASPP Coordinator meeting on 3/27/15, the parent notification letters regarding the CAASPP assessments were mailed on Monday and will arrive at homes later this week. All parent opt out requests need to be documented and reported in TOMS (online management system for the CAASPP program).  If you receive requests for exemptions, the following procedures need to be implemented:

• The parent needs to notify the principal in writing of the request. In this request, the parent needs to specify which test they want the student exempted from. This needs to be done annually. 
• The SBAC Coordinator needs to complete the information on this spreadsheet. 
• The SBAC Coordinator needs to upload an electronic copy of the parent letter to this Google Drive Folder. 

Full Link to Regulations

Section Regarding Pupil Exemptions

§ 852. Pupil Exemptions.      (a) Each year the LEA shall notify parents or guardians of their pupil’s participation in the CAASPP assessment system in accordance with Education Code section 60604.      (b) The notification to parents or guardians, as defined in subdivision (a), shall include a notice of the provisions outlined in Education Code section 60615.      (c) A parent or guardian may annually submit to the school a written request to excuse his or her child from any or all parts of any test provided pursuant to Education Code section 60640 for the school year. If a parent or guardian submits an exemption request after testing has begun, any test(s) completed before the request is submitted will be scored and the results reported to the parent or guardian and included in the pupil’s records. An LEA and its employees may discuss the CAASPP assessment system with parents and may inform parents of the availability of exemptions under Education Code section 60615. The LEA and its employees shall not solicit or encourage any written exemption request on behalf of any child or group of children.NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 33031 and 60640, Education Code. Reference: Sections 60604, 60605, 60607, 60612, 60615, 60640 and 60641, Education Code.
 

Interim Assessment Reminders

Please note the following regarding the SBAC Interim Assessments:

Teacher preparation

• Teacher Instruction List- Instructions for teachers on administering the Interim Assessments
• Print this and provide to your teachers
• Emphasize which test they will administer and to avoid the summative category. Remember, a testing irregularity is one click away! See this doc for more details.
• Remind teachers to encourage students to do their best, they will receive real scores!
• Contingency plans- review your list of trained test administrators and arrange for back up proctors for ELA/US History teachers who might be absent on the day of testing. Also, some of you still haven't submitted electronic forms and/or scanned affidavits for your testing teachers and I cannot guarantee they will get their accounts on time. See instructions here. 

Test Security

• Student desks need to be spaced appropriately for a state testing environment. Spaced appropriately means that there are 4 feet between center of desk to center of desk. 
• No electronic device signs are posted in front of the room and both sides of the doors. 
• All staff entering the room needs to have a completed "anyone having access to the test affidavit" on file and scanned into the Google Folder
• The designated Site Coordinator will need to be available by 7:15 on the day of testing to walk classrooms (checking desk spacing and electronic device signs). A district administrator will be on your campus at 7:15 and will walk classrooms with you. 
• During Testing- There is one small difference with the Interim Assessments regarding Test Security. Teachers are allowed and encouraged to offer assistance to students if they are struggling with technology or need clarification on questions. This of course, is not allowed during the summative assessments (starting in April)

Misc

• This is a real test for students and teachers however it is a perfect practice opportunity for testing coordinators. 
• You should take note of logistical challenges that will affect you during the summative testing window. Here are a few ideas: 
• What were common mistakes teachers and students made? How did you or will you address them? 
• What logistical hurdles did you run into? Did field trips, IEP meetings, off campus meetings or anything else affect your ability to coordinate and monitor testing? 
• How did you handle adjusting for absent test proctors? 
• Do adjustments need to be made for students with disabilities? 
• What else did you learn from this experience? 

California Alternate Assessment Information

Information was just recently released regarding the California Alternate Assessments (CAA). I will continue to learn more about this assessment and will train the site coordinators but wanted to share what is currently available. Here are some key details about the CAA: 

• We will begin this testing in early May, after CAPA testing is complete.
• Students in grades 5,8, and 10 will take CAPA in Science (testing in April)
• CAA is required of Students with Severe Cognitive Disabilities (ie CAPA students) in grades 3-8 and Grade 11 in ELA and in Math
• Each test requires a 1:1 administration and takes approximately 30 to 60 min
• Each site has between 6 to 12 students (ie 6 to 24 hours of testing)
• Teachers will need to complete a video training prior to test administration

Additional information can be found on the following page:

California Alternate Assessment Page

Site SBAC Interim Assessment Trainings and EAP Letters

Good morning,


Listed below are three important documents to help you prepare for the upcoming Smarter Balanced Interim and Summative Assessments.

Site Based Training Lesson Plan- The training must be broken up into two separate meetings. The Security and Affidavits must be completed prior to the Test Administrator component. Teachers will not be granted access to the CAASPP Test Administrator portal until they have met with the site administrator, discussed the security affidavit, and the signed/scanned affidavit is received in the Ed Services office. Please post the date and location of your upcoming trainings in the comments box. Please post by Monday March 9th at 5pm. Security Affidavits and the Google Form need to be complete a minimum of 3 days prior to the Test Administrator training.

Training Log (Link viewable only to Tech TOSAs, Principals, and CAASPP Site Coordinators). This document has all of the teachers listed who have attended the trainings at SSC. The Participants by Sites with Names tab will help you identify who has already attended.


Electronic Copy of EAP/CAASPP Letter- This is an electronic copy of the EAP/CAASPP Letter that needs to be distributed to each Junior at least 2 weeks prior to the summative test date. Your friendly district office has printed the letters and grouped them in sets of 38 to make distribution easier for you. Please work with your teachers to ensure that their is an insightful discussion regarding the letter.

Recently Released Resources

Yee hawww! Today is a great day. There have been a few recently released resources for the CAASPP Online Assessments. These are posted below and also on your friendly local district SBAC Site Coordinator Haiku page.

Classroom Activity

Perris Union Assignments- Each student in the specified grade will take the assigned PT and corresponding classroom activity

Actual Classroom Activities

Interim Assessment Directions for Administration

Summative Assessment Directions for Administration

Test Administrator Reference Guide (more of a technical guide for the assessment system)

Site Coordinator/TOSA Training 2-11-15

     California Assessment of Student Progress and  

Performance (CAASPP)

Site Coordinator/TOSA Meeting

February 11th, 2015 (8:00 am SSC TR 1)

Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Coordinate SBAC Testing and ensure that regulations are followed
• Support and guide teachers in planning, preparing, and administering the SBAC Tests

Calendar Review

• Need to communicate
• Google Calendar for changes

CAASPP Online Assessments          (20 min)

• Presentation Link: http://goo.gl/jb7fxz

                 

Test Administration                                (15 min)

• Generating student login cards
• Login card tutorial Video | Screenshots
• Roster Report and duplicate names
• Headphones/volume
• Navigation challenges and practice activities for practice test
• Test Administrator Interface (Teacher only)
• Toms Account Splash page
• Student Interface and Navigation
• Equation Editor Math
• Student activities to practice in the practice test

Security Affidavit and Responsibilities         (15 min)

• Reminder of the Online Site Coordinator Affidavit
• Security Affidavit Presentation
• Ecopy of the anyone having access to materials Security Affidavit

Access TOMs and Practice Generating Session IDs         (15 min)

• Receive usernames and passwords. Review procedures for teachers
• Generate a session ID for sample Interim Assessment
• Practice generating student log in cards in EADMS

Interim Assessment Practice Test Activity         (15 min)

• Statement of Purpose (document link)
• Site Dates (Site Cords share with TOSAs)
• Interim Assessment activity is the floor, not the ceiling
• Training and lesson plan overview
• Follow up Check for Understanding
• Teachers are being trained as early as 2/12/15 and administering the Interim Assessments as late as 3/25. They may need a follow up refresher visit from Tech TOSA right before they complete the interim assessments.
• District training sign up
• Chromebook prep
• Wipe local data
• Non enrolled devices

What kind of Troubleshooting tips will we need to know? (10 min)

Discuss plans for  identification of designated supports for students not on an IEP (10 min)

• Stacked Translations
• Glossaries

Resources

• SBAC Site Coordinator Blogger- http://puhsdsbac.blogspot.com/
• Running record of all Site Coordinator informational items
• Mark as a favorite and refer to frequently
• SBAC Haiku Pages: http://goo.gl/zxNNgv
• Home page- General updates and resources for all teachers and staff
• Site Coordinator- Specific resources for the SBAC Site Coordinator
• Test Administrator- Specific resources for administering the SBAC Summative assessments
• Currently has resources from 2013-14 Field test administration. Use as reference (big idea reference) only. Subject to change once new Directions for Administration (DFA) and Coordinator manuals are released
• Interim Assessment Guide
• Summative Assessment Directions for Administration
• Misc
• No Electronics Sign

CAASPP Prep Week of 1-26-14

CAASPP Prep Week of 1-26-14

• Share your testing calendars and solicit feedback from your staff.  Notify me of any changes. 

• Identify dates for your SBAC Interim Assessment practice test for ELA and Math. All staff that will administer the summative assessment to students need to participate in this activity. This activity will take 1 class period for each test. Test/activity dates should be between February 23rd and March 27th. Email me your dates and which teachers will participate (ie ELA Grade 11 and US History teachers) by February 6th.

• Conference with your SH teachers and explain the process of the Science CAPA exams and the new Alternate Assessments. Key talking points include the following: 
• CAPA paper and pencil timelines. Testing needs to be completed and materials returned by May 1st. (Testing window is April 15th to May 1st)
• Review basic information regarding the Alternate Assessments for ELA and Math
• 1:1 administration
• 90 in ELA and 90 min in math per student
• Documentation available in mid march
• Document questions they may have and send to me. 

• Review your headphone inventory and start thinking about distribution during the interim assessment/practice test activity in March and the summative assessments

• Review the Directions for Administration for the Smarter Balanced Online Assessments. This will give you a good idea of the mess you  your principal got you into.
• Online Test Administration Manual (PDF) (posted 1/23/15)

• Block out your calendar for training on February 11th from 8 am to 10 am. This will cover logistical and some technical components. Site Coordinators and Tech TOSAs need to attend.

• Make sure that the SBAC Site Coordinator and the Tech TOSA sign up for one of the following trainings on the SBAC Interim Assessments (you don't have to both go on the same day).  An email from Xochitl will be coming out soon. 
• February 12th from 4pm to 6pm
• February 18th from 8am to 11am
• February 18th from 12pm to 3pm
• February 26th from 4pm to 6pm

• In the comments field below (you must be signed into Google), please post a comment regarding something new you learned in the Online Test Administration Manual or a question you have regarding the information above.