CAASPP Communication: August 2023

CAASPP email update, August 1, 2023.

This communication includes information and updates about the CAASPP .

System Updates

2023–24 Test Administration: Teacher Hand Scoring System Update

An enhanced Teacher Hand Scoring System (THSS) has been released for the 2023–24 test administration year. Updates include improved navigation and communication features. The enhanced THSS will be used to enter scores for the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics as well as the interim assessments for the California Science Test (CAST) and the ELPAC.

Changes to the Test Administrator Interface

The Test Administrator Interface has been updated to a cleaner, more user-friendly appearance. This includes a new monitoring function that will allow test administrators and test examiners to pin the names of specific students to the top of the page while monitoring testing. For questions or guidance, contact your Success Agent .

Changes to Ending a Test

The process of ending a test in the Student Testing Interface has been streamlined. The [End Test] button will no longer be used as part of the process to submit a test. Instead, when the [Next] button is selected on the final item of a test, students will be taken to the Test Review screen where answers can be reviewed. Then, students will select the [Submit Test] button and the [Yes] button to confirm the ending of the test as usual. This updated process applies to all summative and interim assessments, as well as the practice and training tests.

Adding Additional CAASPP Coordinators

As of July 5, the primary LEA CAASPP coordinator can add additional LEA CAASPP coordinators in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS).

Upcoming Dates

Register Now: Assessment and Accountability Information Meeting

Registration is now open to all for the 2023–24 Assessment and Accountability Information Meeting , hosted by the California Department of Education. These two-hour meeting sessions will provide coordinators with the latest information and updates on California's assessment and accountability systems.

The sessions, which will be presented virtually, will be held weekly on three afternoons in August, from 2 to 4 p.m. The dates and topics are as follows:

August 3: General assessment updates, national and international tests, the physical fitness test, high school equivalency, the California Spanish Assessment (CSA), and ELA and mathematics summative assessments
August 10: The ELPAC, the CAST, and interim assessments
August 17: Accountability

Apply Now: Upcoming Meetings for Educator Opportunities

The CAASPP Opportunities to Get Involved web page provides information about meetings for educators who want to be involved in the development and review of test items for the CAST; the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA, mathematics, and science; and the CSA.

The fall Item Writer Workshop for the CSA is accepting applications through September 29. During the workshop, educators will receive training on how to write assessment items and learn about opportunities to write items for use in future test administrations. Spanish teachers are encouraged to apply on the Educator Opportunities Portal .

If you do not have an Educator Opportunities Portal account, you will need to create an account in the Educator Opportunities Database. If you have forgotten your password or have any questions about how to get involved in educator opportunities, please contact the Educator Opportunities Team at edopportunities@scoe.net or by phone at 916-228-2682.

CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides

The 2023–24 CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides for grades five and eight and high school have been posted on the CAASPP CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides web page. These guides provide the assessed Science Connectors and include a testing planner to help in preparing for the best time to administer embedded performance tasks throughout the school year.

Schools are assigned to one of four forms, and all grade levels within a school have the same form assignment. It is important to download the materials associated with the correct form for the administration of the CAA for Science. LEAs can locate their form assignments by county/district/school code on the CAASPP CAA for Science Form Assignments web page.

The CAA for Science testing window opens on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.

Coming September: 2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial in Moodle

The 2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial will be released in September on the Moodle Training Site (Moodle) . The Test Examiner Tutorial covers general information and highlights best practices for the administration of the CAA for Science and the CAAs for ELA and mathematics. The tutorial does not contain any secure content.

The CAA Test Examiner Tutorial contains three sections—General Requirements, CAA for Science, and CAAs for ELA and Mathematics. All test examiners must complete the General Requirements section of the tutorial and at least one subject area section to receive a certificate of completion.

Coming September: CSA Training Tests

As part of the CSA expansion for 2024–25, the newly updated CSA training tests will be launched in September for the following grade bands: grades three through five, grades six through eight, and high school. Administering the training tests provides students with the opportunity to practice using the embedded tools, interact with the assessment technology, practice the speaking and full-write items, and more. Additional information on the CSA training tests will be made available in September.

Coming Soon: CAST Interim Assessments

CAST Interim Assessments will be available this fall. In September 2023, the Interim Assessment Viewing System and administration and scoring materials in TOMS will be available. In October 2023, CAST Interim Assessments will be fully available for administration. More information on these new interim assessments is available on the CAASPP Interim Assessment Administration Resources web page.

2023 California Assessment Conference

The 2023 California Assessment Conference (CAC) is designed for assessment coordinators, site administrators, and classroom educators. The conference offers Shared Practices sessions featuring teachers, teams, and school sites from across the state that have developed best practices for implementing assessment resources in support of teaching and learning.

This year's CAC is on October 9–10, 2023, at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento. You can register for the conference at the CAC website . Email any questions to caaspp@scoe.net.

Upcoming Trainings

To register or locate additional details about upcoming, including dates, times, or content, visit the CAASPP Upcoming Training Opportunities web page.

August 2–October 26: CERS Trainings

This training is designed for LEA staff who have access to, or manage LEA use of, the California Educator Reporting System (CERS). To register for the coordinator and administrator training, go to the CERS Training for Test Coordinators and Administrators registration web page. To register for the teacher-focused training, go to the Introduction to CERS for Teachers Online Training registration web page.

August 7 and 9: 2023 Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series (Modules 3A and 3B), 9 a.m.–Noon

Register now for the Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series . This engaging training series will provide direct, online training focused on leveraging the interim and formative components of California's comprehensive system of assessments to inform teaching and learning.

Module 3 will provide in-depth instruction and practice in hand scoring interim assessments tailored to each assessment. The following sessions will be held in August:

Module 3A: Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Hand Scoring—English Language Arts/Literacy; Monday, August 7
Module 3B: Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Hand Scoring—Mathematics; Wednesday, August 9

Modules 3C and 3D will be offered in the fall after the release of the CAST and ELPAC interim assessments.

August 23: Charter School Assessment Coordinator Network Meeting, 9:30–11 a.m.

Registration is now open to all for the August 2023 Charter School Assessment Coordinator Network Meeting . If you are wondering how other charter schools handle statewide assessment administration or are simply looking to connect with other charter school assessment coordinators, this meeting is for you! Space is limited, so save your spot today.

September 2023: New CAASPP Coordinator Trainings

Held by our county office of education (COE) partners, the first CAASPP coordinator full-day training is designed for CAASPP coordinators who are new to their role or want a refresher. These trainings will be held at COEs across California, and LEA CAASPP coordinators can register at the nearest location. To view the list of locations and dates, view the Upcoming Training Opportunities web page on the CAASPP website.

Available Now!

Asynchronous Trainings

2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial now available in Moodle

The following live trainings were recently posted and are now available asynchronously:

Web Page Updates

The CAASPP Interim Assessments Administration Resources web page has been updated to include information about the upcoming CAST Interim Assessments.
The ELPAC Interim Assessments Administration Resources web page is now available and will be updated with more information and resources as they become available.

Videos

Bilingualism and the CSA

Previous CAASPP Monthly Communications

Previous CAASPP monthly communications, as well as other email communications, are located on the CAASPP Coordinator Emails web page.

Additional Help

Direct questions about policies, regulations, and requirements to caaspp@cde.ca.gov.
Contact your Success Agent for answers to questions about assessment coordination, development, and administration, as well as for technical support.
Direct questions about Moodle , certification, and calibration to moodlesupport@scoe.net.
Get Answers from a new user-friendly lookup tool available to help LEA coordinators quickly find answers to the most common testing questions. Users can also suggest Additional Questions for the FAQ , which will be reviewed on a regular basis.
Chat with Anita, your virtual assistant for LEA help, which is available on the CAASPP and ELPAC home pages. Unanswered questions will be routed to your LEA Success Agent.

Sincerely,

California Outreach Team

CAASPP website