CAASPP Communication: September 2023

email update, Friday, September 1, 2023

This communication includes information and updates about the CAASPP .

Urgent Reminders

Setting Up Test Administration Windows

LEA CAASPP coordinators can now begin to set up test administration windows for the CAASPP in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) . The deadline for setting up a 2023–24 CAASPP test administration window is December 1, 2023. LEAs may need to set up more than one test administration window for schools with varying instructional dates, and up to six windows can be configured per LEA. Refer to the TOMS User Guide and the Setting Up Your Test Admin Window in TOMS video for more information.

Upcoming Dates

September: CAASPP Student Score Data File Updated

In mid-September, all remaining results for 2022–23 CAASPP assessments will be updated in the CAASPP Student Score Data File and released in TOMS and in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS) . The data file includes results for all students who took the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics, the California Science Test (CAST), the California Spanish Assessment (CSA), and the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA, mathematics, and science.

CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides

The CAA for Science testing window opens on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The 2023–24 CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides for grades five and eight and the high school grade band 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, or school code on the CAASPP CAA for Science Form Assignments web page.

2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial Available September 6 in Moodle

The 2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial will be available on the Moodle Training Site (Moodle) starting September 6. 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. Test examiners must complete this training prior to testing.

Test examiners will need their enrollment key from their LEA coordinator to access the training. LEA coordinators can track test examiner certificate completion in Moodle.

September 19: 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 levels and grade band: grade levels three through five, grade levels six through eight, and the high school grade band. Administering the training tests provides students with the opportunity to practice using the embedded tools, interact with the assessment technology, practice the new full-write items and speaking items, and more.

A training test flyer with information is available.

September 19: Preview of CAST Interim Assessments

On September 19, 2023, the CAST Interim Assessments will be available for preview through the Interim Assessment Viewing System . Secure materials—the Training Guide and Exemplars and Test Content and Answer Key documents—will be available in TOMS for grades three through high school.

In October, the CAST Interim Assessments will be available to administer, score, and generate results. More information on the new CAST Interim Assessments and new training opportunities is available on the CAASPP Interim Assessment Administration Resources web page.

Upcoming Trainings

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

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 the COEs across California, and LEA CAASPP coordinators can register for the nearest location. For a list of locations and dates, view the Upcoming Training Opportunities web page on the CAASPP website.

September 21: New Coordinator Webinar #2 (Accessibility), 3–4 p.m.

Registration is now open for the New Coordinator Webinar #2 . This webinar, hosted by the Sacramento COE, will review accessibility resources, the process to assign them to students, and the coordinator role in relation to accessibility. It will also offer a session with experienced coordinators. This webinar is for LEA CAASPP coordinators and LEA ELPAC coordinators who have been in their role for less than 12 months or want a refresher on the coordinator responsibilities.

October 2023: 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.

September–November 2023: Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series

Register now for fall sessions of the Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series . This training series provides direct, online training focused on the interim and formative components of the CAASPP and ELPAC system of assessments. It is composed of three distinct, independent modules with multiple opportunities to attend. Modules 1 and 2 apply to Smarter Balanced, the CAST, and the ELPAC collectively, while Module 3 includes separate hand scoring sessions tailored to each assessment. All sessions are held virtually, and the target audience is teachers, instructional coaches, educators on special assignment, and LEA test coordinators and administrators.

2023 California Assessment Conference—Register Today for Two Days of Learning and Connecting

With the theme of Charting the Course Between Instruction and Assessment, the 2023 California Assessment Conference (CAC) sessions will focus on the use of assessment tools, resources, and data to support classroom instruction. Attendees will have the opportunity to customize their learning by selecting sessions presented by educators from across California.

This year's CAC is 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.

Available Now!

Manuals, Instructions, and Quick Reference Guides

Web Page Updates

The CSA web page has been updated to include new updated resources for the 2024–25 CSA expansion.

Videos

Ongoing Reminders

2023–24 Test Administration: Teacher Hand Scoring System Update

The 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 ELA and mathematics as well as the new CAST Interim Assessments and the new ELPAC Interim Assessments.

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 allows test administrators and test examiners to pin specific students' tests to the top of the page while monitoring testing. For questions or guidance, contact your Success Agent .

Apply Now: CSA Item Writer Workshop

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 California assessment programs.

The upcoming Item Writer Workshop for the CSA will be held on January 16–17 and January 23–24 and 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 by phone at 916-228-2682.

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 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