CAASPP Communication: December 2023

CAASPP email update, December 1, 2023.

This communication includes information and updates about the CAASPP .

Urgent Reminders

Setting Up Test Administration Windows

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

After this deadline, LEAs that have not set up their CAASPP test administration window(s) in TOMS will need to contact their assigned Success Agent to set up the window(s) up for the LEA.

Upcoming Trainings

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

December 7 and 14: Pretest Virtual Training Series

This training series will provide LEA CAASPP coordinators and LEA ELPAC coordinators with information about changes and updates to testing for the 2023–24 test administration year. This year, the Pretest Virtual Training Series will be streamlined into two sessions—What's New for ELPAC and What's New for CAASPP—to focus on providing updates and reviewing new features.

What's New for ELPAC: December 7 from 2–4 p.m.
What's New for CAASPP: December 14 from 2–4 p.m.

Because this series will focus on new changes and updates, new coordinators are encouraged to also watch the recordings of the 2023–24 New Coordinator Trainings on the Asynchronous Training Opportunities web page for general information about testing.

December 12: Coffee Session

These virtual monthly Coffee Sessions, hosted by the California Department of Education and ETS, offer opportunities for LEA staff to ask questions and get answers about assessments, trainings, resources, and more. If you are not already registered, you can register for one or more upcoming sessions of the 2023–24 Coffee Session Series .

December 2023: New CAASPP Coordinator Trainings

Held by county office of education (COE) partners, these trainings will review tasks associated with preparing for testing, cover how to support sites during testing, and assist coordinators in planning for post-test activities such as gathering feedback from site coordinators and test administrators. These trainings will be held at 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.

Educator Meeting Opportunities

California educators who are bilingual and biliterate in Spanish have the opportunity to participate in developing the California Spanish Assessment (CSA). Participation offers many opportunities to provide powerful input into the development and administration of the CSA. Upcoming virtual meetings include the following:

The all-new Speaking Range Finding meetings will be held for all grade levels during after-school hours. There are two tracks of meetings:
- Track One: March 7–April 25, 2024, on Thursdays
- Track Two: March 12–April 30, 2024, on Tuesdays
- Application deadline for both tracks: December 15, 2023
The Writing Range Finding meetings will be held for all grade levels as after-school meetings on select days between April 25 and June 5, 2024.
- Application Deadline: January 5, 2024

To apply for these meetings and for opportunities to participate in meetings for the California Science Test (CAST) and the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs), go to the Educator Opportunities Portal . Those without an Educator Opportunities Portal account can create an account via the Educator Opportunities Portal Account Creation Form in the Educator Opportunities Database. For any questions, please contact the Educator Opportunities Team by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.

Available Now!

Asynchronous Trainings

The following live trainings were recently posted and are now available on the CAASPP website:

November 2023 Coffee Session
Accessibility Resources Live Training Session: Module A
- The recording for this live training session can be found on the Accessibility Resources Asynchronous Training web page

Ongoing Reminders

CAASPP Interim Assessments Available to Administer

CAASPP Interim Assessments are now available to administer, score, and view results for the following assessments:

Smarter Balanced for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA)
Smarter Balanced for Mathematics
(New!) CAST

Interim assessments can be administered in a standardized (i.e., benchmark) or nonstandardized (i.e., formative) manner. More information on the CAASPP Interim Assessments and training opportunities is available on the CAASPP Interim Assessment Administration Resources web page.

CAA for Science Administration

The CAA for Science is available for testing. Test examiners (TEs) are encouraged to build their curriculum to allow eligible students to take the four embedded performance tasks throughout the year, following related instruction in each science domain. The four CAA for Science embedded performance tasks can be administered in any order. The Organization of the California Alternate Assessment for Science flyer can be shared with TEs to support their administration of this assessment.

2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial Available in Moodle

The 2023–24 CAA Test Examiner Tutorial is available 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 TEs must complete the General Requirements section of the tutorial and at least one content area section to receive a certificate of completion. TEs must complete training prior to testing.

TEs will need an enrollment key from their LEA coordinator to access the training. LEA coordinators can track TE certificate completion in Moodle.

Summative Assessment Scoring Job Opportunities

ETS is accepting applications for scorers. This is an excellent opportunity for educators to become more familiar with the California assessments. Scoring schedules are flexible and can include four-, six-, and eight-hour weekday or weekend shifts. California educators interested in applying can view more information on the ETS Online Scoring web page. Questions about the application or hiring process should be directed to etsrater@ets.org . Current scorers can reach out to ratercertify@ets.org for any scoring-related questions.

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