CAASPP Communication: May 2024
Email Update, May 1, 2024
This communication includes information and updates about the CAASPP.
Urgent Reminders
Ensure All Eligible Students Are Tested
Ensure that you are testing all eligible students with the CAASPP. Section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) requires that state assessments in English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science be administered to all public elementary school and secondary school students in the applicable grades in the state. In addition, Section 60640 of the California Education Code requires that the CAASPP be administered to all pupils, inclusive of pupils enrolled in charter schools.
Prepare for SSR Electronic Distribution
Collaborate with technology personnel to ensure connections between the local student information system (SIS) and the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) are active, which will result in Student Score Reports (SSRs) populating for the correct students in a timely manner, as outlined in the Options for Distributing SSRs topic of the CAASPP Scoring and Reporting Guide. Ensure the reports are properly displayed, parents/guardians can access the report, and parents/guardians can only access scores for their own children. The SIS vendor credentials have a 365-day expiration rule. If needed, regenerate credentials for the SIS to securely connect to TOMS.
CAASPP SSRs have been redesigned! Please refer to the Score Reporting web page on the CAASPP website for sample SSRs, SSR cover letter templates, as well as the estimated SSR release dates.
Upcoming Dates
May 7: New CAASPP & ELPAC Website Soft Launch
The California Department of Education (CDE) and ETS are excited to soft-launch the new CAASPP & ELPAC Website on May 7, 2024. This soft launch offers LEA CAASPP coordinators an opportunity to preview the new combined CAASPP & ELPAC Website prior to the official launch in July 2024. During the soft-launch period, caaspp.org and elpac.org will remain available and up to date. LEA CAASPP coordinators will receive an email on May 7 with more information about the website soft launch.
July 3: 2024–25 TOMS User Rollover
This year, the rollover of TOMS user roles for the 2024–25 school year will happen on July 3, 2024, for both CAASPP and ELPAC. 2024–25 TOMS roles will be made available, and all roles from 2023–24 will be deactivated. This is approximately one month earlier than in previous years for CAASPP, so LEA CAASPP coordinators should plan on downloading reports and completing the annual rollover preparation steps earlier this year.
Although the TOMS user rollover will occur on July 3, 2024, the 2023–24 interim assessments will remain available until August 1, 2024, when the August system downtime begins. An email will be sent to LEA coordinators in late May to provide more detail about what to expect and how to prepare for the 2024–25 interim assessments rollover.
Upcoming Trainings
To register or locate additional details about upcoming, including dates, times, or content, visit the CAASPP Upcoming Training Opportunities web page.
May 14: Coffee Session, 2–3 p.m.
These virtual monthly Coffee Sessions, hosted by the CDE 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.
May 16 and 23: Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS
Space is still available for the Accessing Summative Assessment Results in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS) webinar. This webinar will provide information regarding accessing specific 2023–24 summative assessment results in CERS, viewing and interpreting individual student reports, and understanding features available for specific assessments.
Module One will be held on May 16, 2024, from 3:30–5 p.m. and focus on the Summative ELPAC assessments and the California Spanish Assessment (CSA). Module Two will be held on May 16, 2024, from 3:30–5 p.m. and focus on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and mathematics, California Science Test (CAST), and the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA, mathematics, and science.
May 21: CAASPP & ELPAC Website Redesign Demonstration
Registration is now open for the CAASPP & ELPAC Website Redesign Demonstration. In this webinar, ETS will introduce and demonstrate features of the newly redesigned CAASPP & ELPAC Website. This demonstration will be held on May 21, 2024, from 2–3 p.m.
May 22: Charter School Assessment Coordinator Network Meeting
Registration is now open to all for the May 2024 Charter School Assessment Coordinator Network Meeting. This meeting will be held on May 22, 2024, from 9:30–11 a.m.
If you are wondering how other charter schools handle statewide assessment administration or simply looking to connect with other charter school assessment coordinators, this meeting is for you! Space is limited, so save your spot today.
Educator Meeting Opportunities
There are still openings for the CSA Data Review Meeting taking place July 31 and August 1. Educators who teach Spanish are encouraged to apply to participate. The application window will remain open until all spaces are filled.
Details for upcoming meetings can be found on the CAASPP Opportunities to Get Involved web page on the CAASPP website. Opportunities for the 2024–25 test administration year will be available in late May.
To apply for educator meetings, 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. For any questions, please contact the Educator Opportunities Team by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.
Available Now
Video
- (Updated video) Downloading and Viewing SSRs in TOMS
Ongoing Reminders
CSA Available to Administer
This year, the CSA has been expanded to field-test both the speaking domain and one full-write item for the writing domain. These new items are being field-tested in the current forms before they become operational in the 2024–25 test administration. Before administering the assessment, ensure that voice recording is enabled on all devices that will be used during test administration. Also, be sure to have your students practice recording their responses and listening to the audio so that their response can be clearly heard. There have been many student responses that are difficult to hear. Your assistance is appreciated.
To ensure the validity of the new test items, it is important to have substantial student participation. For the 2023–24 test administration, ETS will be scoring the full assessment; LEAs will not be responsible for scoring any part of this test administration. More information can be found on the California Spanish Assessment web page on the CAASPP website.
CAASPP Interim Assessments Available to Administer
CAASPP Interim Assessments are available year-round to administer for the following programs:
- Smarter Balanced for ELA
- Smarter Balanced for Mathematics
- CAST (New for 2023–24)
Educators can access CERS to view interim assessment results and data, including individual and aggregated scores, achievement or performance levels, key/distractor analysis for multiple-choice and multiselect items, depth of knowledge/performance-level descriptors for items, and item content standard alignment. For more information, access the CERS Update for LEA Coordinators email sent on January 30, 2024.
The state-provided interim assessments can be administered in a standardized or nonstandardized 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 is currently available for testing. Test examiners 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 test examiners to support their administration of this assessment.
Summative Assessment Scoring Job Opportunities
ETS 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 find 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.