CAASPP Communication: September 2024

Email Update, September 3, 2024

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 2024–25 CAASPP test administration window is December 1, 2024. 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.

Upcoming Dates

CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides

The California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science testing window opens on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. The 2024–25 CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides for grade five, grade eight, and the high school grade band have been posted on the 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 on the CAA for Science Form Assignments web page.

September 17: CSA Practice Tests

The California Spanish Assessment (CSA) practice tests have been updated to include constructed response items for the speaking and writing domains, and will launch on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. Practice tests for grades three through eight and the high school grade band will be available on the Practice and Training Tests web page along with scoring materials. Scoring rubrics are available now, and scoring guides will be available in November 2024.

September 17: Lexile & Quantile Hub 2.0 Launch

We are delighted to announce that on September 17, 2024, MetaMetrics will launch an enhanced and redesigned Lexile® & Quantile® Hub. The new Hub design has been reorganized for more intuitive navigation, including the consolidation of some tools for ease of use. Educators in California will continue to have free access to premium features, providing enhanced access for your teachers.

Actions you may need to take to prepare for the new Lexile & Quantile Hub:

• While URL redirects will be in place to ensure links will not be broken, we encourage you to update your materials so that links to specific tools point to https://hub.lexile.com/. Updating your links to the main page, where all the tools are easy to find, will ensure users will arrive at their destination now and far into the future.
• If you use screenshots of the Hub in your communications, prepare to update these with screenshots of the new Hub during fall 2024.
• Add announcement messaging to your materials and consider including information about the new Hub in correspondence with educators and end users.

Upcoming Trainings

To register or locate additional details about upcoming, including dates, times, or content, visit the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page. All trainings are virtual unless otherwise noted.

September 10: Coffee Session, 2–3 p.m.

These virtual monthly Coffee Sessions, hosted by the California Department of Education (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 on the Coffee Session Series registration web page. By registering once, you will be eligible to attend all upcoming sessions.

September 19: New Coordinator Training Webinar #5, Accessibility, 3–4 p.m.

This webinar will provide information about accessibility and will end with a question and answer session with experienced coordinators. Register for one or more sessions in this series at 2024–25 New Coordinator Training Webinar Series.

September 17–October 1: Supporting Students with Interim Assessments—Shared Practices Webinar Series

Registration is open for the Supporting Students with Interim Assessments—Shared Practices Webinar Series. Join members of the CDE, classroom teachers, and administrators as they share how they are promoting and using state-provided interim assessments to support teaching and learning in the classroom. Each webinar in the series will focus on a different set of interim assessments. All sessions are held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on the following dates:

• Smarter Balanced English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics: Tuesday, September 17, 2024
• ELPAC: Tuesday, September 24, 2024
• California Science Test (CAST): Tuesday, October 1, 2024

September 25–October 3: Lexile and Quantile Training Series

Registration is open for the Lexile and Quantile Training Series. These sessions will cover the associated tools that can be leveraged by California educators and families to support student learning.

This virtual training series consists of two sessions providing general overviews of the Lexile Framework® and the Quantile Framework® and two hands-on sessions with live demonstrations of tools available within the Lexile & Quantile Hub®. Participants can register for one or more sessions using the following registration links:

• Introduction to the Lexile Framework for Reading
  • Wednesday, September 25, 2024, 3–4 p.m.
• Introduction to the Quantile Framework for Mathematics
  • Thursday, September 26, 2024, 3–4 p.m.
• Lexile Measures Deep Dive
  • Wednesday, October 2, 2024, 3–4 p.m.
• Quantile Measures Deep Dive
  • Thursday, October 3, 2024, 3–4 p.m.

Educator Meeting Opportunities

We need your input! California educators are an essential part of the assessment development process. Teachers who work closely with students provide an important perspective that informs and improves CAASPP and the ELPAC. Meetings are held remotely, and this is an excellent opportunity for participating educators to provide vital input in test composition, accessibility, and implementation.

Opportunities for the 2024–25 test administration year are now available.

• CAST Item Review meetings for grade five and high school: January 21, 22, and 28, 2025. Applications close September 26, 2024.
• CSA Item Review meetings: January 22–23, February 12, and April 2, 2025. Applications close October 4, 2024.

Details for upcoming meetings can be found on the Get Involved web page on the CAASPP & ELPAC Website.

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!

On-Demand Trainings

The following live trainings were recently posted and are now available on the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page:

• August Coffee Session
• Assessment and Accountability Information Meeting
• Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series
• Module 1: Using the Formative Assessment Process and Tools for Teachers to Boost Instruction
• Module 2: Gauging Student Progress with the CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessments
• New Coordinator Training Webinar #4: TOMS and Other Systems

Ongoing Reminders

2024 California Assessment Conference Registration is Open!

Register now for the 2024 California Assessment Conference (CAC)! This year's conference will focus on Empowering Educators: Leveraging Assessment Data and Tools for Classroom Success.

Register now to join us in person on October 15–17, 2024, in Riverside, CA. This is a unique chance for educators to connect with peers to explore assessment tools and strategies for improved learning and teaching. For more information, visit the California Assessment Conference website.

Register for 2024–25 Coffee Sessions

Register for the 2024–25 Coffee Session Series. 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. Once registered, you will be eligible to attend all upcoming sessions.

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 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.

For further support, visit the Contact Us web page.