Changes to the California Spanish Assessment Blueprint

Email Update, November 12, 2024

Dear LEA Coordinator:

In September 2024, the California State Board of Education (SBE) approved revisions to the test blueprint and addendum to the high-level test design for the California Spanish Assessment (CSA). This email outlines the changes resulting from these approved revisions.

Speaking Domain Removal (Grades Three Through Eight)

The speaking domain will be removed from the operational assessments for grades three through eight beginning with the 2024–25 test administration. The speaking domain will remain as a part of the high school grade band, as intended to meet, in part, the requirements for the State Seal of Biliteracy. For more information about the requirements for the State Seal of Biliteracy, please visit the CDE State Seal of Biliteracy web page. Furthermore, the full-write and constructed-response (CR) items will remain for all operational assessments in grades three through eight and the high school grade band.

ETS Scoring of the Speaking and Writing Domains

Based on LEA feedback and to reduce the burden on LEAs and test administrators, all speaking (high school only) and writing CR items (grades three through the high school grade band) will be scored by the testing vendor, ETS. There will be no local scoring by the LEA for the CSA, and therefore, no required scoring training for LEAs.

Administration Window Opens March 4, 2025

Additional time is required to ensure the revised blueprint changes are applied and tested for accuracy end-to-end; therefore, the CSA administration window for the 2024–25 test administration will open on March 4, 2025. It is expected that this change will take place only for the 2024–25 test administration.

Refer to the September 2024 Board item for additional information on the revisions that were approved by the SBE.

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