CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONTom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Bilingual Coordinators Network

March 27, 2014

Shobhana Rishi, Ed.D.

Education Programs ConsultantAssessment Development and Administration Division

California Department of Education

Smarter Balanced Assessments and English

Learners

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Presentation Overview

• Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test• Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility,

and Accommodations Guidelines• Supports for English Language Learners• Implementing the New Accessibility

Supports for English Learners• Training Test Demonstration• Resources

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test

• The Field Test in progress

• Each school has a six-week window within this time frame and can conduct testing anytime within that assigned window. http://californiatac.org/about/smarter-balanced/testing-windows/index.html

• No paper-and-pencil version available

• No results will be reported, but students should be encouraged to do their best

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test (cont.)

• Student participation:– Grades 3–8: All students are expected to

participate.– Grades 9 and 10: Only students selected for the

scientific sample are expected to participate.– Grade 11: Students selected for the scientific

sample are expected to participate; all others are encouraged to participate.

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test (cont.)

Student Participation Exceptions:• The only students exempt from

participating in the Smarter Balanced Field Test are:– Students who take the California Alternate

Performance Assessment (CAPA).

– For ELA test only, English learners who have attended school in the United States for less than 12 months.

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test (cont.)

• The majority of student participants (95%) will take the Field Test that is comprised of three components:

– ELA, approximately 25 questions

– Math, approximately 25 questions

– Performance task

• A small portion (5%) of student participants will complete a Field Test in one subject area only.

– Either ELA or mathematics, approximately 50 questions

– One performance task, in either ELA or mathematics 6

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines

• Released September 2013

• Three types of student support:

1. Universal tools2. Designated supports3. Accommodations

• Embedded or non-embedded

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

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Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines (cont.)

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations

Guidelines (cont.)

Universal tools, available to all students• Examples include:

– Spell-check – Highlighter – Embedded ruler– Strikethrough – English dictionary

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction Designated supports, available to

identified students, including English learners, struggling readers, and students with attention issues• Examples

– Stacked translations– Language glossaries– Color-contrast text – Blocking of distracting content

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Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations

Guidelines (cont.)

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction Accommodations, available to students

with an individualized education program or a 504 plan that specifies the need for such an accommodation • Examples:

– Closed captioning – Braille – ASL videos– Scribe

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Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations

Guidelines (cont.)

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations

Guidelines (cont.)

• Smarter Balanced has developed frequently asked questions (FAQs) to support the information provided in its Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines.– http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/access.asp

• LEAs may use the FAQs to ensure understanding among staff and parents regarding the universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations available for the Smarter Balanced assessments.

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Supports for English Language Learners

• Stacked Translations– Spanish– Math items

• Embedded Glossaries– Math items– Languages/Dialects

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o Spanisho Vietnameseo Arabico Tagalogo Cantonese

o Mandarino Punjabio Koreano Russiano Ukranian

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Supports for English Language Learners (cont.)

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Language Glossaries

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Supports for English Language Learners (cont.)

Stacked Translations:• Available in Spanish

• Available on math items

• A designated support-need teacher(s) recommendation

• For students who are used to using dual language supports– Additional reading/ cognitive load– Additional time required

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Supports for English Language Learners (cont.)

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tacked Translations

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Supports for English Language Learners (cont.)

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All supports

Available for

Field Test

Shown on

Training Test

TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Implementing the New Accessibility Supports for English

Learners

• Building Awareness• Supplying knowledge and

information• Supporting schools and teachers• Developing processes and

procedures

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

Implementing the New Accessibility Supports for English

Learners• Identifying students who will

benefit from designated supports• Using a systematic, consistent

process• Training teachers • Informing parents and students

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TOM TORLAKSONState Superintendent of Public Instruction

For Further Information

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California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Office

caaspp@cde.ca.gov916-445-8765

CDE Smarter Balanced Field Test Web Pagehttp://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/smarterfieldtest.asp

Smarter Balanced Technology Readiness Tool (TRT)http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/sbac-itr-index.asp

California Technical Assistance Centerhttp://californiatac.org/

1-800-955-2954CAASPP Senior Fellows

CAASPP-fellows@cde.ca.gov