Smarter Balanced Assessments and English Learners

1. Smarter Balanced Assessments and English Learners Bilingual Coordinators NetworkMarch 27, 2014Shobhana Rishi, Ed.D.Education Programs ConsultantAssessment Development and Administration DivisionCalifornia Department of Education

2. 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

3. Spring 2014 Smarter Balanced Field Test • The Field Test in progress • Each school has a six-week window within this time frameand 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines • Released September 2013 • Three types of student support: • Universal tools • Designated supports • Accommodations • Embedded or non-embedded

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

9. Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines (cont.) Universal tools, available to all students • Examples include: • Spell-check • Highlighter • Embedded ruler • Strikethrough • English dictionary

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

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

12. 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.

13. Supports for English Language Learners • Stacked Translations • Spanish • Math items • Embedded Glossaries • Math items • Languages/Dialects • Spanish • Vietnamese • Arabic • Tagalog • Cantonese • Mandarin • Punjabi • Korean • Russian • Ukranian

14. Supports for English Language Learners (cont.) Language Glossaries

15. 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

16. Supports for English Language Learners (cont.) Stacked Translations

17. Supports for English Language Learners (cont.) All supports Available for Field Test Shown on Training Test

18. Implementing the New Accessibility Supports for English Learners • Building Awareness • Supplying knowledge and information • Supporting schools and teachers • Developing processes and procedures

19. 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

20. For Further Information California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Office caaspp@cde.ca.gov 916-445-8765 CDE Smarter Balanced Field Test Web Page http://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 Center http://californiatac.org/ 1-800-955-2954 CAASPP Senior Fellows CAASPP-fellows@cde.ca.gov