1. California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) Program Update 2009–10 Bruce Little, Ph.D. Bilingual Coordinators Network Meeting September 17, 2009
SURVEY SAYS

2. Presentation Objectives
What’s new for ?
Test variations
AB 2040 update
Kidd (Chapman) settlement agreement study update
Administration update (still 7 admins/year)
Results, data corrections
Resources 2

3. What’s New for 2009-10? Special education exemption
Categorical funding flexibility
New test dates
Proposed regulations
Some resources reduced

4. Special Education Exemption
Assembly Bill (AB) X4 2 enacted California Education Code Section
Begins with the school year
An eligible student with disabilities is not required to pass the CAHSEE as a condition to receive a high school diploma.
An eligible student must have an individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan that indicates that he or she is scheduled to receive a diploma and has or will satisfy all state and local requirements on or after July 1, 2009.

5. Special Education Exemption cont’d
The exemption shall last until the State Board of Education (SBE) determines that alternative means are not feasible or that alternative means are implemented.
Local Education Agencies shall not implement an IEP or Section 504 plan for the sole purpose of exempting a student from passing the CAHSEE.
Students with disabilities must take the CAHSEE in grade ten for federal accountability purposes (AYP). 5

6. Test Variations California Code of Regulations, Title 5
Sections 1215 through 1218
Variations for all students
Variations for English learners
Accommodations for students with disabilities
Modifications for students with disabilities
Unlisted accommodations and modifications 6

7. Local Waiver California Education Code Section 60851(c)
At the request of the student’s parent or guardian, a school principal must submit to the local school board a request for a waiver of the requirement to pass the part(s) of the CAHSEE on which a modification was used and the equivalent of a passing score was earned. 7

8. Local Waiver Process
For the local board to waive the CAHSEE requirement, the principal must certify the student has:
An IEP or Section 504 plan that requires the modifications to be provided to the student
during testing.
(2) Completion, or in the process of completion, of high school-level coursework sufficient to have attained the skills and knowledge otherwise needed to pass the CAHSEE.
(3) A score report showing that the student received the equivalent of a passing score on the CAHSEE while using a modification. 8

9. Unlisted Variations California Education Code Section 1218
requires the school district to file a request with the CDE to review and approve proposed examination variations that are not specified in EC sections 1215, , or 1216.
Step 1-Verify that the test variation is unlisted by reviewing CAHSEE regulations. (Call if unsure.)
Step 2-Complete Request for Test Variations form.
Step 3-The CDE will convene special education, CAHSEE, and legal representatives to review requests.
Step 4-The CDE will issue a decision within 15 working days of receipt of the request. 9

10. Test Variations and Local Waivers for Adult Students with Disabilities
Adult students with disabilities are eligible for test variations, including accommodations and modifications, as well as the local waiver request process.
Students with disabilities can receive educational services under an IEP until age 22. 10

11. Assembly Bill (AB) 2040 Update
California Education code sections and
Requires that a panel, composed of educators and others with experience working with students with disabilities and/or multiple forms of assessment, make recommendations regarding alternative means option(s)
The alternative means option(s) must demonstrate academic achievement in the content standards measured by the CAHSEE.
UPDATE on the status of this project 11

12. AB 2040 Update cont’d
Panel shall make findings and recommendations regarding:
Specific option(s) for alternative assessment
Submission of evidence
Scoring or other evaluation system
Process to ensure that the form, content, and scoring are applied uniformly across the state
Estimates of one-time or ongoing costs
Implemented statewide, regionally, or both

13. Kidd (Chapman) Settlement Agreement-Study Update
Requires an independent external study examining students who:
have taken, but not passed, the CAHSEE with modifications and/or accommodations specified in IEPs or 504 plans.
have satisfied or will satisfy all other requirements for graduation from high school.
American Institutes for Research is conducting the study. Their findings will be provided in two reports.
Interim report due to CDE June, 2009
Final report due to CDE January, 2010
UPDATE on the status of this project 13

14. CAHSEE Regulations
Proposed regulations presented to the SBE at their September 2009 meeting included the following:
Add or revise definitions and refine language
This included adding a definition of translator which requires they sign security affidavit and receive training in administering the CAHSEE.
Clarify language to improve the accuracy of data collected in the following areas:
Eligibility for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Race and ethnicity
Reclassified to fluent English proficient (RFEP)
District and county of residence for students with IEPs
UPDATE on the status of regulations 14

15. Remediation and Categorical Funding Flexibility
Education Code Section 37252
Remediation for students in grades seven through twelve who do not show sufficient progress toward passing the CAHSEE.
Education Code Section 37254
Intensive Instruction and Services Grant
SBX3 4 Categorical funding flexibility
"The funds are unrestricted; program or funding requirements, as otherwise provided in statute…are not in effect."   15

16. Categorical Funding
Local education agencies that participated in the CAHSEE Intensive Instruction (CII) funding will be apportioned CII funding based on their proportional share of the funds.
Apportionments are scheduled to be distributed in October.
For more information, contact the School Fiscal Services Division, Wendi McCaskill at or

17. 2009-10 Test Dates Future CAHSEE administrations will be:
October 6-7, 2009
November 3-4, 2009
December 5 & 12, 2009 (Saturdays)
December, 2009 (ELA writing
prompt field test) CANCELED
February 2-3, 2010
March 16-17, 2010
May 11-12, 2010
Recruiting for field test writing 17

18. Options to Participate in CAHSEE Administrations 2009-10
July
28-29
October
6-7
November
3-4
December 5 & 12
February
2-3
March
16-17
May
11-12
Grade 10
(Census)
(Census or
Make up)
(Make up)
Grade 11
Grade 12
Adult
State law requires that the CAHSEE be administered only on the dates designated by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
There are seven administrations each year. In addition to February and March, other administrations are in May, in July for 12th grade and adult students, and in October, November, and December for 11th and 12th grade students and adult students.
ELA tests are on Tuesdays starting between 8 and 10 am and math tests are on Wednesdays, also starting between 8 and 10. The December administration of the CAHSEE takes place on successive Saturdays. The table above contains the exact testing dates.
All students are required to take the CAHSEE for the first time in grade ten during the CAHSEE census administrations in February or March.
Tenth grade students may only take the CAHSEE once during the school year. Districts have the option of offering a make-up opportunity during the March or May testing dates only to those 10th grade students who were absent during the district’s census administration.
School districts are not required to offer a make-up administration, but it can be helpful in meeting the 95% participation rate for AYP. If 10th grade students pass both the ELA and math portions of the exam, they have completed the CAHSEE requirement for graduation.
In addition to the use of the CAHSEE as a graduation requirement, the spring CAHSEE administration will continue to be used in calculating the Academic Performance Index (API) for state accountability purposes and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) to meet federal No Child Left Behind requirements.
For testing schedules, go to: 18

19. CAHSEE Webcast A Webcast will be held on Tuesday,
December 1, 2009, 9:00 a.m.
San Diego County Office of Education 19

20. 2009 CAHSEE Summary Results
Key findings:
Approximately 91 percent of the Class of 2009 met the CAHSEE requirement. (See Table 1.)
The passing rates for most subgroups increased over (See Table 2.)
The passing rate for students receiving special education services increased approximately 2 percentage points over (Tables 2 and 3)
The passing rate for English learners increased slightly over (Tables 2 and 3)
Though the achievement gap continues to persist, the gap is slowly narrowing.

21. Resources and Training
Assistance Packets:
Annual Notification: Communicating with Parents and Guardians About the CAHSEE for the School Year
Individual Student Results: Explaining the CAHSEE Summary Results to the Public
Summary Results: Explaining the CAHSEE Student and Parent Report to Parents, Guardians, and Students
Released Test Questions
Student Study Guides
Teacher Guides
CAHSEE Administration Workshops 21

22. For More Information CDE High School Exit Exam Office 916-445-9449
CAHSEE policy and general exam information
CDE High School Exit Exam Office
State and federal accountability information
CDE Academic Accountability Unit 22