1. Parent Information Night New Testing Format SBAC/CAASPP La Jolla Elementary April 21, 2015
SBAC = Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (20+ states who are using the test)
CAASPP = California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (What we call it in CA)

2. Agenda
Comparison of former test (CST/STAR) with new test (SBAC/CAASPP)
Overview of SBAC components
What the SBAC entails for language arts and math
Preparation at school
Preparation at home
Questions/Comments

3. Comparison of CST to SBAC
Tested students in grades
One question type: multiple choice
Simple questions
One version, one set of questions
Paper/pencil format
Results take months
Tests students in grades and 11
Variety of question types
Complex questions
Many versions – test will adapt to student responses and increase/decrease in complexity
Computer-based format
Results should take weeks

4. Test Success Format Familiarity Content Knowledge
Because of the different format, it’s important that we familiarize students with the format of the test.
Unfortunately, format familiarity interferes with students’ ability to successfully demonstrate their content knowledge on tests.
We want to make sure that students are familiar with the format of the SBAC in order to make it a more accurate and valid measurement of their content knowledge in language arts and math.

5. Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)
HARD
ITEMS
EASY
Standards
Computer
Student
One part of the test is the CAT – Computer Adaptive Test.
As we mentioned, students will take a test that adapts to their performance.
Unlike with the CST, students will not all be taking the same test. They’ll start with the same couple of questions, but by the fifth question or so, they’ll be taking different tests. As students answer questions, the complexity of questions will increase or decrease, as necessary, in order to truly determine students’ understanding of grade level standards.

6. Performance Tasks ELA or Math Task
In addition to the CAT, students will also tackle performance tasks in math and ELA.
It will start with a class activity to orient students to the nature/content of the task.
Teachers will provide students will directions.
Then, students will engage in a task.

7. Language Arts
Let’s first get to know the language arts format of the SBAC

8. ELA Computer Adaptive Test
ELA Performance Task
(120 minutes)
4 Items
3 Research
1 Essay
ELA Computer Adaptive Test
(90 minutes)
44 Items
20 (46%) Reading
10 (23%) Writing
9 (20%) Listening
5 (11%) Research
The language arts portion has two parts, the performance task and the computer adaptive test. We’ll discuss both.
as of

9. SA ELA Passage-Item Structure
as of
Claim
Sub-Claim
3-5
6-8 11 #
Pass
# Items
Reading
-Literary1 2 10 9 1 6
-Informational1
2-3 12 14
Speaking & Listening
-Listening2 3
As you can see, at our level, students will read two literary and two informational passages, which will each have ten items. They’ll watch and listen to three videos, which sound like encyclopedia-type reports of information, and they’ll answer nine questions about those passages.
Note 1—Reading passages may be in either short or long text format. Short text ranges from words in 3rd grade to words in 11th grade. Long test ranges from words in 3rd grade to 826 to 100 words in 11th grade. Items are MC, MS, EBSR, HT, ST.
Note 2—Listening passages are all “informational,” range from about 60 to 90 seconds, are rewindable, and comply with Easy Listening Format (ELF) standards. Students listen to audio passages via headphones connected to computer. Items are MC, MS, EBSR, or TM.

10. ELA Item Types Multiple Choice, Single Correct Response = MC
Multiple Select (Multiple Correct Response) = MS
Evidence-Based Selected Response, 2 part MC = EBSR
Hot Text, Select Text = HT
Short Text Constructed Response = ST
Matching Tables = TM
Hot Text, Reorder Text = HR
Written Response = WR
As of a couple of months ago, there are eight different types of items students will need to be familiar with.

11. Multiple Choice (MC) 43% of Test
All ELA Item Types shown are 4th Grade unless otherwise indicated
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
This first one, multiple choice, we’re familiar with.
Students read a passage, and then select one answer by clicking on a radio button.
This type of question actually makes up about half of the test (43%)
Even though this is a format with which students are familiar, it is significantly more complex than the multiple choice questions students encountered on the CST

12. Multiple Select (MS) 16% of Test
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
Students will also respond to multiple select questions, which are questions with a variety of possibilities and multiple correct answers.
This type of question has check boxes with 4 – 6 possibilities, and there are usually 2 – 3 correct answers. Interestingly, there is always more than one correct answer.
Sometimes it tells how many correct answers there are, and sometimes it doesn’t.
There is no partial credit.

13. Evidenced-Based, Selected Response (EBSR) 14% of Test
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
Students will also respond to evidence based, selected response questions.
These questions have two parts.
The first part has only one right answer, and the item type is either multiple choice (as with the example) or hot text, where you click on a word or part with your mouse
The second part requires students to click on a word/words or sentence/sentences, which are highlighted when the mouse hovers over them.
If something they put their mouse on illuminates then it is a potential answer. If it doesn’t illuminate, it’s not an option.

14. Hot Text, Select Text (HT) 14% of Test
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
With hot text questions, students read a passage, and then click on a word, phrase, sentence, or passage that addresses the question.
This type of question has an increased depth of knowledge and is more authentic.
It’s also important to note the testing vernacular that students are implicitly required to know. Look at the word inference, for example.

15. Short Text (ST) 7% of Test
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
This question will be scored on a scale of 0– 2 points
It’s looking for a paragraph
One in literary and one in informational
Students need to answer the question thoroughly and support with details
All free text will be machine and hand-scored the first year in order to calibrate

16. Matching Tables (TM) 4% of Test
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
As you can see, there are rows and columns.
Some may have multiple answers in each row, may be additional columns
Students need to answer everything correctly, as there is no partial credit
Have everyone read question and answers. What kind of skills does a student need to have to navigate through this type of question?

17. Hot Text Reorder Text (HR) 2% of Test
Students read a passage, then answer questions.
With this type of questions, students are asked to reorder sentences.
This is actually similar to questions on the CST, where students were asked to mentally rearrange sentences.
Have everyone read question and answers. What kind of skills does a student need to have to navigate through this type of question?

18. Written Response – Brief Text (WR-BT)
(CAT only) also referred to as Short Text (ST)
No passage is read. This type of question is a test of writing ability.
Mini- essay
Longer than a paragraph

19. The performance task should take about two hours, 120 minutes
It will start with a teacher activity, in which the teacher establishes expectations and content
Students will then independently read/view articles, documents, video, etc.
Students will then be required to analyze the sources of information and respond to a prompt by writing an essay

20. Written Response Full Text (PT only)
This is an example of the prompt that students will have to respond to
Just one longer essay on this section of the test.

21. Math
Now, let’s transition to the math portion of the SBAC

22. Math Computer Adaptive Test
Math Performance Task
(60 minutes)
6 Scored Items
4 Problem Solving/Modeling
2 Communicating Reasoning
Math Computer Adaptive Test
31 Items
(90 minutes)
-20 (Concepts/Procedures
-5 (16%) Problem Solving/Modeling
-6 (19%) Communicating Reasoning
Just like with the language arts portion, the math test has two parts, the performance task and the computer adaptive test. We’ll discuss both.
as of

23. Math Item Types Equation/Numeric = EQ
Multiple Choice, Single Correct Response = MC
Drag & Drop = DD
Matching Tables = TM
Hot Spot = HS
Multiple Choice, Multiple Correct Response = MS
Graphing = GR
Fill In Tables = TI
There are 31 items
No free text entry on math, though there may be in the performance task

24. Equation/Numeric (EQ) 36% of Test
These are the most represented type of question on the test.
This is a fifth grade item.
Could requires an expression, equation, or just an answer.
Students need to be very familiar with how to answer these questions.
Although instructionally we often require students to respond in complete sentences or with units, they do not have to do so (nor are they allowed to do so) here. Also, students cannot enter commas!
This requires a great deal of teaching, so students are familiar with how to enter answers as fractions, etc.

25. This is a fifth grade example.
Unlike the previous question, which asks for an answer, this question asks for students to write an expression
Again, students need to understand how they can enter answers with fractions, parentheses, exponents, inequalities, etc. – look at buttons

26. This shows a variety of buttons that students will have available – it’s important that students understand how to use them!

27. Multiple Choice (MC) 21% of Test
Again, this is a format with which we’re familiar
This is a fourth grade item
Any student can get this right 25% of the time. On other test question types, you lose the power of 25%.

28. Drag & Drop (DD) 10% of the Test These types of questions are tricky!
Students need to read and make sense of the information on the left, and then they need to respond to the information on the right by dragging numbers and dropping them into the boxes

29. Matching Table ™ 10% of Test There can be multiple columns and rows
Students need to be familiar and practice this

30. Hot Spot (HS)
8% of Test
As you can see, this type of question in incredibly challenging.
Students need to make sense of information on the left, and use it and respond to the situation on the right

31. Multiple Select (MS) 7% of Test
Just like with the ELA portion, math questions will also have multiple select questions, which offer 4-6 possibilities and usually have 2-3 correct answers.
This is a fifth grade item
These types of questions have a higher depth of knowledge than multiple choice questions, and the higher the grade level, the more difficult they become

32. Graphing (GR) 6% of Test This is a third grade example
Students need to understand how to use graphing tools, which can be challenging

33. Insert Table(TI) 2% of Test
There may be one or none of these questions.

34. Just like with the language arts part of the SBAC, there’s a performance task for math.
It’s less complicated than the language arts one, and it should take about an hour and a half.
It will start with a class activity, in which students will work together to gather data and set the stage.
Then, students will then read the directions for the activity, and complete it independently, answering 4-6 items, which will build upon each other

35. Student Performance So, what can we expect?
We cannot really compare student performance on the SBAC/CAASPP with how they did previously, as they’re different tests.
Even if we prepare students with the format, we still expect that they’ll perform lower than they have in the past

36. A Framework for Interpretation
It’s a beginning– this year’s score is your baseline.
It’s a transition – results may show fewer students have the skills right now, but we are on the right path.
It’s the information we need – to help prepare our students for success in college and careers.
This year is just a beginning.

37. Estimated Percentage of Students Scoring at Each Level for ELA
This graphic shows estimated performance at each level for ELA
As you can see, it is expected that only about 40% of students in CA will meet or exceed grade level standards.

38. ELA Scoring
Students’ scores will range from 2000 – 3000, which is very different than how students were scored on the CST (every year, 200? – 600)

39. Estimated Percentage of Students Scoring at Each Level for Math
This graphic shows estimated performance at each level for Math
As you can see, it is expected that only about 40% of students in CA will meet or exceed grade level standards.

40. Math Scoring
Just like with ELA, students’ scores will range from 2000 – 3000, which is very different than how students were scored on the CST (every year, 200? – 600)

41. How We Are Preparing at School
Familiarizing students with all aspects of the test
Format
Language
Question types
Doing the practice test multiple times
Reviewing content
At school, we’re doing a lot to prepare our students…

42. How To Prepare Your Child at Home
Doing the practice test multiple times
Encourage your child to do their best
Send your child to school each day, on time
On days of testing, make sure students get plenty of sleep, give them a good breakfast, and send a healthy snack
There are some things you can do at home, as well

43. Questions/Comments