CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction California Educational Research Association Conference Learning Wins: The Evolution of Assessment in California December 2, 2015 Michelle Center, Director, Assessment Development and Administration Division Deborah Baumgartner, Consultant, Assessment Development and Administration Division Keith Smith, Consultant, Interim Assessments & Digital Library Office Lily Roberts, Administrator, English Language Proficiency Assessments Office

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction STAR to SBAC: From Accountability Focus to Learning Focus Michelle Center, Director Assessment Development and Administration Division 2

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction 1998: A STAR was born Valid and reliable measurement across a large and diverse state. Central role in state and federal accountability systems. Steady increases in proficiency. Results spoke for students who otherwise could have been overlooked. 3

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Some thought we called it STAR for another reason… 4

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Rethinking the Role of Assessment Accountability alone was no longer enough. Policymakers wanted more than alignment with new standards and use of technology. “It is the intent of the Legislature…to provide a system of assessment that has the primary purpose of assisting teachers, administrators, and pupils and their parents to improve teaching and learning.” – AB 484 5

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Beyond Once-a-Year Measurement Focusing on growth over time Providing check ins throughout the year Building assessment literacy Ongoing formative assessment process as a teaching tool. 6

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction A New System with a New Purpose 7 Testing for Accountability Once a year Assessment for Teaching and Learning Multi-faceted system Embedded in the instructional cycle Focus on continuous improvement Tools for teachers FROM TO

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction A Year-Round System 8

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Benefits of Baseline Scores 9 A valid, reliable measure of student performance in all tested grades. For incoming seniors, a valuable reading of readiness for college-level coursework.

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction The Big Secret: It’s not all about summative scores New assessments signal educational goals. New assessments model high-quality instruction. 10

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Signaling Educational Goals Aligning assessments to Common Core State Standards encouraged: –Professional development –Technology acquisition –Changes in classroom instruction 11

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Modeling High-Quality Instruction 12 Performance tasks provide opportunities for students to demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills. Analytical writing provides opportunities to demonstrate communication and analytical skills.

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction CAASPP Year One: Online and Opting In 13 More than 3.2 million students assessed Less than 2,000 paper-based administrations

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Committed to ongoing improvements Operational improvements planned for Re-examination of reporting systems and timelines. Ongoing analysis by CDE, ETS and UCLA CRESST. Independent evaluation by HumRRO. 14

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Still a long way to go… Making sure results are ready to serve schools, teachers and students. Improving online reporting, formative tools and interim assessments. Improving understanding of long-term goals for assessments. 15

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction CDE: Providing New Resources 16 CAASPP Institutes: Opportunity to set goals for instructional improvement. Digital Library/Interim Assessment Clinics. Technical assistance in use, administration and scoring. Online Parent and Teacher Guides resources for parents and educators.