CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Bilingual Coordinators Network March 27, 2014 Shobhana Rishi, Ed.D. Education Programs Consultant Assessment Development and Administration Division California Department of Education Smarter Balanced Assessments and English Learners

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction 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

TOM TORLAKSON State 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. balanced/testing-windows/index.html 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 3

TOM TORLAKSON State 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. 4

TOM TORLAKSON State 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. 5

TOM TORLAKSON State 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 TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines Released September 2013 Three types of student support: 1.Universal tools 2.Designated supports 3.Accommodations Embedded or non-embedded 7

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction 8 Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines (cont.)

TOM TORLAKSON State 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 9

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

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

TOM TORLAKSON State 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. – 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. 12

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Supports for English Language Learners Stacked Translations –Spanish –Math items Embedded Glossaries –Math items –Languages/Dialects 13 o Spanish o Vietnamese o Arabic o Tagalog o Cantonese o Mandarin o Punjabi o Korean o Russian o Ukranian

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Supports for English Language Learners (cont.) 14 Language Glossaries

TOM TORLAKSON State 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 15

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Supports for English Language Learners (cont.) 16 Stacked Translations

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction Supports for English Language Learners (cont.) 17 All supports Available for Field Test Shown on Training Test

TOM TORLAKSON State 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 18

TOM TORLAKSON State 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 19

TOM TORLAKSON State Superintendent of Public Instruction For Further Information 20 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Office CDE Smarter Balanced Field Test Web Page Smarter Balanced Technology Readiness Tool (TRT) California Technical Assistance Center CAASPP Senior Fellows