What is the difference between embedded and non-embedded supports?
Embedded universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations are delivered through the online Test Delivery System student interface. Examples of embedded supports are text-to-speech an on-screen calculator on allowed items, or a digital notepad. Non-embedded supports are those that must be provided by the schools locally, such as a handheld calculator, abacus, or scratch paper.
Is a paper-pencil test form available for Smarter Balanced, California Science Test (CAST), and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)?
ELPAC K–2 Writing – Braille and large-print forms are available for students who require the special versions. Eligible students in kindergarten through grade two take the paper version of the Summative ELPAC writing assessment.
Students with individualized education program (IEPs) and Section 504 Plans – Braille, large print, and regular print versions will be available to students whose IEPs or Section 504 Plans indicate that the special version paper test is the most appropriate format for them.
Where can I find a description of all the universal tools, designated supports, and accommodations that are available for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) tests?
A complete description of each universal tool, designated support, and accommodation as well its recommended use can be found in the CA Assessment Accessibility Resources Matrix web page and the CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility Guide
.
How are accessibility supports for the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments set?
The student test settings that have been set in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) are the default settings for the interim assessments. Student test settings for the interim assessments can be modified by the interim assessment administrator in the Test Administrator Interface; these settings, however, will not be retained in the test delivery system and TOMS for the summative assessments. Any test settings required for the summative assessments must be set in TOMS by the local educational agency (LEA) or the site test coordinator at least 48 hours before testing begins.
Will there be any training provided on what the accommodations actually look like in the testing interface?
The California Department of Education (CDE) provides an Accessibility Resources Virtual Training Series that can be found at the Accessibility Resources Virtual Training Series
web page. This asynchronous training provides guidance on the appropriate assignment of accessibility resources in the classroom and for the CAASPP and ELPAC. In addition, some accessibility resources will have a video that contains a demonstration of the resource. Most videos are available in English and Spanish and can be found at Accessibility Resources
web page.
Can color contrast be provided to a student who does not have an IEP?
Yes, color contrast is available as both an embedded and non-embedded designated support. Designated supports are available to all students, with or without an IEP or Section 504 plan, when determined for use by an educator or team of educators (with parent/guardian and student input, as appropriate).
When should “Permissive Mode” be used?
Permissive Mode is a setting that allows the use of an external device or software for the tests. It should be selected when the accommodation via an external device (e.g., adaptive keyboard, refreshable braille machine) is required by an IEP or Section 504 plan. Permissive mode is compatible with supported desktop operating system versions of macOS and Windows only; it is not compatible with Chromebooks or iPads.
In which languages are the translation glossaries available?
The following languages are currently available for the embedded translation glossaries, a designated support for mathematics: Arabic, Burmese, Cantonese, Hmong, Ilokano, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. For science, the following languages are available for the embedded translation glossaries, a designated support: Arabic, Cantonese, Hmong, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Are there translated test directions and in which languages are they available?
Yes. Smarter Balanced Translated Test Directions (non-embedded) are available for English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science.
For ELA, the following languages are available: Arabic, Burmese, Cantonese, Dakota, Filipino (Ilokano), Filipino (Tagalog), French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lakota, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, and Yup’ik.
For mathematics, the following languages are available: Arabic, Burmese, Cantonese, Dakota, Filipino, French, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lakota, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and Yup’ik. The Spanish-translated test directions for mathematics are available as an embedded resource in the test delivery system as part of the Spanish stacked-dual language designated support.
For the CAST, the following languages are available: Arabic, Armenian, Cantonese, Farsi, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Mandarin, Punjabi, Russian, Tagalog, Telugu, Urdu, and Vietnamese. The PDFs for the translated test directions are available on the Accessibility Resources
web page.
When is it permissible to use the non-embedded calculator?
A non-embedded calculator is an accommodation that must be listed in a student's IEP or Section 504 plan. It is available for use by a student who is unable to use the embedded calculator for mathematics items for which an embedded calculator is allowed (and does not change the construct). If, however, the calculator will be used for non-calculator items, its use must be requested as an unlisted resource. Unlisted resources must be requested by the LEA through TOMS and approved by the CDE prior to use on the assessment.
For science, a non-embedded calculator is a designated support and a student who is unable to use the embedded calculator or requires a special calculator, such as a braille calculator or talking calculator can use a four-function non-embedded calculator for grade 5 and a scientific calculator, for grade eight and high school.
Is there a manual that explains test settings to guide those who make decisions about what to assign to students with an IEP or Section 504 plan?
Yes. The Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility and Accommodations Guidelines, available on the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines
(PDF), should be used to make selections of appropriate supports.
What is the Test Settings Application Programming Interface (API) and where can I get more information?.
The API is a program that facilitates the transfer of the embedded and non-embedded designated supports and accommodations from the LEA’s Student Information System (SIS) and Special Education (SPED) systems into TOMS and vice versa. For more information or to let your SIS or SPED vendors know you are interested in participating, contact your SIS or SPED vendors. LEAs can still assign test settings 1-by-1 in the TOMS user interface or upload a file into TOMS for multiple students.
How do we request permission for an accommodation if it is required by a student’s IEP or Section 504 plan, but is not available on the California Accessibility Matrix?
In the case that a student’s IEP requires the use of a support not currently available on the California Accessibility Matrix, the use of the support must be requested using the unlisted resource form in the TOMS. The California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System settings must indicate the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan status to enable selection of accommodations or requesting unlisted resources in the student testing interface in TOMS.
Once the request has been submitted in TOMS, the CDE will review the requested support and approval will be granted by the CDE based on the IEP team’s and/or Section 504 plan’s designation and if the unlisted resource does not compromise the test’s security. Some unlisted resource requests may be determined to change the construct of what is being assessed, and subsequently, a student’s score may be removed from aggregations, not be counted as participating for accountability, be invalidated for CAASPP, or assigned the lowest obtainable scale score for ELPAC. The CDE shall make a determination of whether the requested unlisted resource changes the construct being measured and will contact you if more information is needed to make a determination.
How long will it take to obtain approval of an unlisted resource?
The request must be submitted a minimum of ten days prior to student’s first day of testing. The CDE will send a response within four business days of the submission date.
What are the advantages of using the Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAP) tool?
The web-based ISAAP tool can help facilitate the selection and assignment of appropriate designated supports and accommodations for a student by an educator or team of educators who know the student’s accessibility needs. The ISAAP tool can be used to assign supports and generate a file of up to 500 student records that can be imported into TOMS by a test coordinator. In addition, some available accessibility resources include a link to a video that contains a demonstration of the resource. More information regarding the ISAAP tool can be found at ISAAP Tool
.
Where can I find out how to use the ISSAP tool?
Information regarding the ISAAP tool can be found at ISAAP Tool
. In addition, a video that provides step-by-step instructions on how to use the online ISAAP Tool to identify accessibility resources can be found at Using the Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile Tool(Video; 10:34).