Assessment Spotlight, Issue 235

Focusing on the CAASPP System and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California’s other statewide assessments. For questions related to test administration, coordination, and trainings, visit the CAASPP website and the ELPAC website .

Interim Assessments Summer Trainings Starting Soon!

There is still time for local educational agency (LEA) staff to register for two California Department of Education (CDE) hosted trainings that will kick off in July! These free training sessions are a great way for LEA staff to get ready for the 2023–24 school year!

Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series

These two-and-a-half to three-hour training sessions for teachers and other LEA staff are organized into the following three modules:

• Module One—Deep dive into formative assessment practices and resources, including an exploration of the Tools for Teachers website.
• Module Two—Deep dive into the CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessments and associated online systems and how to use these resources to support teaching and learning.
• Module Three—In-depth instruction and practice in hand scoring interim assessments for Smarter Balanced English Language Arts/Literacy and mathematics.

Additional sessions for Modules One and Two will be offered in fall 2023, as well as California Science Test and ELPAC Interim Assessments hand scoring sessions for Module Three. Look for more information later this year.

Further information, including training dates and times and registration details, is available on the Interim and Formative Assessment Training Series registration web page .

California Educator Reporting System Training

Learn about the features and functions of California Educator Reporting System (CERS) through these two-hour and three-hour CERS training sessions. Separate sessions have been developed for two specific audiences—coordinators and administrators, and teachers. Further information, including training dates, times, and registration instructions, is available through the following links:

• Introduction to CERS for Coordinators and Administrators registration page
• Introduction to CERS for Teachers registration page

Register for one or more of the summer and fall training sessions today!

2023–24 ELPAC Information Guide Just Posted

The updated 2023–24 ELPAC Information Guide (DOCX) is now available and includes the California State Board of Education approved guidelines for meeting criteria one for reclassifying students who take the Summative Alternate ELPAC. It also features an enhanced domain exemptions section providing greater context and scoring clarification, and an introduction to the newly created Alternate Assessment Decision Making Tool for California (PDF).

Please share this email with any educators in your LEA who would be interested in or benefit from this information. To join the email list, send a blank email message to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. Are you a new subscriber? Visit the CDE Assessment Spotlight web page to find previous issues.