Assessment Spotlight, Issue 254

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.

Upcoming Educator Opportunity: CSA Development

¡Tu voz es importante! Your voice is important! The California Department of Education (CDE) is looking for educators who are bilingual and biliterate in Spanish to participate in the continued development of the California Spanish Assessment (CSA). Participation in this work offers many opportunities to have powerful input on the development and administration of the CSA.

Virtual three-day meetings will be held September and October 2024:

• Item Review Meeting, March 5–26, 2024, providing educators an opportunity to examine items for content and potential bias and sensitivity concerns.
• Speaking Range Finding, Track One, March 7–April 25, 2024, or Track Two, March 12–April 30, 2024, providing educators an opportunity to score Speaking sample student responses and identify anchor responses to be used in the scoring of the new CSA Speaking field test items.

Substitute teacher expenses will be reimbursed, and honorariums may be available. To apply, please contact the CAASPP Project Team by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.

Find information about CSA opportunities for educators on the CAASPP Opportunities to Get Involved web page . All California educators who teach Spanish are encouraged to apply.

November’s Featured Resource in Tools for Teachers—Express Yourself

This month’s featured Tools for Teachers resource, Express Yourself (account required), is a math lesson that includes step-by-step directions for grade six math teachers to use while instructing students about writing multistep algebraic expressions when given a written expression. Teachers can use the digital slide presentation as they engage students to read and write expressions, learn new mathematical vocabulary concepts, and identify grouping symbols to connect their learning about algebraic expressions.

Throughout the lesson, teachers guide students to use mathematical vocabulary in describing the parts of an expression, practicing how to verbally state and write expressions with both words and numbers, and identifying the coefficient and number of terms. Using multiple examples of problems, students work independently and with their peers to dive deep into the concepts and reflect on how their understanding progresses. Teachers have multiple opportunities to adjust instruction during steps to clarify student learning, elicit feedback, and observe student discussions.

This instructional resource is included in the Interim Assessment Connections Playlists for grade three Algebraic Expressions. Each playlist consists of instructional resources that can be used to teach the content assessed on the corresponding Interim Assessment Block. To view this and other instructional resources, local educational agency (LEA) staff need a Tools for Teachers account which can be obtained either through self-registration, described in the flyer How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers(PDF), or through their LEA CAASPP coordinator.

To receive future CAASPP updates and notifications, subscribe to the CAASPP mailing list by sending a blank email message to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. For previous Assessment Spotlight issues, visit the CDE Assessment Spotlight web page.