State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces “Tools for Teachers” Instructional Resources Website for California Educators

SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent Tony Thurmond today announced the availability of Tools for Teachers from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. This easy-to-use website features lessons and strategies to support instruction, save teachers time in developing quality lessons, and help prepare students for college or career success.

“No one is working harder than our teachers right now. They are learning new technologies, engaging in educator trainings, and putting in the work to reach our students,” Thurmond said. “The more tools we can provide our teachers, the better. I am pleased the California Department of Education can fund access to this resource for all local educational agencies with no cost to the teachers themselves.”

The Tools for Teachers website focuses on the formative assessment process (PDF), which helps teachers identify where students are in their learning, where they are heading, and how they will reach their learning goals. All of the website’s resources include recommended teaching strategies that support diverse learners and can be modified by teachers to meet instructional needs during in-person or distance learning.

This website was created in collaboration with hundreds of educators. It includes lessons, classroom activities, teaching strategies, professional learning, and links to additional Smarter Balanced resources. In addition, the websiteresources are designed in such a way that they can be used in conjunction with the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Blocks, which are optional assessments of students’ progress toward meeting the English language arts/literacy and mathematics content standards.

Questions about the Tools for Teachers website should be referred to caaspp@cde.ca.gov.

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Tony Thurmond — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5602, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100