Classroom Assessment Scoring System Data Guidance

Subject: Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and CLASS Environment Data Reporting Requirements

Date: March, 2025

Authority: Section 106 of Senate Bill (SB) 114 (Chapter 48, Statutes of 2023) and Assembly Bill (AB) 102 (Chapter 38, Statutes of 2023)

Attention: Executive Directors and Program Directors of all California State Preschool Programs

Purpose

This guidance provides an overview of processes, reporting procedures, and accompanying resources to support the successful implementation of data collection for the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS®) and CLASS Environment for California State Preschool Program (CSPP) contractors.

Policy

All CLASS and CLASS Environment observation data must be entered into the myTeachstone® data platform beginning in the 2025–26 program year. In March 2025, CSPP Executive and Program Directors will receive access to myTeachstone to begin setting up the agency hierarchy. For the remainder of the 2024–25 program year, CSPP contractors are strongly encouraged to input CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations, join webinars, office hours, and review all resources made available by the California Department of Education (CDE) and Teachstone to get familiar with and learn how to use myTeachstone.

Beginning July 1, 2025, CSPP contractors must ensure that all CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations conducted to meet the requirements of Management Bulletin (MB) 23-10, or subsequent guidance, are entered into myTeachstone no later than 30-days after the observation data is received by the CSPP contractor. In many instances, Observers will have access to enter CLASS Observation data directly into myTeachstone; in these cases, CSPP contractors shall ensure the Observer enters the data directly into myTeachstone no later than 30-days after the observation.

Access to the myTeachstone platform for CSPP contractors is funded by the Achieving Success in Positive Interactions, Relationships, and Environments (ASPIRE) Grant.

myTeachstone Data System Overview

The myTeachstone data system operated by Teachstone, is designed to collect CLASS and CLASS Environment observation data and support early education Administrators and Educators with understanding observation results.

This cloud-based platform will provide CSPPs with a secure location to enter and access CLASS and CLASS Environment observation data. This platform also offers Educators professional development learning opportunities using data-driven feedback and provides Administrators with reports to track progress and support individualized, site-wide, and program level improvement.

The myTeachstone platform will launch to all CSPP contractors in March 2025. CSPP contractors must set up their myTeachstone account no later than May 1, 2025.

Program Directors and Executive Directors will receive communication directly from Teachstone to set up the agency account. The invitation will be sent from Teachstone Training with the email address of notifications@teachstone.com. In preparation for communication from Teachstone, CSPP contractors should add the email ‘notifications@teachstone.com’ to any ‘Safe Senders’ lists within the CSPP contractor’s email system or add this email address to email contacts. If a user does not see their expected invitation, check spam folders.

If CSPP contractors have not yet received the initial myTeachstone system set-up information by March 17, 2025, CSPP contractors should notify Teachstone at supportca@teachstone.com.

User Account Types for myTeachstone

CSPP contractors will receive access to myTeachstone through a CSPP contractor level administrative account and must add the following user account types as needed:

Table A: myTeachstone User Accounts

To the extent a CSPP contractor observes more classrooms than required during the year, additional teacher(s) may be granted classroom level Educator user accounts which offer the ability to view Observation information and contractors are encouraged to enter the data for all classrooms observed.

Individuals can be assigned multiple myTeachstone user types to meet the needs of the program. In the event an individual already has a myTeachstone user account (such as an Observer certification) with the same email, the user’s personal CLASS certifications or other resource access will be linked. If a user uses two separate emails (one for certification and one for CSPP data reporting) the accounts cannot be merged.

Individuals with Administrator level accounts must manage program and site-level access on an ongoing basis, reflecting staffing updates. At a minimum, this information must be updated within 45 calendar days of a staffing change and reviewed at least once annually. Administrator level users will also have the ability in myTeachstone to give additional independent certified CLASS Observers permission to enter Observation data into myTeachstone. Statewide and Regional leads will add all ASPIRE related observers to myTeachstone.

CSPP contractors should be aware that the CDE, CSPP Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) Block Grant leads and ASPIRE Statewide and Regional Leads will have access to all data entered for classrooms added to the CSPP contractor’s associated account. If the CSPP contractor only wants designated staff to be able to access the non-CSPP portion of this data (for example, if the CSPP contractor also uses this platform to collect data for Head Start or private program classrooms data), then the CSPP contractor must set up a separate account with Teachstone that will allow the CSPP contractor to toggle between CSPP sites or classrooms and non-CSPP sites or classrooms.

Setting Up Access to myTeachstone:

CSPP Contracting Agency

Teachstone will contact CSPP Program Directors and Executive Directors with Administrative user accounts no later than March 17, 2025. When Executive Directors and Program Directors initially access their myTeachstone accounts, the list of sites associated with the CSPP contract, including Vendor Number and Preschool County-District-School (CDS) Code identifiers, from the ASPIRE Regional Lead needs assessment will be pre-populated into the platform:

NOTE: If a CSPP contractor did not return the needs assessment to the ASPIRE Regional Lead, then the program sites will not be populated and CSPP contractors will need to enter them manually.

On initial receipt of login credentials, it is the responsibility of the CSPP contractor (person(s) with the contractor-level administrative account) to review information for accuracy and update as applicable, including but not limited to the following:

• Confirm that all site names and addresses associated with the contract are accurately entered into myTeachstone.
  
  
• Add classrooms with names and/or identifiers in the site hierarchy:
  
  • For local educational agency (LEA) based CSPP contractors using the California Preschool Data Collection (CAPSDAC) System, classroom names must be consistent with data entered into CAPSDAC monthly data submissions.
    
    
  • For users not required to use CAPSDAC, the CSPP contractor must determine unique names/identifiers for each classroom.
    
    
• Enter associated teacher names and email addresses for all educators in each CSPP classroom and assign the appropriate user account.
  
  
• When new users are added or users are updated in myTeachstone, the information will be sent to the email addresses provided in myTeachstone.

Educators

Teachstone will email staff assigned with Educator accounts following submission of their information via the myTeachstone platform inviting the staff to create an account. Upon registration, teachers may update user account settings to include a California Early Care and Education Workforce Registry identifier (if available) and adjust system notification settings and other information.

Observers

Teachstone will create myTeachstone user accounts for existing CLASS certified Observers. Additional Observers identified by CSPP contractors will receive login credentials via email.

Data Entry Responsibilities

CSPP contractors are responsible to ensure all CLASS Observation data is entered into myTeachstone. The CDE strongly recommends that all Observations are entered into myTeachstone by the Observer directly. Depending on how the CLASS or CLASS Environment Observation was completed, this may not always be the case. Some Observers will have access to myTeachstone and others may not.

• If the Observer has access to myTeachstone, the Observer will enter the observation data into myTeachstone directly. Having Observers enter observation data into myTeachstone directly is the CDE’s recommended course of action for all Observations.
  
  
  • NOTE: Beginning in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025–26, all Observations completed through ASPIRE or the CSPP QRIS Block Grant will be entered into myTeachstone by the Observer directly.
    
    
• For any unforeseen situations where the Observer does not have access to myTeachstone, the CSPP contractor is responsible for entering the data in myTeachstone. A teacher or aide regularly teaching in the classroom being observed shall not enter the data for their own classroom.
  
  
• It is generally best practice that one Observer enters in all required CLASS and CLASS Environment Observation data. However, if a CLASS Observation is completed without the CLASS Environment component, another individual with Data Entry user access may enter the CLASS Environment detail at a later date, to complete the full Observation record for the classroom.

The myTeachstone User Navigation Resource document provides users with information on functionality and processes based on individual user roles within the platform.

Minimum Observation Data Requirements

All CLASS and CLASS Environment Observation data from Observations being used to meet the requirements of the MB 23-10 must be entered into myTeachstone. A complete CLASS and CLASS Environment Observation record will include:

• Classroom and teacher identifying information (lead teacher name[s], other teaching staff present and classroom role, observation date/start time/end time, number of adults and children present, content area, degree of engagement)
  
  
• All individual CLASS and CLASS Environment Domain and Dimension data fields for each Observation cycle
  
  
• Observer name
  
  
• Name and role of person performing data entry (for example, internal team member, independent Observer), as applicable
  
  
• Observation format (for example, in person, live video, video recording)
  
  
• Attachments including Observation summary sheets with notes and all cycle score sheets

MyTeachstone employs a data quality standard review process which ensures all Observation data fields meet accuracy and completeness validation measures. These validation measures are outlined in the myTeachstone System User Navigation Resource document.

Additional data fields are optional. For example, the “Job ID” field may be used by CSPP contractors to uniquely identify classrooms with a “Session ID” or other QRIS Data System identifier.

As part of the Observation set-up process, CSPP contractors will need to ensure Observers are provided with classroom identifiers or names of the classrooms they are observing so that the Observation data can be correctly entered into myTeachstone.

Preparing for CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations

As stated in MB 23-10, CSPP contractors have multiple pathways to coordinate and complete their required CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations. CSPP contractors should consider the following while determining how to set up myTeachstone and planning how to upload data for all annual Observations:

• Are there plans to have Quality Counts California or Head Start sourced Observations during the coming year? Will your CDE Program Quality Implementation (PQI) consultant be conducting a monitoring visit during the coming year? Who will be entering those Observations into myTeachstone?
  
  
• What user access may other staff need?
  
  
• Does the needs assessment data submitted to the ASPIRE Regional Lead for the number of classrooms continue to be accurate? If not, what is the plan to update the site information in myTeachstone?
  
  
• If the CSPP contractor has more than the required number of classrooms observed, how will the data be captured?
  
  
• How will the rest of the teaching team accessing myTeachstone receive the support needed for continuous quality improvement?

It is the responsibility of the CSPP contractor to decide and execute the proper course of action to fulfill MB 23-10 requirements and to understand the different reporting strategies.

Accessing Observation Data and CLASS Professional Development Opportunities

Using myTeachstone user accounts, CSPP Executive and Program Directors, Site Supervisors, and Educators with view-only user accounts will have access to different CLASS and CLASS Environment Observation data depending on their role in the program hierarchy and supplementary supports and resources.

These may include:

• Classroom-level observation data
• Classroom-level summary reports
• Site-level observation data
• Site-level summary reports
• Domain and dimension specific information

As specified in MB 23-10, CLASS Observation data and feedback should be used to inform continuous quality improvement efforts at the site and support individual Educators’ professional growth planning.

Additional Resources

There are a variety of resources to support myTeachstone users with technical assistance and support.

• Navigating myTeachstone: myTeachstone Navigation Guide (DOCX)
  
  
• Teachstone's California CLASS Implementation Website
  
  
• How myTeachstone Drives Continuous Quality Improvement Website

For questions related to the guidance found in MB 23-10 and the requirements around CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations, please contact your assigned Early Education Division (EED), PQI office regional consultant.

Table B: Reference on Number of Classrooms to Observe and Educator Subscriptions to Allocate by Fiscal Year

Partnerships

The CDE has several key partners to support CSPP contractors with the implementation of CLASS and CLASS Environment Observations in CSPP. They include:

• Teachstone CSPP California Support
  • supportca@teachstone.com
    
    
• The ASPIRE statewide lead: El Dorado County Office of Education
  • aspirestatelead@edcoe.org
    
    
• ASPIRE regional leads:
  • Region A - Shasta County Office of Education
    • rmcfadden@shastacoe.org
      
      
    • Counties Supported by Region A: Butte, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, and Trinity
      
      
  • Region B - El Dorado County Office of Education
    • ASPIRERegionB@edcoe.org
      
      
    • Counties Supported by Region B: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Marin, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Sierra, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba
      
      
  • Region C - Ventura County Office of Education
    • aspireregionC@vcoe.org
      
      
    • Counties Supported by Region C: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, Mariposa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura
      
      
  • Region D - San Diego County Office of Education
    • ASPIRE-RegionD@sdcoe.net
      
      
• Counties Supported by Region D: Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Region

For more information about the ASPIRE leads and their roles, see Classroom Assessment Resources.