Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Web Site
Main site for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium.
Common Core State Standards
Information and resources about the new academic content standards for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics adopted by the State Board of Education on August 2, 2010.
Summative Test Blueprints
The summative test blueprints describe the content of the English language arts/literacy and mathematics summative assessments for grades three through eight and high school as well as how that content will be assessed.
Smarter Content Explorer
The Smarter Content Explorer contains the Smarter Balanced Content and Item Specifications—key resources used in test and item development—as well as assessment blueprints, writing rubrics, and other test development resources. A Smarter Content Explorer flyer (PDF) is available for more information about this web tool.
The Smarter Annotated Response Tool
The Smarter Annotated Response Tool helps educators understand how student writing is scored on the Smarter Balanced assessments and support writing instruction in the classroom.
Writing Extended Response (WER) Condition Codes Flyer
(PDF)
This flyer provides information and definitions for educators and testing coordinators regarding the various conditions codes that may accompany a student’s score on the WER item within the ELA performance task.
Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) and College Content-Readiness
ALDs articulate the knowledge, skills, and processes expected of students at different levels of performance on the Smarter Balanced assessments.
- ELA/literacy ALDs and College Content-Readiness Policy
(PDF)
- Mathematics ALDs and College Content-Readiness Policy
(PDF)
Understanding a Computer Adaptive Test flyer
This flyer provides an overview of how computer-adaptive testing works, how it provides a clearer picture of student achievement, as well as answers to other frequently asked questions.
Assessment Fact Sheets
Smarter Balanced fact sheet handouts offer information on various aspects of the assessment system.