The U.S. Department of Education on April 6 granted California’s waiver requests regarding accountability, school identification and related reporting requirements for the 2020–21 school year. The Education Department advised in a separate letter to the state that it does not need to submit a waiver […]
The California Department of Education explored how rapid COVID-19 tests are a tool that can aid in the safe reopening schools during a March 10 webinar. The event focused on the use of Abbott Laboratories’ BinaxNOW tests which deliver results in 15 minutes and cost […]
Tests used for K-12 accountability, advanced course credit and college admissions are the latest segment of education to experience major repercussions from the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting school closures. Standardized assessments will likely be cancelled in most states this school year, high schoolers will take […]
On Oct. 9, the California Department of Education released the results of the 2018–19 Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy and mathematics assessments. Given that these scores represent the fifth year of implementation, it is a good opportunity to reflect on the trends in California and […]
A new, optional test will be administered for the first time when the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress testing window opens April 1, 2019. The California Spanish Assessment will be offered to third- through eighth-grade and high school students seeking a measure of […]
In September, the California Department of Education released the results of the 2016–17 Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy and mathematics assessments. Compared to the previous year’s results, scores remained relatively flat across all grade levels and student groups, while troubling achievement gaps persist. To help […]
An update on assessments being developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium showed progress on test development including the conducting of cognitive labs, small-scale trials and the almost completed assessment pilot to ensure validity of the tests for 2014-15. The process is also validating methods of special presentation styles for special needs students. Next to come is the one-year public field test of the system to develop customer familiarity.
By Teri Burns, Senior Director for Policy and Programs The two-day March State Board of Education meeting this week included a number of agendized action and information items, but the most interesting conversation came about unscripted, as part of what might have been a relatively simple […]
