Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. New Resource! Guidance on Diagnostic and Formative Assessments Today, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced the availability of a new resource, "Guidance on Diagnostic and Formative Assessments." This informative document describes how educators can use California's approved assessments to evaluate where students are academically at the start of and throughout the school year. CALPADS and the ELPAC: Changes Beginning July 1, 2020, the California Longi...

Editor's note:  Still not sure if they understand schools or not.  Keeping students 6 feet apart from each other is clearly not a viable option in schools where 40 students are crammed into a single classroom.  Unclear what resources, if any, will actually flow to schools to enable these recommendations to lead to actual implementation.  But here they are . . . . California Releases Guidance on Re-Opening of Schools Stronger Together -  Published June 8, 2020. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/documents/strongertogether.pdf

Assessment Spotlight Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. Newly Updated Smarter Content Explorer! The Smarter Content Explorer has recently been updated! Offering new features based on educator feedback, this user-friendly web tool combines the information provided in the Smarter Balanced Content and Item Specifications—key resources used in test and item development—into an easy-to-use search interface. Users can access customized content generated by a quick search by subject, grade, and targ...

It's interesting how so many news reporters, bloggers, and just average citizens can interpret the same data so wildly differently.  This short and extremely informative video explains why this is true when looking at the COVID-19 Country Data.  Interesting to project this same thinking onto K-12 school data.  Even when we collect it accurately, are we also interpreting it accurately? 

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments for Distance Learning With the widespread closure of schools in California and the suspension of CAASPP testing due to COVID-19, many local educational agencies (LEAs) are serving their students through distance learning. To aid teachers and other LEA staff during this challenging time, the California Department of Education (CDE) will make available, as an optional resource, the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments for u...

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. California Science Test and California Spanish Assessment: 2018–19 Summary Results The 2018–19 summary results for the first operational administration of the California Science Test (CAST) and the California Spanish Assessment (CSA) were made available to the public on February 4, 2020. The summary results are reported at the state, county, district, and school levels by grade and student groups. The CAST and CSA summary results are located on the Californi...

Postsecondary Status File The CALPADS File Specifications (CFS) includes a new file, the Postsecondary Status (PSTS) file that will be implemented in 2019–20. This file will be used by LEAs to submit survey data to CALPADS that LEAs previously submitted to the CDE through the Perkins Data System (PDS) and the California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS), both of which are now retired. LEAs have generally collected the postsecondary status data for Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway completers and concentrators, and students with disabilities (SWD) who have completed secondary education, through a student survey. LEAs will now submit the data they have collected ...

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC) and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. Survey for LEA Coordinators! On September 17, the California Department of Education (CDE) opened its annual local educational agency (LEA) coordinator survey with a link to the survey emailed to a sampling of LEA coordinators. If you received the email, we hope you will take a few minutes to tell us about the resources and training you need to be successful in your role as an LEA coordinator. This short survey asks about your awareness and use of sever...

CAASPP Update Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System, including the Smarter Balanced assessments—a major component of CAASPP—and the California Alternate Assessments and science assessments.  Accessibility Notes: Updated Guide Now Available! The updated  Accessibility Guide for CAASPP Online Testing , which includes a change log (in the appendix), is now available on both the  Student Accessibility Resources and Test Settings  Web page and the  Manuals and Instructions  Web page of the CAASP Portal Web site. March System Downtime Begins Tonight Tonight at 5 p.m. through March 20 at 7 a.m., the Test Operations Management System, Test Administrator Interface, Interim Assessment (IA) Viewer, IA Hand Scoring, Online Reporting System, and the Appeal, Completion Status, and Roster Management systems will be undergoing system maintenance and will not be accessible. March 20—California Alternate Assessments and California Science Tests March 20—the opening of the CAASPP science and alternate assessments administration—is less than a week away! Are you ready? The high school grade-level assignment for the pilot California Science Test (CAST) and the pilot California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science can be confirmed by checking the assignment link on the CAASPP Portal  CAST Web page .  Confirm your  CAA version assignments  before you start printing out Directions for Administration (DFAs) or administer the CAA for English Language Arts and CAA for Mathematics. The new CAA for Science pilot test is a performance task (PT) assessment designed to be administered closer to the student’s instructional activity. This innovative assessment allows test examiners (TEs) some flexibility in the administration of the PT. TEs can select familiar materials for students and allow students to demonstrate what they know. A sample training test is available on the CAASPP Portal  CAAs Web page . The training test is aligned with the grade five California Next Generation Science Standards but can be used by students in any of the tested grades to familiarize educators, students, parents, and stakeholders with the testing format of the pilot. This training test is the same type of embedded PT that will be administered during this year’s pilot CAA for Science. Designed to be administered one on one, the training test PT is nonsecure and for use in preparing for the pilot CAA for Science.  Science Fact Sheets The  California Science Test Pilot Assessment Fact Sheet  is now available! It provides a quick and easy “Who, What, When, Why, and How” for the CAST as well as a timeline for implementation through to the operational assessment in 2019. A fact sheet for the California Alternate Assessment for Science will be posted soon. Please share this e-mail with any educators in your local educational agency who would be interested in or benefit from this information.  To join the e-mail list, send a blank e-mail message to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Are you a new subscriber? Visit the CDE  CAASPP Update Web page  to find previous issues.

CARS NewsFlash #55 News Flash 55 was sent to LEA User Administrators announcing the 2016 Winter Release Webinar video has been posted to YouTube. To:            Consolidated Application Subscription List, CARS LEA User Administrators From:        Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS) Project Team Date:         January 27, 2017 Subject:     Consolidated Application and Reporting System Update FLASH #55 2016 Winter Release Webinar The Consolidated Application and Reporting System (CARS) Project Team has created a YouTube video: 2016 Winter Release Webinar. The recording provides an overview of how to navigate within the CARS and a general review of the Winter Release data collections. The direct link is: https://youtu.be/fgu0VpiuVUM  . We recommend that you view the recording in full screen mode to make the smaller text easier to read. Other Resources You can find other helpful resources on the Consolidated Application (ConApp) Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/ including: 2016–17 Consolidated Application Program Guidance2016–17 Consolidated Application Instructions Each form’s data entry instructions include step-by-step procedures to complete the form, a list of all error messages, and (if applicable) how to resolve the error. Also, the CARS Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/cars.asp includes the CARS LEA User Guide that contains more information on how the system works and how to use each of the tabs. Deadline Reminder All 2016 Winter Release data collections are due Tuesday, February 28, 2017. As the deadline approaches, and more LEAs are submitting data, the system performance will slow down due to the volume of data saved. We encourage you to avoid the rush and certify your ConApp early. Note: the data collections will remain open after the deadline while we validate submitted data and expedite unsubmitted data. Additional Information If you have any questions regarding CARS, please contact the Consolidated Application Support Desk by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If this e-mail was forwarded to you and you wish to subscribe to the Consolidated Application e-mail list, please send a blank e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..   Questions:   ConApp Support Desk | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 916-319-0297

There are four unique listservs that disseminate info about CALPADS.  One is maintained by CSIS/FCMAT and serves as a Q & A forum for day-to-day users.  The other three are "one-way" messaging systems and do not accept replies.  A list of these and their intended audiences and access instructions is below: "CALPADS" listservsIntended AudienceAccess Instructions  1.  "CSIS-LS" Lot's of back-and-forth messages from CALPADS Coordinators Individuals who work on a daily basis with all aspects of the system, including preparing data for upload, working with various SIS systems, resolving errors, and validating/verifying data.  The group is open to all local school district CALPADS administrators and usually has around 200 active participants.  This is a lively back-and-forth discussion forum with roughly 25 to 50 email messages going back and forth each day.  It is advisable to use a secondary email account just for this listserv or to create some rules within your email filter to sort these messages into their own folder. https://csis.fcmat.org/Pages/Listserv.aspx 2.  "CALPADS-LEA" Only official information According to the CDE website, "The CALPADS-LEA listserv is a private listserv restricted to LEAs. All requests for membership will be reviewed before approval is granted."  This is one of the official channels in which "Flash" updates from CDE regarding CALPADS is disseminated.  Generally anyone who is the LEA CALPADS Coordinator should be on this list to receive deadline information, product improvement updates, known issues updates, and new data requirement updates.  (Note to CDE - Since this is official information already posted on the CDE site, and not priviliged info in any way, it might make sense to open access of this list up a bit too!  That way we can assign a unique email address to it (e.g. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and then route this critically important info to all necessary parties at our schools.http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/listservs.asp 3.  "CALPADS-SIS-VENDORS" Only official information "The CALPADS-SIS-VENDORS listserv provides information relevant to the development and implementation of CALPADS to Student Information System (SIS) vendors and LEAs utilizing custom-designed SISs. This listserv is an open listserv with no membership restrictions." This listserv provides an opportunity to understand how changes in the CALPADS system may impact your student information system (e.g. Aeries, PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, Illuminate SIS, and others).  There is usually a monthly vendor conference call as well, that is usually attended by representatives of those companies (when it hasn't been cancelled).   http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/listservs.asp 4.  "CASEMIS-TO-CALPADS" Only official information "The CASEMIS-TO-CALPADS listserv disseminates information to LEAs regarding the transition from the California Special Education Management Information System (CASEMIS) to CALPADS. This listserv is an open listserv with no membership restrictions. "  Since the CASEMIS data is scheduled to "morph" into CALPADS at some point in the 2019-2020 time-frame, it would make sense for Special Education leaders and CALPADS Coordinators to participate in this listserv in order to anticipate these changes in how SPed data is captured, stored, and reported.http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sp/cl/listservs.asp

Still don't have a revised date for the Fall 1 CALPADS cert.  Hang in there everybody!  

The results are in!  The survey's have been tabulated!  A huge thank you to the more than 150 districts who updated their enterprise systems this year in our 2nd annual EXPANDED survey.  We've combined the results from the first and second surveys into a single searchable online index. We think this is currently the most accurate and complete list of systems in use by California K-12 public school districts.  And there's still time to update YOUR district's list of enterprise systems if you didn't get a chance to do so yet.  The online survey will stay open until the end of the school year and we'll update the list continuously throughout the year.  

The following API's that we are tracking have been updated (note: external link to ProgrammableWeb) SchoolTimeOpen AssessmentsHeartland Payment SystemsWhipplehillStudyStackDigitalChalkIlluminate EducationChalkableEdmodoEdX Course StructureDIYStudy Island DictionaryKhan AcademyClever DataDiglibCodeLessonSchoologyInstructure CanvasSkill SearchSycamore SchoolBlackboard CollaborateData.ed.govHaiku Learning Management SystemOffice 365 SchoolsClever IdentityASPECT Vocabulary Bank for EducationDonorsChooseTurnItin iThenticateCode.org Local School Database

In the last hours of the California legislative session, AB 2329 passed unanimously in both the Senate and Assembly and is now headed to the Governor! If you are so inclined, you can call or write letters to the Governor urging his signature on this important effort to develop a strategic plan for equity in computer science education in California.  Here is a sample letter from the bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Bonilla, urging the Governor to sign AB2329. TechNet, along with a wide array of education and industry supporters applaud the California state legislature for approving AB 2329, legislation which would develop a comprehensive plan for computer science education across the state. Sponsored by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, Assembly Bill 2329 would establish a diverse advisory panel to develop a statewide computer science strategic plan, ensuring there is engagement from multiple stakeholders, including parents, teachers, students, advocates, policymakers, and leaders from state and local government. AB 2329This legislation ensures that California will have a statewide strategic plan that considers the following issues: Who can teach computer science and with what credentials;How to increase the pool of teachers;What computer science standards drive instruction; andHow to encourage students to take computer science classes.  TechNet’s California Executive Director Andrea Deveau co-authored an op-ed in the Sacramento Beeon the importance of passing this legislation with Julie Flapan, executive director of the Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools. 

Dear LEA Representative, CALPADS Fall 1 training sessions are now open for registration. Please be sure to select the appropriate class that aligns best with your CALPADS experience. Classes will be added to the schedule as needed to accommodate the demand. To obtain detailed information about class descriptions and the target audiences for each class offered, please see the CALPADS Course Catalog on the FCMAT/CSIS Web site at http://csis.fcmat.org/Pages/Course-Catalog.aspx. All of the training sessions will be held via Microsoft Lync Internet conferencing. The training material, along with instructions regarding how to access the Web conference, will be sent one day prior to each training date. You may enroll in a training session via the FCMAT/CSIS Training Web site (see below). When you enroll, please be sure to note the training date on your calendar. Once you have enrolled in a training session, you will no longer see the "Enroll" button for that particular training session. (There will be a "Dis-enroll" button, should you no longer wish to be enrolled.) Please share this information with others in your agency where appropriate. COURSE TITLES: The following table lists available Fall 1 courses for CALPADS 2016 and the recommended target audience for each: Training SessionsRecommended Target AudienceFall 1 - Reporting and CertificationNew staff and experienced staff needing a refresher;Fall 1 - Advanced Reporting and CertificationExperienced staff who successfully completed Fall 1 last year   TRAINING REGISTRATION: You must have an account for the FCMAT/CSIS Web site in order to register for training. The training registration process will require logging in to the FCMAT/CSIS Web site. If you do not have an account for the FCMAT/CSIS Web site, you will need to register for one: See the FCMAT/CSIS document entitled How to R= egister for an Account on the FCMAT-CSIS Web site at http://csis.fcmat.org/Documents/Documentation/How-To-Register-For-A-FCMAT-CSIS-Website-Account.pdf. Once you have an account, you can register for training sessions. To register for the Fall 2016 CALPADS training sessions, visit the FCMAT/CSIS training Web page at http://csis.fcmat.org/Pages/Trainings.aspx. Should you have any questions, please contact the CALPADS Service Desk via either of these methods:   1.  Submitting a service request ticket via the CALPADS Service Request form at http://www2.cde.ca.gov/calpadshelp/default.aspx   2.  E-mailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.<;mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.> Thank you, CALPADS Team

(Note: Original Source:  CALPADS Email from August 5, 2016 ) It’s time to begin preparations for the 2016 Fall 1 CALPADS data collection! This communication serves to announce the initial 2016–17 CALPADS training schedule and remind LEAs of the importance of training and the appropriate class sequence.  The 2016–17 schedule starts off with offering the Essential 2 and Essential 3 courses, along with a new course regarding CALPADS documentation. The first Fall 1 training session will occur the week of September 12. Registration availability for the Fall 1 sessions will be posted in the beginning of September. NEW COURSE  The Guide to CALPADS Documentationtraining sessionwill familiarize users with CALPADS documentation and support tools. In this session, we will review the purpose of the CALPADS documents, how they are used, how they link together, and where you can find them. This is not a required course for the Training Recognition award, but this course is highly recommended if you want to better understand how to get the most out of the documentation.  NEW STAFF  If you are new to CALPADS, you are expected to take the CALPADS Essential classes (course numbers 2–4) to become familiar with the CALPADS functionality. These Essential classes provide the foundation necessary to prepare for the specific data collections (Fall 1, Fall 2, etc.) as well as to prepare for the steps in Statewide Student Identifier (SSID) requests and Anomaly resolution. Once the Essential 2–3 classes are completed, you should attend the Fall 1 Reporting & Certification class. After the Fall 1 submission is well under way, you should attend the Essential 4 and Fall 2 classes. Additionally, the Q&A sessions listed in the schedule complement your learning experience and allow an opportunity to talk with support staff. The Q&A sessions require registration and are available to anyone, regardless of your training level.  EXPERIENCED STAFF  CALPADS users who completed the Fall 1 data submission last year do not need to take the Essential classes unless they feel that a repeat will be beneficial. The Fall 1 Advanced class was created for staff who have a strong understanding of the data submission process and want to learn about changes in the current year.  SELF-PACED TRAINING  Self-Paced modules for all the training sessions are available for everyone. The Self-Paced modules are a good alternative to the presenter-led sessions when you want to learn on your own, need a refresher on a particular topic, or can’t find time to attend the live sessions. We request that users register for the Self-Paced modules, so that we can update our records to reflect who has attended training. Self-Paced Registration can be found here: http://csis.fcmat.org/Pages/Self-Paced-Training.aspx. The Self-Paced content for Fall 1 will be updated by the end of November.  CLASS ENROLLMENT  To obtain detailed information about class descriptions and the target audiences for each class offered, please visit the FCMAT/CSIS Class Descriptions Web page at: http://csis.fcmat.org/Pages/Course-Catalog.aspx. All of the sessions will be held via Microsoft Skype Internet conferencing. The training material, along with instructions...

Accessibility Notes: Multiplication Table  Please note the following information about the Multiplication Table (PDF) External link opens in new window or tab., available through the CAASPP Portal External link opens in new window or tab It is a non-embedded accommodation available to students in grades four and above who have an individualized education program or Section 504 plan. For students in grade three who have a documented need, it must be requested as an unlisted resource in TOMS. The use of the multiplication table in grade three can be found in Matrix One: Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations for the California Assessment of Student Performance and P...