This document summarizes a presentation given at the 2014 STEM Summit about new assessments in STEM fields in California. It discusses the Smarter Balanced Field Test for English and math that will take place in March-June 2014. It also discusses requirements for science assessments, including continuing current state tests in 2013-14 and plans to develop new science assessments aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. The presentation provided an overview of the field test, requirements for participation, and preparation resources available. It also summarized a previous science computer-based test tryout and next steps around developing new science assessments.

1. 2014 STEM Summit
The Next Generation of Assessments
in STEM Fields:
A New Paradigm for Understanding
and Improving Student Learning
Diane Hernandez, Director
Assessment Development and Administration Division
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Tom Torlakson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

2. Overview of Presentation
• Assembly Bill (AB) 484
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
– Smarter Balanced Field Test
– Requirements for science assessment
• 2013-14 science testing
• Science computer-based tryout
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3. Assembly Bill 484
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Assembly Bill (AB) 484, chaptered into law
October 2, 2013, established the Measurement of
Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP).
Through regulation, the name has been changed
to the California Assessment of Student
Performance and Progress (CAASPP).
• CAASPP replaces the Standardized Testing and
Reporting (STAR) Program.
• Among the requirements set forth in AB 484 is
the requirement that local educational agencies
(LEAs) participate in the Smarter Balanced Field
Test.
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4. Smarter Balanced Assessment System
Summative assessments
benchmarked to college
and career readiness
Common
Common
Core State
Core State
Standards
Standards
specify
specify
K–12
K–12
expectations
expectations
for college
for college
and career
and career
readiness
readiness
Teachers and
schools have
information and
tools they need to
improve teaching
and learning
Formative
assessment tools
and practices
for teachers to improve
instruction
All students
All students
leave
leave
high school
high school
ready for
ready for
college
college
and career
and career
Interim assessments
flexible, open, used for
actionable feedback
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5. Smarter Balanced Field Test
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• The Field Test measures student achievement of
the English language-arts (ELA) and mathematics
Common Core State Standards.
• Participants include students in grades 3-8, 11 and
a small sample of students in grades 9 and 10.
• The field test is estimated to take approximately
3.5 hours though it is untimed.
• Students exempt from participation in the field test:
– Students who take the California Alternate
Performance Assessment (CAPA).
– For ELA only, English learners who have
attended school in the United States for less
than 12 months
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6. Adjustment to the Spring 2014
Field Test Assessment Plan
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• On November 20, 2013, the State Superintendent
of Public Instruction (SSPI) announced to LEAs an
adjustment to the field test assessment plan.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/el/le/yr13ltr1120.asp
• Ninety-five percent of students will take a sample
of items from both ELA and mathematics.
• The remaining five percent of students will take a
sample of items in one subject, either ELA or
mathematics.
• All students will complete one performance task in
one subject.
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7. 2014 Smarter Balanced
Field Test Windows
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• The field test will be administered March 18
through June 6, 2014.
• Each school has been assigned a six-week
window within this time frame and may test
anytime within that assigned window.
• On November 20, 2013, Educational Testing
Service (ETS) released school testing window
assignments and notified district testing
coordinators.
• Test window assignments are available at
http://www.startest.org/FT-windows2014.html.
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8. Smarter Balanced Field Test Preparation
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
•Sample test items and performance tasks
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-itemsand-performance-tasks/
•Practice test
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/practice-test/
•New training test
Link available this week
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9. New Training Test
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Purpose: Provide students with an opportunity to
quickly become familiar with the software and
interface features that will be used in the field test
• Grade bands:
– 3-5, 6-8 and high school
• 6-9 items per grade band per content area
• No performance tasks
• Includes new item types:
– Matching tables (ELA and math)
– Fill in tables (math)
– Evidence-based selected response (ELA)
• Includes all universal tools, designated supports
and accommodations
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10. Comparison of Training Test and Practice Test
Training Test
Purpose
Grade Levels
Number and Types
of Items
Universal Tools,
Designated
Supports, and
Accommodations
Scoring
Practice Test
Provide students with an opportunity to
quickly become familiar with the software
and interface features
Provide students with a grade
specific testing experience that is similar in
structure and format to the field test
3 grade bands
•3–5
•6–8
•High school
Each grade
•3–8, 11
Approximately 15 items per grade band
(6 in ELA and 8–9 in math)
Approximately 30 items in ELA and 30
items in math per grade level
No performance task (PT)
Includes 1 ELA PT and 1 math PT per grade
level
All included on Field Test are included
Most included
Refresh scheduled for late April
Items are not scored
Items are not scored, however answer keys
and scoring rubrics are available

11. TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
The Assessment of Science
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12. AB 484: Science Assessments
for the 2013–14 School Year
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
Grade-level tests in grades 5, 8, and 10:
 California Standards Tests (CSTs)
 California Modified Assessment (CMA)
 California Alternate Performance Assessment
(CAPA)
These are required tests; paper-pencil tests only.
End-of-course (EOC) CSTs in Biology, Chemistry,
Physics, and Integrated Science 1-4, are not required, are
available for purchase through ETS
Tests administered until there are successor science
tests
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13. AB 484: Science Assessment
Development
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
ESEA Assessments Aligned to the NGSS:
•The SSPI is required to:
 As soon as is feasible after the adoption of the
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS),
make recommendations regarding the
assessment of the newly adopted science
standards
 When developing the recommendations, consult
with stakeholders regarding the content, type of
assessment, and grade level
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14. AB 484: Science Assessment
Development (cont.)
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• The SSPI is required to:
 Include in the recommendations, an
implementation plan of at least one assessment
in each grade span:
Grades 3 to 5, inclusive
Grades 6 to 9, inclusive
Grades 10 to 12, inclusive
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15. AB 484: Science Assessment
Development (cont.)
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
Additional (non-ESEA) Assessments
Aligned to the NGSS:
•The SSPI is required to:
 No later than March 1, 2016, make
recommendations to the SBE on expanding the
CAASPP program to include additional
assessments that would augment assessments
in science and other subject areas
 When developing the recommendations, consult
with stakeholders regarding the content, type of
assessment, and grade level
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16. AB 484: Science Assessment
Development (cont.)
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Recommendations shall include a:
 Consideration of the assessments already being
administered or planned to be used
 Consideration of the use of consortiumdeveloped assessments, various item types,
computer-based testing, and a timeline for
implementation
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17. AB 484: Science Assessment
Development (cont.)
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Recommendations shall include:
 Assessments by grade level, content, and type
of assessment
 A timeline for test development and
implementation and an assessment calendar or
multi-year schedule for each assessment or test
• Recommendations may also address the
use of various assessment options such as
computer-based testing, performance tasks,
and portfolios
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18. AB 484: Science Assessment
Development (cont.)
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Science assessment stakeholder groups will
include:
 California science teachers
 Individuals with expertise in assessing English
learners and students with disabilities
 Measurement experts
 Parents
 Other groups or individuals
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19. 2014 Science
Stakeholder Meetings
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Process leading to science assessment
recommendations
• CDE and ETS drafting a plan that includes:




Goals
Participants and nature of meetings
Meeting schedules and timeline of activities
Recommendations
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20. Science Computer-Based
Test (CBT) Tryout
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Main purpose was to:
 Collect data about the readiness of California
schools and districts to administer computerbased science assessments
 Try out items that would assess science inquiry
standards that could not be assessed using the
paper-pencil format
• Administered in October 2012 to a
statewide representative sample of 21,473
students from 193 schools and 133 LEAs
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21. Science CBT Tryout–
Data Collection
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Science Tests:
 Grades 5 and 8 Science
 High School Biology
• Item Types Per Test:
 40 single select multiple-choice (MC) items
 20 technology-enhanced (TE) items
Drag-and-drop & hotspot functionality
Simulations
Artificial intelligence scoring
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22. Science CBT Tryout–
Data Collection (cont.)
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Data also collected through:
 Surveys
 Site visits: Test administration observations
 Interviews: Student, teacher, and administrator
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23. Science CBT Tryout–
Key Findings
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Over 60 percent of sample schools
indicated being either “somewhat” or “very”
prepared for Science CBT
• Positive experience for students and
educators
• MC items performed similarly in the CBT
compared to paper/pencil administration
• TE items relatively more difficult than
traditional MC items
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24. Science CBT Tryout–
Key Findings
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
• Performance most likely impacted by:





Zero-stakes nature of the test
Student demographics
Student exposure to computer technology
Student and educator attitude towards CBT
Educator experience with CBT
• Most schools preferred a hybrid test of CBT
and paper-pencil
• Note: Full CBT Tryout report located at:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/technicalrpts.asp
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25. For Further Information
TOM TORLAKSON
State Superintendent of
Public Instruction
CDE Assessment Development and
Administration (ADAD) Division
916-319-0803
CDE California Assessment of Student
Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Office
caaspp@cde.ca.gov
916-445-8765
CDE Support and Outreach Office
916-445-8517
ETS California Technical Assistance Center (CalTAC)
caltac@ets.org
800-955-2954
http://californiatac.org
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