California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) Program
Preliminary Analyses of CAHSEE Results
The Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) conducts the independent evaluation of the CAHSEE. Presented in the March State Board of Education Meeting as an agenda item, are two tables of data. This evaluation can be found as a Web document (DOC; 118KB; 4pp.). Table 1 displays the estimated passing rates for students in the Classes of 2006, 2007, and 2008. The display includes results through the December 2007 CAHSEE administration. Table 2 displays a point-in-time comparison of the percent of students for each class meeting the CAHSEE requirement by the end of the fall administrations in their respective senior years. Please note that the Class of 2006 did not have a December administration, so the fall administrations reflect two test opportunities for the Class of 2006 compared to three opportunities for the Classes of 2007 and 2008.
Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program
The Communication Plan for Released Test Questions
The current Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) contract with Educational Testing Service (ETS) requires using STAR released test questions to communicate to parents, educators, and the public about the achievement represented by the STAR performance levels for advanced, proficient, and basic. To address this task, ETS has been meeting with CDE and SBE staff to design draft grade three sample brochures that show what skills and knowledge students must have to demonstrate achievement at each performance level. To solicit feedback regarding the draft brochures, ETS held parent and teacher focus groups in late February.
ETS has also begun working on a Web site design for parents, teachers, and the public that will allow them to access information about the STAR Program, the released test questions, and the corresponding performance levels.
The agenda item can also be found as a Web document (DOC; 64KB; 2pp.).
2008 Pre-Test Workshops
ETS conducted eleven pre-test workshops as well as a webcast for district and county STAR coordinators throughout the state during January and February. To assist STAR coordinators, ETS updated two videos: one to be used for training test site coordinators and the other for training test examiners and proctors. The test examiner video provides information regarding test administration requirements and procedures before, during, and after testing and emphasizes everyone’s responsibility for test security.
The pre-test webcasts are archived on the San Diego County Office of Education Web site (Outside Source). Another method to access these webcasts is through STAR Web site (Outside Source) and clicking on "Workshops".
2008 Grade Four and Seven Writing Standards Tests
The Grade Four and Seven Writing Standards Tests are being administered March 4 and April 29 this year. Make-up days are the day following each administration. The teacher guides for the California Writing Standards Tests (CSTs in writing) in grades four and seven are available on the Program Resources Web.
California English Language Development Test (CELDT) Program
CELDT Early Literacy Test Development
In August 2007, the Governor signed Senate Bill 80 that included the addition of an early literacy assessment of English learners in Kindergarten and grade one (K-1). Prior to the passage of this urgency legislation, California was not authorized to test English learners in K-1 on reading and writing, and CELDT was designed to only assess K-1 students in listening and speaking. However, Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that all English learners in grades K-12 are tested in the domains of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Commencing with the 2009-10 school year, California will be able to comply with federal accountability by testing K-1 English learners in all four domains.
More information regarding this issue will be available in the April CELDT Notes.
2007-08 Annual Assessment
The annual assessment (AA) window for the 2007-08 Edition of the CELDT was from July 1, 2007, to October 31, 2007. During the month of February, CTB provided school districts with an opportunity to correct or update demographic information for each student tested during the annual assessment window. In addition, the AA results are used by CDE’s Language Policy and Leadership Office to calculate Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs 1 and 2) for Title III accountability reporting purposes.
The state, county, district, and school level AA summary results are posted on the DataQuest Web site. The comprehensive results for 2007-2008, including II assessments conducted through June 30, 2008, will be available by September 2008 and reported to the SBE at that time.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) Peer Review
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is conducting a peer review under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of each state’s assessment and accountability system.
At its March 2008 meeting, the SBE approved the proposed scope of work and budget that would allow for the development of a new grade eight mathematics test to satisfy the current ED peer review finding concerning the current General Mathematics CST. The proposed scope of work and budget along with the entire agenda item can be found as a Web document (DOC; 76KB; 4pp.). The CDE will provide additional information regarding this new assessment as it becomes available.
In late February, the ED provided additional information regarding the peer review process for science assessments. California will submit evidence regarding its science assessments for peer review and will provide additional information regarding this review as it becomes available.
More information
For more information about any of the above mentioned SBE items, access the SBE Current and Past Agendas Web page.
