CAASPP ALTERNATE ASSESSMENETS (CAA)

Test Examiners - Must complete Moodle training in each CAA subject administering every year in addition to site trainings. 

The California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) are part of CAASPP. The CAAs are administered to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and whose individualized education program (IEP) team has designated the use of an alternate assessment on statewide summative assessments. There are CAAs for English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science.

caa webpage

• Test Examiner Checklist 
• BUSD Test Examiner Certificate/Training Info 2024-2025
• Form Assignment
  • BUSD ELA & Math Form 1 2024-2025
  • BUSD Science Form 3 2024-2025
• Tips for CAA Science Administration 
• Organization of CAA Science

Summative & Interim administration Resources

Administer a Test Session official webpage

test administrator mANUAL

ta & TE checklist 

Follow administration instructions as outlined in the TAM and testing Scripts.

Test Administrators/Examiners should have the TAM/Script open in all testing sessions. 

• Test Administrators should adhere strictly to the script unless a student is assigned the non-embedded designated support for simplified test directions. 
• Uphold site and state security protocols in each summative session.
  • Ensure students do not have access to digital, electronic or manual devices.
  • Handle secure materials securely
  • Cover or take down all displayed instructional materials
  • Report all testing incidents
  • Ensure students have access and use required resources for each assessment (scratch paper, headphones etc.)
• Ensure Test Administrators and Proctors have a copy of Site-Specific protocols to refer to. Process for student breaks, end of test activities, reporting a BREACH immediately, reporting a Testing Incident, addressing technical issues etc. 

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Administration Outline

Ensure Student Technology is operable/compatible BEFORE testing is scheduled (not day of).

 

• ADMINISTRATION SCRIPTS (CAT, PT, CAST)
  • USE IN EACH SESSION
  • SCRIPTS REVIEW LOGIN PROCESS ETC.
• Ensure security checks 
• Signs Electronic Devices (inside testing room) / Do No Disturb  (outside all outer doors) 
  • USE IN ALL SESSIONS
• Session Log Form
  • Document and report all testing incidents according to your site protocols.
• Follow site protocols on student breaks, emergencies, technical issues etc. 
• Ensure students are provided & assigned applicable Accessibility Resources/Test Settings BEFORE approving them in ANY session 
  • For Designated Supports/Accomodations, you must select the View (eye icon)  before approving applicable students in EACH session to verify. If they are not assigned appropriate settings, DO NOT APPROVE and report to Site Testing Coordinator. 
  • Failure to do so can result in testing incident and delay students ability to test.
• Ensure students are provided Non-Embedded Universal Tools 

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Quickguide

• How to Start a Test Session Quick guide

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VIDEOS

• Starting and Stopping a Test Session 

• SBAC and CAST Pause Rules and Stopping a Test Session 

• Starting and Stopping a Test Session (8:28)
• Test Security Guidelines  

• Universal tools are available to all students on the basis of student preference and selection.
• Designated supports are available to all students when determined for use by an educator or team of educators (with parent/guardian and student input, as appropriate) or specified in the student's individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan.
• Accommodations must be permitted to all eligible students taking CAASPP and ELPAC tests if specified in the student's IEP or Section 504 plan.
• Unlisted resources are not universal tools, designated supports, or accommodations. Unlisted resources shall be made available if specified in the eligible student's IEP or Section 504 plan and only with approval from the California Department of Education (CDE).

PRACTICE & TRAINING TESTS

Practice & training tests

CAASPP webpage

Students can take a practice or training test at school or at home in a unmonitored environment. Tests can be accessed via Secure browser or regular web-browser. 

It is recommended that Test Administrators practice the log on and approval processes by setting up a test session in the TA Interface and the students use their login credentials to access the session via a Secure Browser in preparation for summative testing. 

The CAA administration is one-on-one using the Directions for Administration (DFA)

Videos

• Using the Online Practice and Training Tests

Resources

• How to Access a Practice or Training Test (Student)

INTERIM ASSESSMENTS 

interim Assessments 

CAASPP webpage

SEE ADMINISTRATION RESOURCES FOR SUPPORT ON ADMINISTRATION

Interim assessments may be administered at any grade level to any student.

They may be administered in a standardized way, which is the same way the Summative is administered, or the Interims may be administered in a non-standardized way, meaning

• students might work on test items with other students, such as in pairs or small groups; or
• the teacher might lead a whole class lesson while displaying an interim assessment item like a stand-alone question, a short response question, or a performance task.

Please ensure the session is setup for the method you intend on administering. 

 

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Interim Assessment Purpose

Interim assessments inform and support teaching and learning in multiple ways. The purpose is to evaluate student knowledge and skills during the year.

Interim assessments can be used flexibly as both assessments for learning and of learning. This means that interim assessments can be administered in a standardized manner, as a formal individual assessment, or in a non standardized manner.

Interim assessments also offer the full range of CAASPP and ELPAC accessibility resources.

Reasons to Use Interim Assessments

Some reasons to use interim assessments include 

• informing progress towards mastery of standards;

• experiencing item types; and

• familiarizing students and teachers with the testing interface and accessibility resources.

With the interim assessments, educators can access item-level information in the California Educator Reporting Systems (CERS).

This includes:

• student responses and correct answers;

• key/distractor analysis; and

• item information such as standard, claim, target, and depth of knowledge.

Interim assessments are used to monitor progress and are also powerful professional-learning tools for educators.

With interim assessment resources, teachers become more familiar with the content being assessed, the item types that students will encounter, and the rubrics or scoring criteria that will be used to evaluate their progress.

 

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Interim security

Interims are not subject to the strict requirements that summative assessments are, i.e. testing signs, student spacing, script use ONLY etc. Student information, as always, is confidential and should be treated as such. 

Interim items and answers can be reviewed whole-class to support student learning and then administered individually to check for understanding. 

Interims are meant to be used as instructional tools. Items/answers can be reviewed whole-class and then administered separately to students to check for understanding etc. 

 

CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CODE SECTION 60642.7(b) PROHIBITS THE USE OF INTEIRM ASSESSMENTS FOR ANY HIGH STAKES PURPOSES SUCH AS COURSE PLACEMENT, IDENTIFICATION AS GIFTED OR TALENTED, OR RECLASIFICATIONS

busd technologY/MATERIALS GUIDE   

Technology resources & secure browsers

caaspp security incidents & appeals guide

Whether intentional or unintentional, failure by staff or students to comply with security and administration rules constitutes a test security incident. 

Our testing goal as District is to “reduce the chances that students testing will be interrupted or delayed were a testing incident to occur.”

Security incidents impact student(s) performance on assessments. 

Appeals are in place in order to allow the student opportunity to complete their assessment.

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BUSD SESSION LOG FORM

Follow site-protocols to document and report any incidents.  

1. Breaches- exposure of secure materials or system risk - MUST REPORT IMMEDIATELY
2. Irregularities- May affect student performance and validity- REPORT BY END OF DAY
3. Impropriety- Low impact- REPORT BY END OF DAY

All staff involved with testing has been trained in security of assessments and has a signed affidavit on file each year.

The official Test Administrator Manual Test Security section contains overall security requirements for testing. 

Test Site Coordinators are to provide their sites with protocols on documenting and reporting security incidents in the CAASPP STAIRS system.