Later this month, students in Carlsbad Unified School District and across California will be taking the new state exams that you have, no doubt, been hearing about.
Referred to as “Smarter Balanced,” these computer-based assessments set out to measure student knowledge in two core subject areas: English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The exams will be taken by students in Grades 3-8 and 11. The “Smarter Balanced” assessments replace the former paper and pencil California Standards Test (CSTs) that were administered in our schools from 1998 to 2013.
Although the California Board of Education voted to suspend the state’s Academic Performance Index (API) for a second year, these new Smarter Balanced tests will be used to chart academic progress as California’s public school students move through
Last year, CUSD students in grades 3-8 and 11 took field tests to prepare for this new testing format.
Results from the Smarter Balanced Assessments will help tell us how CUSD students are performing in relation to other students around the state and nation. Because exams are taken on a computer, they can be scored more quickly. In turn, teachers and principals can use these results to fine-tune curriculum. Interim assessments can also be used by teachers throughout the year to monitor student progress and identify specific learning needs. This allows parents to receive more timely information about their student’s performance.
One noticeable change with the new state assessment is fewer multiple-choice questions and more short answers and open responses that will require a deeper understanding of key concepts. The computer-based testing will include supports that give students the opportunity to fully demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of the state standards.
The new assessments were created by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, a collaborative, state-led group comprised of educators, researchers, policymakers and community groups. These tests are aligned with the California state standards, which emphasize critical thinking, analytical writing, and real-world problem solving. These are skills students will need to be successful in school, in careers, and in life.
The new assessments are part of a larger plan for ensuring high-quality teaching and learning in every school. The plan also includes higher academic standards, more decision-making in the hands of schools and communities, and more resources dedicated to schools and to students with the greatest needs.
For more information about the assessments, visit http://cusd.ca.schoolloop.com/core or the California Department of Education’s CAASPP website.
