California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress

Last updated

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), known until February 2014 as the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP), measures the performance of students undergoing primary and secondary education in California. In October 2013, it replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program.

Contents

Components

CAASPP includes four components:

The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments cover English language arts (ELA) and mathematics for third grade through eighth grade in addition to eleventh grade. CAA tests are the equivalent of Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for "students with the most significant cognitive disabilities" who are therefore unable to take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments.

CAST tests are the state's science tests that are to be taken in fifth grade, eighth grade, and once in high school (tenth, eleventh, or twelfth grade). The CAAs for Science are the equivalent of the CASTs for "students with the most significant cognitive disabilities" who are therefore unable to take the CASTs.

CSA tests are optional Spanish tests that can be taken from third grade through twelfth grade by "students who are seeking a measure to recognize their Spanish-specific reading, writing mechanics, and listening skills"; students do not have to be enrolled in any Spanish course to take the CSAs. [1]

Operation

Each spring, California students in grades 2 through 11 must take a series of tests that comprise the state's STAR program. These must be completed 10 days before or after 85% of a school's year has passed. The California Standards Tests (CSTs) are designed to match the state's academic content standards for each grade. Grades 2 through 8 tests cover mathematics and English/language arts (which includes writing in grades 4 and 7). Grades 9 through 11 cover English/language arts, mathematics, and science. History-social science tests are added for grades 8, 10 and 11 as well as science for grades 5 and 8. Except for writing, all questions are multiple-choice.

The California Achievement Test, Sixth Edition (CAT/6), shows how well students are doing compared to students nationally in reading, language, spelling, and mathematics in grades 3 and 7 only. [2]

California's school accountability system was originally based solely on scores from the CAT/6. Through the Academic Performance Index (API), the scores drove the allocation of millions of dollars in intervention and award programs, depending on the health of the state’s budget. (The state has not funded award or intervention programs based on 2002 or 2003 test scores.)

APIs now include results primarily from the California Standards Tests plus CAT/6. Results from the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), taken by 10th graders in the 2001-02 school year, are part of high school APIs. English/language arts scores count for 10% and math for 5%.

The Golden State Exams provide an opportunity for graduating students to earn a distinction of merit on their high school diploma. To save testing time, these examinations will be combined with the high school California Standards Tests.

History

Background

The STAR Program was the cornerstone of the California Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999 (PSAA). The primary objective of the PSAA is to help schools improve the academic achievement of all students.

From the 1970s, California students took the same statewide test, called the California Assessment Program (CAP). Many districts required additional tests, such as CTBS (California Test of Basic Skills) during that time. In 1990, CAP was replaced by CLAS (California Learning Assessment System), which was discontinued in 1994 because of controversy over portions of the test. Each school district continued to use their own tests known as the High School Competency Exams which had been established as a high school graduation requirement pursuant to California law in 1978. Although not statewide tests, the High School Competency Exams had to conform to state prescribed rules of content and reporting. These tests filled school accountability requirements until the STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting) program began in 1998. Under this program almost all students in grades 2 through 11 took the California Standards Test that reflect the state's academic content standards and a standardized test every year. Each school must report individual students' scores to their parents, and group results were released in mid-August.

Development

The legislature reauthorized the STAR Program during 2002, and the SBE selected the California Achievement Tests, Sixth Edition Survey (CAT/6 Survey) to replace the Stanford 9 as the national norm-referenced test for the STAR Program beginning with the spring 2003 test administration. [3] The SBE also authorized the development of the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA), an individually administered assessment for students with significant cognitive disabilities whose disabilities precluded them from taking the CSTs and CAT/6 Survey even with modifications. The CAPA assessed the California ELA, mathematics, and science content standards that were identified as appropriate for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The CAPA was first administered during spring 2003. [3]

In August 2004, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation reauthorizing the STAR Program through 2011. [3] The reauthorized program reduced the CAT/6 Survey to grades three and seven. [3]

During 2005, the SBE designated the Aprenda: La prueba de logros en español, Tercera edición (Aprenda 3) to replace the SABE/2 as the designated primary language test (DPLT) for the STAR Program. [3] The Standards-based Tests in Spanish (STS) were developed to replace the DPLT and are required for the same population of students who took the DPLT. [3] Those tests were first administered in the spring of 2007 to students in grades two through four, and beginning in 2009, the STS was available for students in grades two through eleven. [3] Students taking the STS are also required to take the CSTs and/or the California Modified Assessment (CMA). [3]

In April 2007, the U.S. Department of Education enacted regulations for an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards, and in response to the federal regulations the CDE has developed the California Modified Assessment (CMA), an alternate assessment of the California content standards based on modified achievement standards for children with an individualized education program (IEP) who meet the eligibility criteria adopted by the State Board of Education. [3] The CMA includes assessments for ELA, mathematics, and science. [3] Eligible students may take either the CST or the CMA in a subject area; for example, a student in grade five may take the CST for ELA and take the CMA for mathematics and science. [3] The CMA was first administered in the spring of 2008 to students in grades three through five. [3] Beginning in 2011, the CMA was available to students in grades three through eleven. [3]

Replacement with CAASPP

In March 2013 it was announced that the STAR testing system was set to expire in July 2014, and California would replace STAR tests with more in-depth exams in two years in 2015. [4] [5] These new exams would follow the new Common Core State Standards and have requirements for in-depth essays and projects that students will complete on computers. [4] [6]

AB 484, introduced on September 4, 2013 in the state Legislature, would end the use of STAR tests in math and English for the school year already under way – a year earlier than planned, and introduce the Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP) tests, a new test aligned to the National Governors Association and College Board's Common Core Initiative. [7] [8] [9] [10] The bill ended up being overwhelmingly endorsed by the Senate and was expected to pass the assembly. [7] It was passed on September 11, 2013 and signed by the Governor on October 2, 2013. [11]

The MAPP was renamed as the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) in emergency regulations effective on February 3, 2014 because "a private company has informed the CDE that it believes the name MAPP may confuse members of the public with evaluation services that they offer." [12] [13] The regulations are in California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 5, Division 1, Chapter 2, Subchapter 3.75 (5 CCR § 850 et seq.). [13] [14]

See also

Related Research Articles

Educational assessment or educational evaluation is the systematic process of documenting and using empirical data on the knowledge, skill, attitudes, aptitude and beliefs to refine programs and improve student learning. Assessment data can be obtained from directly examining student work to assess the achievement of learning outcomes or can be based on data from which one can make inferences about learning. Assessment is often used interchangeably with test, but not limited to tests. Assessment can focus on the individual learner, the learning community, a course, an academic program, the institution, or the educational system as a whole. The word "assessment" came into use in an educational context after the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test</span> Standardized test formerly used in public schools in Florida

The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or the FCAT/FCAT 2.0, was the standardized test used in the primary and secondary public schools of Florida. First administered statewide in 1998, it replaced the State Student Assessment Test (SSAT) and the High School Competency Test (HSCT). As of the 2014-2015 school year FCAT was replaced in the state of Florida. The Florida Department of Education later implemented the Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) for English Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics and a Writing or typing test. A Comprehensive science test is still used for grades 5 and 8.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills</span> Former Texas state standardized test

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was the fourth Texas state standardized test previously used in grade 3-8 and grade 9-11 to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies skills required under Texas education standards. It is developed and scored by Pearson Educational Measurement with close supervision by the Texas Education Agency. Though created before the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, it complied with the law. It replaced the previous test, called the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), in 2002.

In New York State, Regents Examinations are statewide standardized examinations in core high school subjects. Students are required to pass these exams to earn a Regents Diploma. To graduate, students are required to have earned appropriate credits in a number of specific subjects by passing year-long or half-year courses, after which they must pass at least five examinations. For higher-achieving students, a Regents with Advanced designation and an Honors designation are also offered. There are also local diploma options.

The Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment system, commonly abbreviated as MCAS, is Massachusetts's statewide standards-based assessment program developed in 1993 in response to the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of the same year. State and federal law mandates that all students who are enrolled in the tested grades and who are educated with Massachusetts public funds participate in MCAS testing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Assessment of Educational Progress</span> Assessment

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what U.S. students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is a congressionally mandated project administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the United States Department of Education. The first national administration of NAEP occurred in 1969. The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) is an independent, bipartisan board that sets policy for NAEP and is responsible for developing the framework and test specifications.The National Assessment Governing Board, whose members are appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Education, includes governors, state legislators, local and state school officials, educators, business representatives, and members of the general public. Congress created the 26-member Governing Board in 1988.

The California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) was an examination created by the California Department of Education, that was previously mandated to administer in high schools statewide in order to graduate. The examination was suspended in 2015, when Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill undoing the decade old requirement. It was originally created by the California Department of Education to improve the academic performance of California high school students, and especially of high school graduates, in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. In addition to other graduation requirements, public school students needed to pass the exam before they could receive a high school diploma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Education Department</span> Department of the New York state government

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is the department of the New York state government responsible for the supervision for all public schools in New York and all standardized testing, as well as the production and administration of state tests and Regents Examinations. In addition, the State Education Department oversees higher education, cultural institutions such as museums and libraries, vocational rehabilitation, and the licensing of numerous professions. It is headed by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York (USNY) and administered by the Commissioner of Education.

Education reform in the United States since the 1980s has been largely driven by the setting of academic standards for what students should know and be able to do. These standards can then be used to guide all other system components. The SBE reform movement calls for clear, measurable standards for all school students. Rather than norm-referenced rankings, a standards-based system measures each student against the concrete standard. Curriculum, assessments, and professional development are aligned to the standards.

Sandra Stotsky is Professor emerita in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas, and held the 21st Century Chair in Teacher Quality. Her research ranges from teacher licensure tests, e.g., (1), coherence in the literature and reading curriculum, e.g., (2), and academic achievement in single-sex classrooms, e.g., (3) to critiques of Common Core’s standards in English language arts, e.g., (4) mathematics.(5), and US History and civic education (6), and other aspects of the Common Core project, e.g., (7), and to reviews of books in education, e.g., (8) She is an advocate of standards-based reform and strong academic standards and assessments for students and teachers.

The Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is a standardized test administered in public schools in the state of Pennsylvania. Students in grades 3-8 are assessed in English language arts skills and mathematics. Students in grades 4 and 8 are also assessed in skills relating to natural science, including the field of data interpretation and analysis. Since 2013, high school students have taken the Keystone Exam in place of the PSSA for their standardized testing. The PSSA's were made by a company in New Jersey. The PSSA is written, owned and administered by Pearson Education. There are reporting categories for each subject which list eligible content to be tested in each grade. Assessment Anchors specify what is considered eligible content for each grade level tested. A Proficient or Advanced level is needed to be able to qualify as passing the PSSA.

The Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) were a set of tests administered at public schools in the state of Georgia that are designed to test the knowledge of first through eighth graders in reading, English/language arts (ELA), and mathematics, and third through eighth graders additionally in science and social studies.

The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) is a state agency in Rhode Island that oversees the elementary and secondary education system from pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is headquartered in Providence. RIDE works closely with the Rhode Island Office of the Postsecondary Commissioner (RIOPC), the agency charged with overseeing higher education. Together, RIDE and RIOPC aim to provide an aligned, cohesive, and comprehensive education for all students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation</span> Education system in India

Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) was a process of assessment, mandated by the Right to Education Act, of India in 2009. This approach to assessment was introduced by state governments in India, as well as by the Central Board of Secondary Education in India, for students of sixth to tenth grades and twelfth in some schools. It was intended to provide students with practice from a young age for the board exams. In 2017, the CCE system was cancelled for students appearing in the Class 10 Board Exam for 2017-18, bringing back compulsory Annual Board Exam and removing the Formative and Summative Assessments under the Remodeled Assessment Pattern.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative, also known as simply Common Core, was a multi-state educational initiative begun in 2010 with the goal of increasing consistency across state standards, or what K–12 students throughout the United States should know in English language arts and mathematics at the conclusion of each school grade. The initiative was sponsored by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) is a consortium featuring two states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Educational Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education, that work to create and deploy a standard set of K–12 assessments in Mathematics and English, based on the Common Core State Standards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exam</span> Educational assessment

An examination or test is an educational assessment intended to measure a test-taker's knowledge, skill, aptitude, physical fitness, or classification in many other topics. A test may be administered verbally, on paper, on a computer, or in a predetermined area that requires a test taker to demonstrate or perform a set of skills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness</span> Series of standardized tests taken by Texas primary and secondary school students

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, commonly referred to as its acronym STAAR, is a series of standardized tests used in Texas public primary and secondary schools to assess a student's achievements and knowledge learned in the grade level. It tests curriculum taught from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which in turn is taught by public schools. The test used to be developed by Pearson Education every school year, although the most recent contract gave Educational Testing Service a role in creating some of the tests, under the close supervision of the Texas Education Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy</span> Art school in Los Angeles, California

East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy (ELARA) Renaissance; officially East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy at Esteban E. Torres High School No. 2, unofficially East Los Angeles Renaissance Academy, School of Urban Planning and Public Policy, is a small public, coeducational, pilot secondary school of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) located in East Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2010 as an attempt to relieve student overcrowding at James A. Garfield High School, ELARA is one of five small schools established on the Esteban E. Torres High School campus, alongside East Los Angeles Performing Arts Magnet, Humanitas Academy of Arts and Technology (HAAT), Social Justice Leadership Academy (SJLA), and Engineering and Technology Academy (ETA).

A high school diploma is a diploma awarded upon graduation of high school. A high school diploma is awarded after completion of courses of studies lasting four years, typically from grade 9 to grade 12. It is the school leaving qualification in the United States and Canada.

References

  1. ↑ "CAASPP Description - CalEdFacts (CA Dept of Education)". www.cde.ca.gov. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
  2. ↑ "CAT-6 and CST". Travis Unified School District. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "About STAR: Program Background - 2012 STAR Test Results". California Department of Education . Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  4. 1 2 Harrington, Theresa (9 January 2013). "California to replace STAR tests with more in-depth exams in two years". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  5. ↑ "California STAR testing system set to expire July 2014, new education standards and testing expected". 23ABC News. Scripps Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 2 May 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Mills, David. "New Testing Unveiled for California Schools Would Reduce STAR Testing". Culver City Patch. Patch. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  7. 1 2 Noguchi, Sharon (10 September 2013). "California schools could lose federal funding over STAR test suspension". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  8. ↑ Gutierrez, Melody (5 September 2013). "Bill would cancel STAR testing in math, English this year in California's schools". Sacramento Bee. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Mosbacher, Jack (20 September 2013). "Common Core: California can't afford to forgo test data". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "AB-484 Pupil assessments: Measurement of Academic Performance and Progress (MAPP)". California Legislative Information. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  11. ↑ "Legislature Approves AB 484". California Department of Education. September 11, 2013.
  12. ↑ "SBAC E-mail Update Issue 72". California Department of Education. January 13, 2014.
  13. 1 2 "CAASPP Regulations". California Department of Education.
  14. ↑ California Regulatory Notice Register 2014, No. 5-Z (January 31, 2014)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.