Table of Contents
Content Home
Welcome- Module Orientation
Pre-Assessment- Unit 1: Introduction and Overview
- Unit 2: California State Assessment System
- Standardized Testing and Reporting Program
- New State Assessment System
- Smarter Balanced Assessments
- Computer Adaptive Technology
- A Balanced Assessment System
- Assessment Methods and Item Types
- Smarter Balanced Preliminary Blueprints
- Smarter Balanced Practice Tests
- Supporting All Students in California’s Assessment System
Summary of Unit 2
- Unit 3: Assessment Literacy for Educators
- Purposes and Uses of Assessment
- Assessment Information Usage
- Types of Assessment Information
- Integrated Teaching-Assessment Cycle
- Assessment Literacy at the Classroom Level
- Assessment Literacy Defined
- Assessing Student Learning
- Council of Chief State School Officers
- Attributes of Assessment-literate Teachers
- Summary of Unit 3
- Unit 4: Developing Standards-based Instructional Learning Targets
- Preparing and Planning for Instruction and Assessment
- Planning for Instruction and Assessment
- Assessment Targets
- Developing Instructional Learning Targets
- Summary of Unit 4
- Unit 5: A Balanced Assessment System
- Multiple Levels of Assessment
- Sources of Assessment Data
- Effective, Appropriate Use of Assessments and Assessment Data
- Categorizing Different Types of Assessments
- Summative Assessment: Assessment of Learning
- Formative Assessment Practices and Tools: Assessment for Learning
- Peer Assessment
- Assessment Vignettes
- Summary of Unit 5
- Unit 6: Identifying, Developing, and Implementing Sound, Quality Assessments
- Identifying, Selecting, and Developing Appropriate Classroom Assessments
- Key Concepts in Accurate Measurement: Validity
- Key Concepts in Accurate Measurement: Reliability
- Key Concepts in Accurate Measurement: Fairness
- Assessment Accessibility
- Selecting and Developing Appropriate Classroom Assessments: Assessment Methods
- Developing Better Assessments
- Instructionally Embedded Formative Assessment: Checking for Understanding Strategies
- Checking for Understanding on a Daily Basis
- Using Think-Pair-Share to Check for Understanding
- Summary of Unit 6
- Unit 7: Analyze & Act: Appropriate & Effective Use of Assessment Data
- Assessment Data
- Using Rubrics to Evaluate Student Work
- Involving Students in Using Rubrics
- Analyzing and Interpreting Data: Mining Item-Level Data
- Acting on the Data: Now What, So What?
- Developing Instructional Adjustments and Interventions
- Effective Feedback
- Student Reflection and Goal Setting
- Students’ Use of Data
- Steps for Goal Setting
- Goal Setting from Constructed-Response Assessments
- Helping Students Adjust Their Learning Tactics
- Summary of Unit 7
- Module Summary
Post-Assessment- Certificate of Completion
Glossary- Resources
- Unit 1 Introduction and Overview
- Unit 2 California Assessment System
- Unit 3 Assessment Literacy for Educators
- Unit 4: Developing Standards-Based Instructional Learning Targets
- Unit 5: A Balanced Assessment System
- Unit 6: Identifying, Developing and Implementing Sound, Quality Assessments
- Unit 7: Analyze & Act: Appropriate and Effective Use of Assessment Data
- Module Evaluation
Assessment Accessibility
To ensure that assessments are fair and accessible, it is important to allow all students to show what they know, particularly students with special learning needs such as students with disabilities and English learners.
Increasingly in California classrooms, a Universal Design approach is being used to modify instruction according to IEPs, 504 plans, and language needs. Applying some of these processes and approaches to assessment takes time and practice.
As mentioned in Unit 2, Smarter Balanced uses an approach called Access by Design, which includes an array of universal digital tools and features available to all students. Examples of these tools include: text-to-speech administration of the mathematics test and ELA items, screen magnification, guided line readers, and color options designed to increase contrast and readability. Students with an IEP or 504 plan or other highly specialized needs will have what is specified by their individual plans, such as: keyword translation glossaries, auditory calming, audio captioning, administration in American Sign Language, or braille administration and response formats.
For more information about Universal Design, visit The National Center on Universal Design for Learning:
Assessment Literacy. Brought to you by the California Department of Education and the San Joaquin County Office of Education.
For questions or feedback, please e-mail commoncoreteam@cde.ca.gov.
