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
Smarter Balanced Practice Tests
The release of Smarter Balanced Practice Tests followed a large-scale tryout of items and performance tasks through pilot testing in the spring of 2013. The practice tests contain sample questions that are aligned to the CCSS for ELA and mathematics in grades 3–8 and 11. Although the practice tests will not be computer adaptive, they will allow teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders to experience some of the features of online testing and to get a beginning understanding of how Smarter Balanced will assess students’ mastery of the CCSS (SBAC 2013).
For additional information, including limitations of the practice tests, visit SBAC’s Practice and Pilot Tests Web page.
For additional information on the practice tests, visit the following Web page:
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.

