Extension of Testing Window Approved & New PD Opportunities
Date: 04/12/2021
Author: Jenn Guerrero
Extension of Testing Window Approved
During the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting on March 17, 2021, the SBE recommended the extension of the statewide testing window to July 30, 2021, for both the CAASPP and ELPAC administrations. This recommendation is now approved, and local educational agencies (LEAs) can plan accordingly.
Student Eligibility Requirements
The following is a list of the criteria for testing students within the extended testing window:
- Students must remain enrolled in the current school and grade in CALPADS.
- Do not exit a student from CALPADS before July 1, 2021 if the student will be testing during this extended window.
- Any student enrolled in the LEA on or after July 1, 2021, will not be eligible to test during the extended testing window.
ELPAC Impacts
Note the following about the extension of the ELPAC testing window:
- No action is needed to extend the Summative ELPAC testing window.
- The Summative ELPAC testing window will be available for all LEAs through July 30, 2021.
- For the 2020-21 Initial ELPAC administration, all responses and scores for a student must be entered into the Teacher Hand Scoring System and Data Entry Interface by June 30, 2021. Failure to do so will result in students not receiving a student score report and having to retake the Initial ELPAC the following year.
- The Initial ELPAC testing window for the 2021‒22 administration year will open on July 6, 2021.
- The Initial ELPAC will not be available to administer from July 1 to July 6, 2021 to allow for the transition to the new school year.
CAASPP Impacts
The following list provides additional information about extending the LEA’s selected CAASPP testing window:
- The CAASPP will be available through July 30, 2021, but the LEA’s selected testing window(s) is not extended automatically.
- LEA CAASPP coordinators must contact CalTAC at least two days prior to the end of the LEA’s selected testing window to take advantage of the opportunity to extend this window.
- To avoid demographic discrepancies in reporting, LEAs should not exit students they plan to test during the extended window from participation in programs such as Special Education and Free and Reduced Lunch before July 1, 2021.
- The 2021‒22 Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments will now launch on August 17, 2021.
Professional Development Opportunities from CalTog
English Learner Roadmap 101 for School Board Members
Open to all School Board members in California
Monday April 19, 2021 | 4:00-5:30 P.M.
This session for School Board Members provides a basic overview of the comprehensive and visionary English Learner Roadmap state policy. It is designed to address the role of local governing bodies in supporting and overseeing planning, resource allocation, and implementation of responsive and effective programs and services for English learners that are aligned with the state policy. What questions should you be asking? What opportunities does this assets-oriented and visionary state policy open up for your schools? How can you ensure your schools are enacting the vision, mission and principles of the EL Roadmap? Sign up and gain answers and tools to focus on the needs of the English learner students in your district. Register here
Supporting ELs Through LCAP Planning: Lessons from Distance Learning and Opportunities to Close Gaps
Tuesday, April 20, 2021 | 4:00-5:30 P.M.
This community of practice will provide an overview of the recommendations for LEA's to consider as they develop their 2021-24 LCAP that can support learning for ELs. These recommendations came from our review of 41 school district Learning Continuity and Attendance Plans. The session will also highlight examples from two districts in California, including strategies for supporting multilingual family engagement in district planning and ELD intervention strategies to help English learners over the next three years. Register here
Powerful Summer and Expanded Learning Opportunities for English Learners
Tuesday, May 4, 2021 | 4:00-5:30 P.M.
Join this Californians Together community of practice webinar to learn and share about engaging and targeted English learner programs, instruction, and curriculum for summer and expanded learning as schools reopen. Register here
