Spring 2021 Student Testing Information
Dear 11th and 12th Grade Parents and Guardians,
We would like to remind you that the spring 2021 administration of the following tests will take place Monday, April 5 - Friday, April 9:
- California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA), Mathematics, and Science
- English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)
This letter provides important information pertaining to the upcoming testing, including guidelines, how to prepare, what students will need in order to be successful, and more. We ask that you please read it carefully.
Students will be able to take their assigned tests remotely. The daily links that students will use to sign in for testing will be sent to students on the last day of Spring Break, Friday, April 2. We will also have a Google Meet room for students who are having trouble accessing the correct links. The link to this room will be sent in the Friday, April 2 communication as well.
Our priority is to keep our students and educators safe by following state, county, and local health and safety requirements associated with the current pandemic. Students will take the tests from the safety of their homes. The test administrator or examiner will connect with each student via computer. To make sure that each student receives the most accurate score, we are providing the following guidelines for student testing:
- Parents/guardians may assist with setting up the technology students will use to enter the test sessions.
- To keep the tests fair for all participants, we ask that parents/guardians and students not talk about the questions on the tests or any testing materials with anyone before, during, or after the tests.
- It is prohibited to record the tests, or to use a camera or other device to take pictures of the test questions or of students taking the tests. This will help to keep the questions confidential.
We need to know that the test is being completed by the student without any help from the parent/guardian. To verify compliance, a web camera and microphone will be used to observe your child while taking the test. The camera is only used to observe your child and their surroundings during the test and will not record the session. The secure browser can be removed from the device once the student has completed state testing.
Please follow all instructions given by the test administrator or examiner in regards to placing the camera where your child and the child’s immediate surroundings can be observed.
If your child cannot use the computer’s camera, microphone, or speaker/headphones during remote testing, you may contact Assistant Principal Courtney Miller at courtney.miller@sgv.csarts.net for an alternative way to administer the test to your child — for example, through an in-person test administration when it can be done safely following state, county, and local health and safety requirements.
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Why is the school moving forward with testing during a pandemic?
CSArts-SGV is a California public school, and is therefore mandated by the State of California to administer these tests. The California Department of Education (CDE) has stated that, as of now, testing will take place this spring. The CDE is in the process of seeking a waiver from the federal government that would allow the State of California to suspend testing, but that waiver has not yet been granted. Unless the CDE receives a waiver from the federal government, we will need to move forward with the planned state testing. We expect to receive more information regarding this waiver from the CDE in the next couple of weeks, and will keep you updated.
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Opt-Out Information
The State of California Education Code Section 60615 allows a parent or guardian to submit a written request to school officials to exclude his or her child from any or all parts of state-mandated assessments. However, please note that our participation in state testing is tracked through the California Dashboard. If we fall below a certain percentage of students tested, our overall academic rating as a school is negatively impacted. Because we are a smaller school in terms of enrollment, each family that opts out of testing has a larger impact on our academic standing. Incoming families, community members, colleges and universities, and the general public use the California Dashboard to gauge the effectiveness of our school programs. To put it in clear perspective, every family that opts out of state testing will have a negative impact on our school’s standing.
Should you wish to opt your child out of state testing, please do the following:
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Email a letter requesting to opt out to Principal William Wallace at william.wallace@sgv.csarts.net. Be sure to include your child’s full name and grade level in the letter.
- Upon receipt of the letter, Dr. Wallace will schedule a meeting with you to discuss the implications of opting out of testing. At the conclusion of that meeting, should you still wish to opt out, Dr. Wallace will make the arrangements.
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If you have general questions or concerns about testing, please reach out to Assistant Principal Courtney Miller at courtney.miller@sgv.csarts.net for more information.
Thank you for helping to ensure that your child is ready for testing. With your support, we can make certain that your child, as well as all students in California, are provided with the best opportunity to succeed and demonstrate what they know.
Sincerely,
CSArts-SGV Administration
Cc: All CSArts-SGV faculty and staff
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