Related Resources

Documents

• Interim Assessment Overview: This document describes the Smarter Balanced interim assessments, including their purpose, type, and use.
• Creating an Answer Key Document Using the Interim Assessment Item Portal (IAIP): Use the Interim Assessment Item Portal (IAIP) to create your own customized Answer Key documents for any interim tests and/or items!  
• Construct Relevant Vocabulary for ELA: “Construct relevant vocabulary” refers to any English language arts term that students should know because it is essential to the construct of English language arts. As such, these terms should be part of instruction.
• Construct Relevant Vocabulary for Math: “Construct relevant vocabulary” refers to any mathematics term that students should know because it is essential to the construct of the content area. As such, these terms should be part of instruction.
• NGSS Item Specifications: These documents present assessment item specifications for use with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for Grades 5, 8, and 11. These standards are based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education. The present documents are not intended to replace the standards, but rather to present guidelines for the development of items and item clusters used to measure those standards.
• Information/Resources to Help Increase Understanding of the Smarter Balanced Assessment System
• Types and Purposes of Student Assessment in Education
• Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Blueprints
• The Relationship between Student Participation on the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Blocks and Student Growth on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment: Phase 1 of this study explored the relationship between ‘sustained participation’ in the IABs and growth on the Smarter Balanced vertical scale score on the end-of-grade summative assessment from 2017-18 to 2018-19. ‘Sustained participation’ is defined as a student who participates in at least four different IABs in a subject area during the school year. This report illustrates that in both ELA and math, in all grades, and regardless of the performance level or socioeconomic status of the student, those who take four or more different IABs during the year generally demonstrate substantially greater mean scale score gain than those taking fewer or no IABs.
• The Relationship between Student Participation on the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment Blocks and Student Growth on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment: Phase 2

Text Complexity

• This Text Complexity Presentation (PDF) provides an explanation of how to determine text complexity levels for informational and literary texts as defined by the Connecticut Core Standards.
• The Reader and Task Guiding Questions will support educators when considering the use of a specific text with their students. These questions are meant to stimulate ideas about and reflection on the text, students, and any tasks associated with a piece of writing.
• The Informational and Literary Text Rubricsare designed to support teachers in developing a common language to describe and discuss texts, and allow educators to easily evaluate important elements of a text that are not considered by readability formulas.
• The Text Complexity Placematis a useful tool for educators to document the aspects of the text and the final determination of difficulty levels based on the rubric.
• The Appendix A - Common Core State Standardsdocument focuses on text complexity, explaining its relevance through the presentation of research stressing the importance of reading grade-appropriate complex text.  The second part of Appendix A explains, in detail, how to measure the complexity of a text with the introduction of a three-part model. The text complexity rubrics and placemat presented to Connecticut educators in the links in this section were built based on this model.  To address new research in the field, an addendum to Appendix A was later published: Supplemental Information for Appendix A: New Research on Text Complexity.  

Web Pages    

• CT Comprehensive Assessment Portal/Resources: This site contains information about Connecticut’s Comprehensive Assessment Program and resources aligned to the assessments.
• Smarter Balanced Content Explorer/Test Development and Design Documents: This page provides materials used in the process of developing the Smarter Balanced Assessment System.
• Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers: Tools for Teachers is a searchable, interactive online collection of instructional and professional learning resources developed by educators for educators. Resources include Playlists that address progression in skills or understanding for a topic. It requires access to login.
  • Interim Assessment Item Portal: a feature of Tools for Teachers that allows educators with access to the interim assessments to view or print the interim items for in-class activities.
• Science Standards and Resources Home Page
• Pop Up PD: Short, focused professional development sessions on topics requested by educators.
• CT Learning Hub: The CT Learning Hub provides universal access to curated tools and resources anytime, anywhere and puts resources in the hands of CT families, students and educators. The Hub is a free and interactive web page of digital resources to support online and offline learning.
• CT Core Standards: The Connecticut Core Standards provide teachers, students, and families with clear expectations of what a student should know and be able to do at each grade level. The standards focus on English Language Arts, Mathematics as well as literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects in Grades 6-12. 
  • Materials for Teachers: Instructional materials to support educators across content areas.
  • Connecting the Claims to Classroom Instruction: This presentation will engage you in activities to better understand what students need to know and be able to do to demonstrate mastery of the standards. Through this exploration, teachers will also understand how classroom instruction can support student learning.

Videos These brief videos were created by the CSDE to support educators in their understanding of the interim assessments, and in the integration of interim assessments into their curricula.

• Smarter Balanced and NGSS Interim Assessments Overview (PDF)
• Smarter Balanced and NGSS Interim Scoring and Reporting (PDF)
• Integrating Smarter Balanced and NGSS Interim Assessments into Practice (PDF)

Three new videos that provide information about Interim Connections Playlists and the Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile. These videos can be used in trainings and conference presentations and may be shared with colleagues.  Tools for Teachers (login required):  

• Using Interim Connections Playlists 

Smarter Balanced videos that explain various components of the assessment system.

• Understanding the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment
• Understanding the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments
• Understanding the Formative Assessment Process
• Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers
• Smarter Balanced Content Explorer

The Centralized Reporting System Video Series: This video series overviews key components of the Cambium Assessment Inc. reporting tool.