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CAST Interim Assessments

Beth Fox, K-8 Science Coach

Jessica Kempker, ARE Analyst

Sandi Starr, 6-12 Science Coach

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Agenda

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General CAST Info

CAST Interim Assessment (IA) Information

Implementing Interim Assessments (IA)

Accessing the Interim Assessments (IA)

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General CAST Information

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California Science Test (CAST)

Online assessment based on the Next Generation Science Standards from Grades 3-HS.

CAST is administered in grades 5, 8, and 11 (or 12).

CAST is the state’s assessment for measuring what students know and can do in science

What

Who

Why

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CAST Format

The California Science Test (CAST) is an untimed computer-based assessment that consists of six test segments and a student survey. Students take the CAST in grade five (G5), in grade eight (G8), and once in high school (HS)—that is, grade ten, eleven, or twelve. The test is divided into two sections, one with discrete (stand-alone) test items and the other with performance tasks (a group of test items developed for a single science concept or phenomenon). Segments within a section are presented in random order. • Segments 1 and 2 contain discrete test items. • Segment 3 contains either discrete test items or a performance task. • Segments 4, 5, and 6 are performance tasks, with four to six test items included in each. Students will receive at least one performance task from each of the three science domains: Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences.

A review screen at the end of each test segment prompts students to review their answers in that segment. When administering the CAST over multiple sessions, it is recommended that the test be paused at the end of a test segment. The last portion of the CAST is a brief student survey that will assist with improving the test. Students in grades five and eight will be required to answer three questions, and high school students will answer four.

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CAST Question Format

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CAST Reference Materials (link)

Periodic Table

Can be resized and moved within the item
Available in English & Spanish

Reference Sheet

Grade 8 & Grade 11 (HS)

Desmos Calculator

Embedded during the entire test
Available all year for students to build familiarity with the resource
Four function (5th) & Scientific (8 & 11)

Grades 5, 8, 11

Grades 8, 11

Note: Not all formulas are needed. Please do not ‘teach to the reference sheet’, but rather show students how to sift through the extra info to find what they can use.)

Note: Not all formulas are needed. Please do not ‘teach to the reference sheet’, but rather show students how to sift through the extra info to find what they can use.

The reference sheet provides all formulas that a student may need to use in responding to a test item; however, this does not imply that the student will receive a specific item type. The purposes of these reference tools are to signal that students do not need to memorize formula sheets and to ensure that students have equal access to the tools during testing. These reference tools are not meant to guide instruction.

Science Reference Tools

The CAST assessments for grade eight and high school include a periodic table of the elements and a reference sheet of formulas that students may access during online testing as universal tools. The reference sheet provides all formulas that a student may need to use in responding to a test item; however, this does not imply that the student will receive a specific item type. The purposes of these reference tools are to signal that students do not need to memorize formula sheets and to ensure that students have equal access to the tools during testing. These reference tools are not meant to guide instruction.

Refer to the Printing Enlarged Science Reference Tools (PDF) quick start guide if the student requires the science reference tools to be enlarged and printed on 11×17 paper.

Periodic Table

An updated and accessible periodic table of the elements is available for all students on the practice and training tests. This periodic table can be resized and moved within the item and is accessible for a student using JAWS.

A printable CAST periodic table has been provided as a resource intended for classroom use. This printable version closely resembles the online periodic table available in the CAST and can be downloaded and printed to give a student practice using the periodic table in a format similar to the online version. Students are encouraged to practice using both types of periodic table resources throughout the year.

Files that contain a periodic table and reference sheet of formulas—.brf and.prn files—are intended to be printed using a braille embosser.

Periodic Table of the Elements for Grade Eight and High School—English (PDF) (Updated 01/25/22)
Periodic Table of the Elements for Grade Eight and High School—Spanish (PDF) (Posted 12/02/22)
Braille Periodic Table of the Elements for Grade Eight and High School (PRN) (Posted 12/21/18)

Reference Sheet

Grade Eight Reference Sheet (PDF) (Updated 08/04/22)
High School Reference Sheet (PDF) (Updated 08/04/22)
Braille Grade Eight Reference Sheet (BRF) (Posted 12/18/18)
Braille High School Reference Sheet (BRF) (Posted 08/26/22)

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General CAASPP Test Support

Tech Tips of the Week (From Tech Coaches Email 3/9/24)

🚀CAASPP Tools Presentation: As we gear up for the CAASPP testing season, I'm pleased to share with you a targeted presentation that we’ve put together, focusing exclusively on the built-in tools available within the CAASPP testing platform. This resource is crafted to help you familiarize your students with the various functionalities they'll have access to during the test, such as the highlighter ✏️, notepad 📝, and the calculator 🧮(for applicable grade levels), among others. Understanding how to effectively utilize these tools can significantly boost our students' test-taking confidence and efficiency.

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Why Take time to Prepare Students?

Helps students feel more prepared and lowers testing anxiety.

CAST results more likely to reflect science-based knowledge vs. testing their ability to maneuver the testing system.

CAST Scores are now more prominent on the Dashboard (More later…)

For Students

For More Accurate Data

For the Dashboard

Current Dashboard View

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Three Tools to Help Prepare Students for the CAST

Unsecure

Training Test

Test login & platform practice
Grade span content, not grade specific

Practice Test

Grade level content specific sample questions

Secure

Interim Assessments

Standards-based questions
Formative, Scored

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CAST Interim Assessments

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New Since 2024

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Interim Assessments

Optional tests that provide meaningful information to guide instruction and support student learning
Designed to be versatile: they can be administered to students in either a standardized (e.g., benchmark) or non standardized (e.g., formative) manner
Can administer any interim assessment to any student regardless of the student’s enrolled grade level

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Interim Assessments

Non-adaptive (fixed number of items)
1 hand scored question
Available for use anytime during the school year
1 additional version will be available in each grade/content area in each of the next two years.

1 version available in 2023-2024
2 versions available in 2024-2025
3 versions available in 2025-2026

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2024

During the 2023–24 school year, there will be 9 CAST Interim Assessment (CAST IA) forms available, each assessing one or more science domains. The CAST IAs assess three-dimensional Performance Expectations. The Grade 3 CAST IA—I, Grade 4 CAST IA—I, and Grade 5 CAST IA—I assessments will include content in Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The table lists the available CAST IAs by grade level or grade span.

The CAST Interim Assessments in grades three, four, and five will each assess all three science domains. Middle school and high school will each have three interim assessments that assess a single science domain. Each CAST interim assessment will consist of two segments: one discrete segment and one performance task (PT) segment. The PT consists of four to six items, including one constructed response item worth 2 points that must be hand-scored.

The Interim Assessment Blueprints and list of available Science Interims are included here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/171IXuYrhbJ_rrbeBwQcdc0G2TaFgP5eY/view?usp=classroom_web&authuser=0

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A_LvqN6sk3HOkR7x9Ry344lNouEkMABx/view?usp=classroom_web&authuser=0

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https://www.caaspp-elpac.org/assessments/interim/caaspp-and-elpac/interim-assessment-lookup

2025

During the 2023–24 school year, there will be 9 CAST Interim Assessment (CAST IA) forms available, each assessing one or more science domains. The CAST IAs assess three-dimensional Performance Expectations. The Grade 3 CAST IA—I, Grade 4 CAST IA—I, and Grade 5 CAST IA—I assessments will include content in Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The table lists the available CAST IAs by grade level or grade span.

The CAST Interim Assessments in grades three, four, and five will each assess all three science domains. Middle school and high school will each have three interim assessments that assess a single science domain. Each CAST interim assessment will consist of two segments: one discrete segment and one performance task (PT) segment. The PT consists of four to six items, including one constructed response item worth 2 points that must be hand-scored.

The Interim Assessment Blueprints and list of available Science Interims are included here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/171IXuYrhbJ_rrbeBwQcdc0G2TaFgP5eY/view?usp=classroom_web&authuser=0

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A_LvqN6sk3HOkR7x9Ry344lNouEkMABx/view?usp=classroom_web&authuser=0

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During the 2023–24 school year, there will be 9 CAST Interim Assessment (CAST IA) forms available, each assessing one or more science domains. The CAST IAs assess three-dimensional Performance Expectations. The Grade 3 CAST IA—I, Grade 4 CAST IA—I, and Grade 5 CAST IA—I assessments will include content in Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The table lists the available CAST IAs by grade level or grade span.

The CAST Interim Assessments in grades three, four, and five will each assess all three science domains. Middle school and high school will each have three interim assessments that assess a single science domain. Each CAST interim assessment will consist of two segments: one discrete segment and one performance task (PT) segment. The PT consists of four to six items, including one constructed response item worth 2 points that must be hand-scored.

The Interim Assessment Blueprints and list of available Science Interims are included here.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/171IXuYrhbJ_rrbeBwQcdc0G2TaFgP5eY/view?usp=classroom_web&authuser=0

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A_LvqN6sk3HOkR7x9Ry344lNouEkMABx/view?usp=classroom_web&authuser=0

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Middle School - may have to pick and choose form the interim questions that would relate to your standards..

See Option models…

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Accessing CAST Interim Assessments

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Accessing Interim Assessments

https://www.caaspp-elpac.org/
Click “Interim Assessments”
Click Interim Assessment Viewing System
Login

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Login Troubleshooting

Username is your .net district email address
If you haven’t set your password yet THIS school year, click “Request one now” under the First Time User heading.
If you have set your password for THIS school year, click “Forgot Your Password?”

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Explore the Portal

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Implementing CAST Interim Assessments

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CAST Interim Assessments (IA)

A great way to prepare your students for the style of question they will encounter on the CAST
Able to be administered in multiple ways to meet this goal.

Benchmarks
To be used for grading or summative assessment
To be shared outside the classroom (see security slide later)

Are….

Are NOT…

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Optional Implementation Models

3

Administer a standardized IA
Score exam & Review the student results
Go over test questions with class via the Viewing System (could be just a few questions at a time).

Model some of the test questions whole class
Administer non standardized IA
Score exam & Review the student results
Go over test questions with class via the Viewing System

Administer a prior year IA (i.e. 4th grade IA to 5th grade students)
Go over that test questions with class via the Viewing System
Then back to #1 for current year IA.

1

2

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Options

Nonstandardized OR Standardized
Periodic Table

Can be resized and moved within the item

Reference sheet of formulas

Nonstandardized
Used to display questions to students
Perhaps as a class warm-up

Viewing System

TA Interface & Secure Browser

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Security

Keep secure within the classroom
No screenshots, etc.
No sharing in any digital form
No downloading to unsecure Google Drive for others to search

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Hand Scoring

Each CAST Interim Assessment contains one item that must be scored by the teacher.
Teachers may access Training Guides and Exemplars within TOMS. To access these, you will log in to TOMS, click on Resources, then "CAST Interim Assessment Secure Materials". These are SECURE MATERIALS and should not be left out and available to students or other staff members.
All scoring will be completed in the Teacher Hand Scoring System (THSS)

The Teacher Hand Scoring System (THSS) allows educators to score student responses to items that require hand scoring. When students complete an interim assessment, the items that require hand scoring are sent to the THSS, where scorers can view students’ responses to each item and enter scores or mark them with condition codes. Items that require hand scoring must be scored and submitted in the THSS for results to be displayed in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS).

The full directions for using the THSS are also linked below. https://ca-toms-help.ets.org/interim-assessments/thss/using-thss/

Quick Start Instructions to Access the THSS: Navigate to the CAASPP website, select the [Interim Assessments] button, and then select the [Teacher Hand Scoring System] button. Log on by entering the TOMS username and password on the screen and selecting the [Secure Logon] button.Select school.Select test to score.Select item responses to score.Score item responses. Reassign items (optional).Select [Submit Score(s)].

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Results - CERS

CERS - California Educator Reporting System - is where all assessment results are housed.
Interim assessment results as well as CAASPP, CAST, and ELPAC results can all be found here.
Results can be viewed by class, test, or individual student.
You only have access to students rostered to you in Aeries.
There is a sandbox so you can play with the reporting possibilities before giving your first interim.

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California School Dashboard

https://www.caschooldashboard.org/

Lodi USD 2024 Science Scores

2024 Scores

Gray tile
Scores linked

2025 Scores

Color tile
Moved to top as a part of the Ca Accountability System
Participation Counts (require 95% student participation)

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Thanks!

Questions?

Email

bfox@lodiusd.net

jkempker@lodiusd.net

sastarr@lodiusd.net

Science PD Feedback Form

Certificated Regular Timesheet

Your time to explore the CAST Interim resources

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Links

https://www.caaspp.org/administration/about/science/index.html

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Step by step directions:

Steps for submitting a timesheet for district-wide professional development.

Go to the following link: Certificated Regular Timesheet
1^st page: Fill out your name and lodiusd.net email address and click "go to form"
2^nd page: Fill out the information for the boxes that are red. See example and click "Continue"
3^rd page: Select the first button "Submit to Secretary/Administrative Assistant"
4^th page: In the dropdown, select "Curriculum & Instruction (Professional Development) (emlawson@lodiusd.net) and click "send to recipient"
5^th page: You should see "Thank you for submitting your form!" and receive an email confirming your submission

Here is a video: https://youtu.be/i-Vph6Aio2M

This process is a little different for things you do for your school site.

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EXTRA INFO

https://www.caaspp.org/training/hs-math-performance-tasks.html

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/documents/qrginterimstarttest.pdf

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