JANUARY COMPILATION

 

ES SPECIFIC INFO

An Es asked if it would be possible to see create a view of the learning records by category (Language Arts, Life Skills, Etc.) rather than by student.  This would make it easier to check that all necessary PLIPs and HQTs are noted correctly without having to look at every student separately. This request will be sent to IT for consideration.

 

An ES said she tried to print the “yearly standards met” in the learning records but filemaker reverts back to the monthly standards for printing.  She thought it would be good at mid-year to be able to print which standards had been checked so she could share that information with her parents and keep a copy for her records. This request will be sent to IT for consideration.

 

EDUCATIONAL INFO

 

If we have a student that has signed up for AESS, can we have enough AESS forms to supply us for the remainder of the year at the all ES meeting in February. Some of the ESs are not near a learning center. Yes

 

Could the standards be handed out during the centralized intake meeting?  They are given to each family.

 

Are ALL PE classes now only allowed to be 30% or less?  Can there be more than one PE class, each at 30%, or is it total?

At this time, it is no more than 30% spent on a general PE course, and no more than 30% spent on any other restricted course listed on the Restricted Course list. It is not 30% total overall on PE courses.

 

There was a controversy about a course name for CAHSEE prep classes for English.  Some thought there was a course called CA ELA Standards.  Others say they cannot find it. It is found under Special Interests on the Report Card. If a student still needs credits for English, the credits should be called an appropriate English course title.

 

Are the good folks at Intake stressing that the families need to be using grade-level appropriate materials?  Some of the new families are not using grade level materials and are surprised when told they need to. They are told, but sometimes with so much information to process, they need to be retold when meeting with their ES for the first time.

 

Writing Prompts- High school students are continuing to write the benchmark essays on the computer.  Carlyn Carella said Lisa Compton had checked with Sherri Nelson at her Angel’s Camp meeting last month about this.  Carlyn reported that Sherri had said the prompt didn’t have to be rewritten if it was typed but that the ES should just encourage the student to hand write it next time.  Does this apply to essays that are to be included in portfolios? Yes, but please collect any further samples as handwritten items.

 

SUGGESTION for insertion in Jan. Compilation--- Inform ES’s that Debbie Kutz would be the HQT to sign if they use the newly approved college tutors.

 

About ½ of the ES’s at the meeting expressed a concern with the processing of New Vendors, who had filled out their portion of paperwork, but were still sitting in the “prospective” status- after several months.  Some parents are frustrated as they are trying to obtain more service vendors in their area.  This concern has been forwarded to administration.

 

Do parents have to register for the workshop in February?  No.

 

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS

 

On EOC drop-down list for History there is no option for US History.  What if your student is taking US History? Only World History is an option for grades 9-11 as an End of Course test. Only 11th graders will have US History included in their regular test booklet. 11th graders can take both if they have been studying both World and US History.

 

Please make sure the STAR test dates in March for Livermore are stressed as the main dates for testing in the letter from the school.  In some paperwork it says “March OR April” with no mention of April being make-ups, and the ESs are afraid that the parents will opt for the later and shorter test dates in April for which we have very little coverage.

Assessment will be sure to emphasize the main testing dates and the remaining two as emergency makeups only.

 

How do we know if Assessment receives the notes we leave in the “concerns” box on the Webfiles screen?  Is there a way for them to communicate to us that our concerns have been addressed? Assessment answered: The ES is supposed to select "I have a concern" from the drop down list of choices on the Student Detail screen in answer to the question "Will student attend STAR testing? A search is done using this criterion to find the concerns. After we have resolved the concern, we change the selected answer from the drop down list to "Yes, concern has been addressed"

 

Can test prep materials be used as samples in the portfolio? Yes

 

If a student is taking math as an elective, should they take an EOC math STAR test?

EOC, elective or not, the more students that take the EOC tests the better as it helps the school's scores.

 

Do ES's get extra pay for doing extra testing or do they get extra mileage?

When assessment makes arrangements with ES's to work beyond their required duties, they are paid $30 per hour. There is no extra $ for mileage.

 

Are we going to have a summer CAHSEE test offered? Assessment is still considering this question.

 

When are letters for the STAR test sent out to parents to let them know the dates and times of the  STAR test for their children? February 5th.

 

There is a sense that the assessment calendars for the parents are confusing, especially for Manteca.  Can we get a calendar that says something like: “All students testing at the Ceres Seventh Day Adventist Church should come on this date at this time” by grade level? This has been forwarded to Assessment and they are working on new ideas.

 

Can there be a packet of information for each test site for parents that includes a map, directions, dates and times of testing, etc…If it could all be compiled on one page per test site, that would be GREAT! The STAR letter covers the dates, times, behavior policy, and testing suggestions. The map/directions is online as it is interactive depending on where the student is coming from but we could include a general area map of the test site in with the star letter.

 

Can we list STAR make-up dates later?  All of the dates seem to get overwhelming/confusing for parents.   Do we want to encourage most families to attend the initial test dates if at all possible.  Can we only give the make-up date option to those who absolutely need it or to those who miss the first appointment? Their star letter only gives the main test dates, the make up dates are just for those absolutely needing it and this will be stated in their STAR letter

 

Next year, can the STAR test dates/sites be ready by December? Assessment will not be able to have all of them as certain places such as the library will not book rooms that far out.

 

If a family has agreed to take the STAR test and do not show up to testing can they then take the 5-day test in Waterford or do they need to state up front that that is the test they will take? They must state upfront when they sign the Assessment Confirmation form. If you have any concerns prior to the STAR exam, please make note on the Assessment page in WEBfiles and state the specific concern.

 

Scantron- ES are still getting complaints from parents that the Scantron retest is too early in the year.  A parent had purposely taken the first test on the last possible date so her child would have a better chance at doing well.  Now she is frustrated that her child has to take the second test so soon.  Other comments from ESs about the early Scantron retakes included: “It would be better to do that at the end of the year, after STAR”, “They don’t show much growth when so close together”, “It is barely half way through the year”, “Parents can better learn where their students have gaps by using test prep materials, which are required anyway”. Please remind the parents that we want to use Scantron in the most effective way in order to prepare their students for the STAR exam. This timeline is the best choice with this goal in mind.