No. 54       Office of the Superintendent

On November 13, 1998, the state board selected the Spanish Assessment of Basic Education, Second Edition, or SABE/2, as the Spanish language standardized test. The SABE/2 is to be administered to all Spanish-speaking English Learners in accordance with regulations established in SB 376. The test was developed by CTB/McGraw Hill.

This circular contains information related to testing information and/or requirements for:

• the California Standards tests in language, mathematics, science, and history/social science to better align the SAT 9 with the state standards,

• testing requirements and exemptions/exceptions for:

- Special Education/504 Plan students,

- English Learners and Spanish-speaking English Learners (Attachment A must be completed and returned by November 3, 2000, even if your school has no Spanish-speaking English Learners),

• parent/guardian requests to opt students out of testing (see Attachment B),

• elective testing of students in Grades 1 and/or 12 (Attachment C to be completed and returned),

• ordering of additional SAT 9 and/or SABE/2 practice tests (Attachment D to be completed and returned), and

• ordering of California Standards tests in mathematics and science (Attachment E to be completed and returned).

All students in Grades 2-11, including English Learners (ELs), must be tested on all reading, language and mathematics subtests of the SAT 9 which has been augmented to more closely link the test to state standards. All California Standards test items in all subject areas will be added to the existing subtests.

• SAT 9: All students, including English Learners, in Grades 2 through 11 must be tested with SAT 9 unless they fall within the exceptions described below.

• SABE/2: All Spanish-speaking English Learner students in Grades 2 through 11 must be tested unless they fall within the exceptions described below.

• Special Education: Federal law (IDEA ‘97) requires students with exceptional needs to participate in state assessments or, if an IEP team determines a student is unable to participate in the state assessment, requires that another standardized assessment be given. State law (SB 376/EC§60640(b)) requires all students to be assessed, with the single exception of students with special needs whose IEP has an explicit provision exempting them from the testing requirement per EC§ 60640 (e). The great majority of students with exceptional needs will participate in the STAR Program, including those with Resource Specialist support, DIS (Designated Instruction and Services) and those in Special Day Classes.

• Students with an Individual Services Plan/ISP (504 Plan): Students with an ISP are required to participate in state assessments unless otherwise specified in their ISP. With few exceptions, students with an ISP will participate in the STAR Program.

> Students served by the Program for Visually Impaired who require large print or Braille versions will be provided with the appropriate SAT 9 materials. Materials for these students will be ordered by the district based on school and grade level information provided by program staff.

> Students NOT SERVED by the Program for Visually Impaired but whose IEP/ISP requires large print test materials will be provided with the large print version. It is the responsibility of each school site to assess the need for such materials and to contact Shirley Sawyer at (619) 725-7060 by November 3, 2000, to submit an order.

• English Learner (EL) Students: All EL students are required to take the SAT 9. In addition, many Spanish-speaking EL students must also be tested with SABE/2 as described below.

Enter on Attachment A the number (by grade) of EL students in the Biliteracy Program who have been enrolled in a California school for 12 months or more.

> Determine if additional teacher manuals are needed and indicate the "# Teacher Manuals Needed" at each grade level.

(Attachment A must be completed and returned by November 3, 2000, even if your school has no Spanish-speaking English Learners),

- All other Spanish-speaking EL students are not required to be tested with SABE/2.

• Students in Other Special Programs: Students enrolled in continuation schools, independent study, hospital instruction, home schooling, and/or community day school must be tested by a credentialed staff member unless covered by the Special Education/504 Plan exemptions outlined above or opted out of testing by parent/guardian request described below.

• Students Opted Out of Testing by Parent/Guardian Request: A parent or guardian may submit to the school a written request (Attachment B) to excuse his/her child from any or all parts of SAT 9 or SABE/2 or other tests coordinated at the district level.

The original form should be kept on file at the site and appropriate teachers notified. A copy of the form should be given to the parent/guardian. (Note: Attachment B is to be used only in the event of a parent/guardian request. It is not to be mailed to all parents.)

Principals will be asked to certify the number of students "opted out of testing by parent(s)" on SAT 9 and SABE/2 on the Certification Form sent to schools with their testing materials.

• Elective Testing: Testing of students enrolled in Grades 1 and 12 is not required for any school. However, schools may elect to test students in these grades. Costs for elective testing (including materials, scanning, scoring, and reporting) are the school’s responsibility. The Testing Unit will order elective testing materials along with its districtwide order.

Schools wishing to order materials for elective testing of students in Grades 1 and/or 12 must complete and return Attachment C by November 3, 2000. The following are included in the scoring/scanning/reporting package costs listed on the attachment.

- SAT 9: Includes basic scanning/scoring charges and the Package A reports listed below.

> Student Report with Content Clusters

> Group Report with Content Clusters

> Student Record Label

> Administrator’s Data Summary

> Master List of Test Results

> Master List Summary

- SABE/2: Includes basic scanning/scoring charges and the three reports listed below.

> Home Report (Spanish) - Not available in English

> Student Profile Report

> Class Record Sheet

• Discretionary Testing: Students who are exempt from testing under SB 376 regulations may be tested at the discretion of the parents or the school (with parent approval). Costs for discretionary testing (including materials, scanning, scoring, and reporting) are the school's responsibility. Schools needing materials for discretionary testing must contact Shirley Sawyer at (619) 725-7060 by November 3, 2000. Scoring, scanning, and reporting costs may be slightly less than those found on Attachment C. Cost of materials will be computed at the time orders are placed.

Under the STAR Program, practice materials for SAT 9 are only provided for students in Grades 2, 3, and 4. Practice materials for SABE/2 are provided for all grade levels tested.

• SAT 9: In 1998, the district provided schools (at no cost) with Grades 5 through 11 practice materials on a 1-for-2 basis. Schools were to use the practice materials on a non-consumable basis and were provided half-sheet answer forms and a blackline answer form master. Schools should use those materials for spring 2001 testing.

California Standards tests in mathematics and science at Grades 8, 9, and 10 are "content-specific" and printed in separate booklets. Students who are enrolled at the time of the STAR testing interval in one of the courses assessed by the corresponding California Standards test will take the appropriate California Standards test in mathematics and science. If a student completed one of the courses during summer school and is not enrolled at the time of the STAR testing interval in one of the courses assessed by the corresponding California Standards test, he/she would take the appropriate California Standards test for the course they completed in summer school.