# data[].attributes.body
Email: nveatch@evergreenusd.org
Role: Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Evergreen Union School District; Principal, Bend Elementary School

# data[].attributes.body
Email: mfredericks@jeffersonesd.org
Role: Sixth and seventh grade teacher, Ben Franklin Intermediate School, Jefferson Elementary School District, Daly City, CA

# data[].attributes.body
Email: tsaldana@cde.ca.gov
Role: Education Programs Consultant, California Department of Education

# data[].attributes.headline
2021–22 Tools for Teachers Shared Practices Webinar Series 

# data[].attributes.subject
2021–22 Tools for Teachers Shared Practices Webinar Series 

# data[].attributes.body
2021–22 Webinars:

🌟Supporting English Learners with the Tools for Teachers Website (09-21-21)

🌟Using Interim Assessment Data and Tools for Teachers to Support Instruction (10-05-21)

🌟Making Science Sizzle with the Tools for Teachers Website (11-09-21)

🌟Tools for Teachers and Other Formative Assessment Resources at Your Fingertips (01-25-22)

🌟A Teacher's Best Kept Secret: Interim Assessments and Tools for Teachers (03-01-22)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Past Training Opportunities and Materials

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Training workshops for administration of the CAASPP computer-based summative and interim assessments and the Digital Library.

# data[].attributes.body
See how Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment results appear in the reporting system! This training tool allows educators to become familiar with the features and functions of the California Educator Reporting System without worrying about exposing the security of the items and student information. Explore the CERS Sandbox today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Some Educator Formative Assessment Tools Available

# data[].attributes.headline
Flyer—Tools for Teachers and Other Formative Assessment Online Tools

# data[].attributes.subject
Flyer—Tools for Teachers and Other Formative Assessment Online Tools

# data[].attributes.headline
CDE Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments Web Page 

# data[].attributes.subject
CDE Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments Web Page 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Smarter Balanced assessment system has three components: the summative assessments, designed for accountability purposes; interim assessments, designed to support teaching and learning throughout the year; and Tools for Teachers, designed to support classroom-based formative assessment processes. The Smarter Balanced Assessment Graphic (PDF) displays the relationship between these components, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and college and career readiness.

Pursuant to California Education Code Section 60642.6, interim assessments are available to all local educational agencies (LEAs). The Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics are optional tests that provide meaningful information to guide instruction and support student learning.

There are three types of Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments:

Interim Comprehensive Assessment (ICAs) are built on the same blueprints as the summative assessments. The ICAs include the same item types and formats, including performance tasks, as the summative assessments, and yield results on the same vertical scale. The ICAs yield overall scale scores, overall performance level designations, and claim-level information.

2023-24 Interim Comprehensive Assessments Blueprints:

Interim Comprehensive Assessments Blueprint for ELA (PDF)
Interim Comprehensive Assessments Blueprint for Mathematics (PDF)

Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) focus on smaller sets of targets than ICAs. They are intended to provide educators the ability to check where students are at that moment in time, and use results to determine next steps for instruction.

2023-24 Interim Assessment Blocks Blueprints:

Interim Assessment Blocks Blueprint for ELA (PDF)
Interim Assessment Blocks Blueprint for Mathematics (PDF)

Focused IABs assess no more than three assessment targets to provide educators with an even more detailed understanding of student learning.

2023-24 Focused Interim Assessment Blocks Blueprints:

Focused Interim Assessment Blocks Blueprint for ELA (PDF)
Focused Interim Assessment Blocks Blueprint for Mathematics (PDF)

For further information on the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments, please refer to the related resources, online tools, and frequently asked questions below:

Related Resources

2023-24 Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments Overview (PDF) - This document describes the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments, including their purpose, use, and varieties. For ELA and mathematics, this document provides a list of interim assessments available for the 2023-24 school year.

2023-24 Interim Assessments At-a-Glance (PDF) - This document lists, by grade level, all available interim assessments.

2023-24 Interim Assessments by Grade (PDF) - This document provides a list of all interim assessments available by grade, including the claims and targets, total number of items, and the number of items that are hand scored. This information is intended to assist LEAs in planning for the administration and local hand scoring of the interim assessments.

2023-24 Back to School Assessment Playbook (PDF; 15-Aug-2023) - This document describes how educators can use Smarter Balanced resources, such as Tools for Teachers and interim assessments, to support high-quality instruction using the formative assessment process.

Interim Assessment Fact Sheet (PDF)

Smarter Balanced Training Tests, Practice Tests, and Interim Assessments At-a-Glance (PDF)

Interim Assessment Video Series - This series consists of five video modules intended to help educators effectively use the interim assessment systems and tools that are needed to select, administer, hand score, view and use results from the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments.

Tools for Teachers Interim Connections Playlists Flyer (PDF) - This flyer describes the Tools for Teachers Interim Connections Playlists of instructional resources that can be used to support teaching and learning with the use of Interim Assessment Blocks.

Online Tools

Smarter Content Explorer - This user-friendly web tool combines the information provided in the Smarter Balanced Content and Item Specifications-key resources used in test and item development-into an easy-to-use search interface. This tool can help teachers better understand how test questions are designed to provide evidence of what students know and can do.

Sample Items Website - Explore sample test questions to understand how Smarter Balanced measures college and career ready content.

The California Educator Reporting System (CERS) Sandbox -The California Educator Reporting System Sandbox is a non-secure training and demonstration environment that uses fictitious computer-generated data.

The Smarter Annotated Response Tool (PDF; 20-Nov-2020) -The Smarter Annotated Response Tool helps educators understand how student writing is scored on the Smarter Balanced assessments and supports writing instruction in the classroom. View the Getting Started with SmART video for more information.

Tools for Teachers (Account required for full access) - The formative assessment component of the Smarter Balanced assessment system. This website features educator created lessons, activities, strategies and professional development, with a focus on using the formative assessment process during instruction in the classroom. There are two resources available to anyone on the landing page, but full access to this website requires an account. LEA staff members may get a Tools for Teachers account either through self-registration or through their LEA California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) coordinator. View theSmarter Balanced Tools for Teachers video for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions: California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Office | caaspp@cde.ca.gov | 916-445-8765

Last Reviewed: Friday, September 22, 2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The progress monitoring component of the Smarter Balanced Assessment System.

# data[].attributes.headline
Smarter Balance Interim Assessments Overview

# data[].attributes.subject
Smarter Balance Interim Assessments Overview

# data[].attributes.headline
2021–22 Interim Assessments By Grade Level

# data[].attributes.subject
2021–22 Interim Assessments By Grade Level

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Website with Formative Assessment Resources for Educators

# data[].attributes.body
https://smartertoolsforteachers.org

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Example for Grade 3: Opinion – Islands - ID: 428 | Smarter Annotated Response Tool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you went on a vaction would you go to a cold island or a hot island? I would go to a hot island because you can go swimming all day and it never gets cold. And in hot islands you can see amazing plants and animals. You may get lucky and could see a chimpanze in your backyard! You could go explori…

# data[].attributes.headline
Interim Assessment Item Portal Access Through the Tools for Teachers Website

# data[].attributes.subject
Interim Assessment Item Portal Access Through the Tools for Teachers Website

# data[].attributes.body
https://smartertoolsforteachers.org/landing/items

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Lesson plans Linked to Specific Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) 

# data[].attributes.headline
Interim Assessment Connections Playlists in Tools for Teachers

# data[].attributes.subject
Interim Assessment Connections Playlists in Tools for Teachers

# data[].attributes.body
https://smartertoolsforteachers.org/landing/playlist

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.corestandards.org/Math/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mathematics Standards – Common Core State Standards Initiative

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For more than a decade, research studies of mathematics education in high-performing countries have concluded that mathematics education in the United States must become substantially more focused and coherent in order to improve mathematics achievement in this country. To deliver on this promise, t…