[BHS Etree] ADMIN: JUNIORS - Message to BHS Parents/Guardians re: SBA Testing

[BHS Etree]

PLEASE do not reply to this email, contact Felicia Phillips feliciaphillips at berkeley.net<mailto:feliciaphillips at berkeley.net>

Dear BHS Parents and Guardians:

Berkeley High School 11th graders will soon take the annual state test known as the Smarter Balanced Assessments, or SBA. This is the second year that 11th grade students throughout California will take the SBA, which are computer-based tests that measure student knowledge of California's new Common Core English and Mathematics standards.

One of the best features of the SBA is the way the technology is able to adapt the level of difficulty based on student answers, which allows for a more precise measurement of student achievement. The tests also tend to be shorter, since the "computer-adaptive" approach requires fewer questions than the traditional paper-based standardized test. The SBA also includes performance tasks that challenge students to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving, and to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems.

The window for SBA testing is Thursday, May 19 through Friday, June 3. The tests will take place during regular class hours, over an eight-day period. Students will test for only one class period per day. If students are absent on one or more testing days, we will make arrangements for them to makeup the section(s) they missed.

There are some strong incentives for students to do their best on the SBA. For starters, all students will receive a personal copy of their SBA results<http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/documents/caaspp16ssrguide11.pdf>, as will their BHS counselors. Knowing their English and math achievement levels at the end of the 11th grade gives students the opportunity to use their senior year to improve skills and to adjust course schedules if necessary.

Another significant benefit is for students who might enroll at a campus in the California State University system, or any college in the California Community College system. If they do well on the SBA they will be exempt from taking CSU and community college placement tests<http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/documents/eapjuniorflyer.pdf>, and will be able to move directly into college-level courses upon enrollment.

Though the SBA is one of several assessments<https://www.calstate.edu/sas/ept-elm-exemptions.shtml> used to determine college readiness, it is the only college-readiness assessment taken by all students at Berkeley High School. As we move forward with our commitment to close opportunity and achievement gaps, the results from the SBA will give us valuable feedback on our efforts to interrupt predictable and inequitable outcomes for students based on race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Teachers have been speaking with students about the SBA and its benefits, and we look forward to your support of this assessment. Parents and guardians are able to opt out their student, but this must be done in writing. Please Email feliciaphillips at berkeley.net<mailto:feliciaphillips at berkeley.net> if you are interested in opting your student out. Students who opt out of the SBA will take a paper-based summative assessment, developed by our school district, during the period(s) that their classmates are taking the SBA.

For more information about SBA, we invite you to visit one of the following websites:

  *   California Department of Education<http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/documents/sbparentgde11.pdf>
  *   California PTA<http://capta.org/focus-areas/education/student-assessments/>
  *   Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium<http://www.smarterbalanced.org/parents/>

Finally, if you are interested in trying out the SBA, click here<https://login3.cloud1.tds.airast.org/student/V154/Pages/LoginShell.aspx?c=California_PT&v=154> to access a training test.

If you have any questions, please Email Felicia Phillips, BHS Site Coordinator for the SBA, at feliciaphillips at berkeley.net<mailto:feliciaphillips at berkeley.net>.

Felicia Phillips
Vice Principal
Berkeley High School
(510) 644-4569<tel:%28510%29%20644-4569> phone
(510) 548-4221<tel:%28510%29%20548-4221> fax
bhs.berkeleyschools.net<http://bhs.berkeleyschools.net/>

_____________________________
Marguerite Fa-Kaji, Catherine Ference and Dylan Kaufman are the parent-volunteer facilitators of the Etree; please direct any questions about the Etree to them at bhs-owner at lmi.net<mailto:bhs-owner at lmi.net>.

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