Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability

Grade Level: Middle School (6-8)

Vignette Collection of the English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework for California Public Schools Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve

The Vignette Collection resource is a compilation of in-depth classroom lesson examples. Each vignette is intended to illustrate a specific literacy practice (i.e., close reading, summarizing informational texts, etc.). Vignettes follow a standard format and typically include most of the following sections: Background Lesson Context Templates/Routines Learning Target ELA/Lit and/or ELD Standards Lesson Excerpts Teacher […]

Common Core State Standards: Assessment Literacy

This website provides a wide range of information on assessments, including an overview of assessment literacy, California’s assessment system, the purposes and uses of assessments, developing assessments, analyzing data, and effective use of assessment results. It is one in a series of professional development modules designed to help educators transition instruction to the Common Core State Standards. 

Smarter Balanced Assessments: Keep Results in Perspective for Students and Their Families

In this short California Schools article, veteran educator Kathy Caric encourages districts and schools to implement effective strategies to inform parents and students about the value of multiple measures when reporting student progress. She notes that the expected low scores on the upcoming Smarter Balanced assessments may have an unnecessary negative impact on students when compared to […]

NGSS Science and Engineering Education Community

This resource is part of a California State University (CSU) systemwide initiative designed to prepare teaches to be world-class in both the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Mathematics. The website promotes the scholarship of teaching and learning, and builds community among CSU faculty and K-12 college educators participating […]

The Case for Change : A Review of Contemporary Research on Indigenous Education Outcomes

From the Publisher: This Australian Education Review report “examines the research evidence underpinning current [Australian] government policy developed over the last two decades in an attempt to improve the educational outcomes of Indigenous students. It reviews and analyzes existing educational research into the precursors and concomitant factors that contribute to educational achievement for students generally and for […]

Close Reading: What It Is, What It’s Not

The topic for this segment of Bam! Radio (an all-education radio network that offers programming from top education organizations and leaders) is close reading. Guest Christopher Lehman, the Founding Director of the Educator Collaborative, defines and discusses what close reading is and is not.