Requirements

LEAs may offer a remote assessment option if in-person administration is not viable. Because it is necessary to monitor students online during remote test administration, LEAs must provide parents/guardians with the Parent Notification Letter. The letter will provide information regarding the requirements of a camera and microphone during testing. For the spring administration, students will need to use the secure browser. This browser should already be on any LEA-supplied device.

Remote Testing Permission

The LEA CAASPP coordinator can set up remote testing permissions in TOMS for the entire LEA, by school, or by individual TA. The option for remote administration is turned on for all LEAs, schools, and users by default (figure 1).

Figure 1. LEA’s Organization Profile screen in TOMS

TA Remote Testing Permission

By default, when a TA opens the Test Administrator Interface and creates a test session, the TA is presented with the test administration options of In Person or Remote or Hybrid.

LEA CAASPP coordinators decide who is allowed to administer tests remotely. In the View & Edit Users screen in TOMS (figure 2), coordinators can disable specific TAs who are not administering assessments remotely. Coordinators can change the setting for a specific user by selecting the [Disable] link in the Remote Test Administration column in the Search Results table (indicated in figure 2). Changes to this setting require 15–30 minutes to update in the system. Once a user has been disabled for remote administration, the TA is able to administer an in-person test session only and is not presented with remote test administration options.

Figure 2. View & Edit Users screen in TOMS

Student Remote Testing Video Permission

The CAASPP can be administered remotely to students in grades three through twelve using the secure browser. Video monitoring occurs in the TDS.

A student’s remote testing flag is defaulted to “No,” so it is important to note the following:

• Students must have the remote test flag set to “Yes” to allow for remote testing.
• Students with the remote test flag set to “Yes” are presented with the Recording Device Check, the Sound and Video Playback Check, and the TTS check prior to entering the test.

LEAs can download the CAASPP LEA-Level Student Test Assignment Report to view the video permission settings for students.

Parent/Guardian Notification

The parent/guardian of a student who participates in remote testing must be notified that video monitoring is required for remote test administration. It is not necessary that an LEA collect explicit approval of video monitoring for a student to participate in remote testing; however, the student cannot be assessed remotely if a parent/guardian objects to having the child monitored via video during testing.

Parent/Guardian letter templates are available to use when notifying parents/guardians about the requirement for eligible students to complete 2023–24 testing. An LEA may use whatever method fits its needs to notify parents/guardians about the test administration. The letter templates can be customized to include in-person or remote testing administration options and printed or provided to parents/‌guardians electronically.

Technology Needed

TAs should be familiar with the secure browser and the Test Administrator Interface.

The minimum technical requirements for students and TAs are as follows:

• A computer or tablet meeting the minimum operating system requirements
• A monitor or screen large enough for comfortable reading
• A mouse or touch screen
• A webcam or camera for video monitoring
• A microphone
• A speaker or headphones
• Internet access with a minimum capability of 24 Kbps (Use the tool at a website such as Speedtest to test local internet speeds.)
• Required assistive devices, if applicable

For more information about technical requirements for testing, please refer to the CAASPP and ELPAC Technical Specifications and Configuration Guide for Online Testing web manual.

SSIDs

SSIDs are considered confidential and must be kept secure at all times. Students need access to their SSIDs to log on to the test. LEAs should provide SSIDs to students prior to the session. The TA may not share the SSIDs when other students are present or able to hear or view the exchange. LEAs must take care to follow all protocols when sharing SSIDs to ensure that the numbers are kept confidential. Note that email is not considered a secure distribution method.

The following are recommendations about how to provide SSIDs to students or parents/guardians:

• Use a parent/guardian or student portal if one is available.
• Provide SSIDs to students or parents/guardians if they are picking up materials from the school.
• Mail the SSID to the parents/guardians via US Mail.
• Message the student if instant messaging or some other means of direct messaging is available, including text messaging.
• Provide the SSID to the student via a private Zoom meeting—or other meeting software—when meeting with the student individually.
• Call the student or parent/guardian and provide the SSID over the phone.

The means of sending SSIDs are not limited to those in the previous list. LEA CAASPP coordinators should contact their LEA Success Agent to confirm whether another method is permissible. LEAs are responsible for determining the best way to provide SSIDs while still maintaining confidentiality.

Browsers for Testing

Secure Browsers

The secure browser is a program on a student’s device—for example, a desktop PC, laptop, or tablet—that allows a student to take the CAASPP and ELPAC. It is the application students and teachers have used for testing in prior years. For information about supported operating systems, as well as links to download the current secure browser versions, visit the Secure Browsers web page.

When the secure browser is running, it is the only program allowed to be open on the device. Recent enhancements to the secure browser have been made, allowing for communication and video monitoring within the system to accommodate remote testing.

The secure browser should be used when testing in person and remotely. The web-based Student Testing Interface is used only for the Smarter Balanced Interim Assessment testing and cannot be used for summative CAASPP testing.

Refer to the Operating System Configuration chapter of the CAASPP and ELPAC Technical Specifications and Configuration Guide for Online Testing for instructions on identifying current versions of the secure browser for testing for supported devices and downloading and installing the secure browser.

Test Administrator Interface

The Test Administrator Interface is the application TAs use to create test sessions for students to test. A TA must select the Remote or Hybrid test administration option to access the web-based Student Testing Interface to test students remotely.

Refer to the Supported Web Browsers for Online Systems Associated with Testing subtopic in the CAASPP and ELPAC Technical Specifications and Configuration Guide for Online Testing for the list of supported web browsers.