Administration of the Interim Assessments
The interim assessments can be administered flexibly by teachers to best meet their instructional needs. All student results will note the manner in which the assessment was administered (standardized or nonstandardized). This information is provided when viewing results in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS). This information is provided for the teacher to consider when viewing results and does not change any of the results calculations displayed in CERS.
Standardized
Standardized administration means that a student completes the interim assessment individually, following the procedure for administration used for the summative assessments. For students, the opportunity to become familiar with the procedure of standardized administration can help them approach the summative assessment with more confidence. For educators, results from a standardized administration can provide data about what an individual student knows and can do. Standardized administration affords the opportunity to use comparable data across classrooms, buildings, and subgroups based on the content assessed. The data can inform decision-making about instructional next steps, professional learning needs, and curriculum gaps.
Nonstandardized
If the sole need is to inform instruction within a classroom, an educator may elect to administer an interim in a nonstandardized way. Nonstandardized administration refers to any administration that is not consistent with the administration requirements of the summative assessment. Some examples of nonstandardized administration might include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Administering assessments while students answer cooperatively in pairs, in small groups, or as a whole class (For example, as a whole class, a teacher may elect to read each item aloud and use a think-aloud strategy or include some discussion time between test items, and each student completes the assessment individually with this assisted support.)
- Administering assessments individually with modified standardized requirements (For example, provide scaffolded support to all student questions. Log the questions being asked during test administration to inform instruction that addresses any student misconceptions and barriers during the assessment.)
- Administering assessments and having students self-assess, or provide peer feedback, on short-answer and extended-response questions
- Administering assessments by providing interim assessment resources and tools other than those approved in the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines (for example, use of text-to-speech, a script, or multiplication table by a student who does not have an individualized education program and a documented need for this accommodation)
Nonstandard administration does not necessarily describe the performance of individual students in a comparable manner; therefore, caution must be used when interpreting classroom results of assessments administered in these ways.
When deciding how to administer an interim assessment, consider the purpose. Is it to be an assessment of learning or an assessment for learning? For example, using standardized administration at the beginning of a unit can be used as an assessment for learning if the information informs instructional next steps. Using standardized administration at the end of an instructional unit is an assessment of learning. Nonstandardized administration can be used in the assessment of learning, but caution should be used when interpreting results.
Remember that data from an interim assessment, whether standardized or nonstandardized, is most useful as an assessment for learning. As part of a balanced assessment system, interim assessments are tools that can be used as part of the formative assessment process to identify students’ learning needs and guide instructional next steps for moving learning forward.
Each English language arts/literacy (ELA) or mathematics Interim Assessment Block (IAB), or Focused IAB (FIAB), has a corresponding Interim Connections Playlist (ICP) available in Tools for Teachers. The ICP includes a Performance Progressions chart that describes the attributes of Below, Near, or Above results for each topic or skill assessed. The ICP also includes links to instructional resources that have been written and vetted by teachers to use for targeted instruction with these same skills.
| Example No. | Standardized Administration | Nonstandardized Administration |
|---|---|---|
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1 |
A teacher administers the Read Informational Texts IAB to assess the degree to which students learned the targeted skills at the completion of a unit of instruction. Each student takes the assessment individually in the same manner as taking a summative assessment. |
A teacher administers the Read Informational Texts IAB to observe how well students have learned the targeted skills at the completion of a unit of instruction. During the assessment, the teacher answers students’ questions, uses scaffolds, and takes notes on the type of support provided during the assessment. |
|
2 |
A grade eight mathematics teacher administers the grade seven Interim Comprehensive Assessment in the fall to any student who did not take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment the previous school year. Each student takes the assessment individually in the same manner as taking a summative assessment. The teacher uses these results, along with the grade seven summative assessment results for the other students, as a foundation for the teacher’s instructional planning at the beginning of the school year. |
A teacher asks students to work in small groups and discuss the questions in a grade seven IAB to work on skills underpinning those encountered in grade eight. This is followed with a whole-class discussion. |
|
3 |
Teachers administer a grade-level ELA Performance Task IAB and score the students’ work. Each student takes the assessment individually in the same manner as taking a summative assessment. They review the results and discuss the impact their new writing program has had on student performance. |
A teacher administers the grade-level ELA Performance Task IAB. Using the scoring rubric materials with students, the teacher displays a sample of a student writing response and facilitates a peer feedback workshop. The teacher reviews the feedback to identify trends in student performance for instructional next steps. |
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4 |
An elementary school science teacher administers the California Science Test (CAST) Interim Assessment to assess how well students understand key concepts after completing a related unit. The assessment is given under standardized conditions following all administration guidelines. |
A middle school science teacher uses selected items from the Middle School CAST Earth and Space Sciences Interim Assessment during a classroom review session. Students discuss their reasoning in pairs, and the teacher provides immediate feedback and clarifies misconceptions. |
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5 |
An English learner specialist administers the grade two English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) Interim Assessments to newly enrolled students to measure their English proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing under standardized conditions. Results are used to inform growth and next steps for instruction. |
A teacher uses the grade two ELPAC Speaking interim assessment tasks as a small-group activity where students practice responses collaboratively. The teacher models appropriate language structures and provides corrective feedback during the session. |
Interim Assessment Security
The interim assessments are student—and teacher—facing to give educators the flexibility to access the test questions and their students’ responses to the test questions. The interim assessments are not appropriate to use for accountability purposes. Interim assessment items and materials are to be kept secure. They are not for public use, display, or distribution. Any use, display, or distribution of interim assessments that results in access to persons beyond authorized local education agency staff and students is prohibited. Finally, interim assessment items must not be copied into third-party systems (for example, Google Classroom) without the permission of the California Department of Education and Smarter Balanced. More information about the purpose and use of interim assessments can be found in California Education Code sections 60642.7(a) and 60642.7(b).