Franklin School
2400 Montana Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
April 13, 2015
Volume 1, Issue 3
THE BOLT
PARENT PROM
Staff and parents dressed up in prom theme to attend a fun-filled evening with
cocktails, dinner, and auction at Le Meridian Delfina in Santa Monica.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
The CAASPP............................ 2
Depth and Complexity ............ 2
Upcoming Dates...................... 3
CAASPP Calendar ................... 3
Testing Accommodations........ 3
Honorary Service Awards ....... 4
Campus Safety ........................ 4
Franklin Alum Visit................. 4
SPECIAL POINTS OF
INTEREST
 Learn about the new state
test
 Prepare for upcoming events
 Parents and staff honored
 Campus safety tips
 Visit from a famous Franklin
Alum
THE CALIFORNIA ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT
PERFORMANCE AND PROGRESS (CAASPP/SBAC)
April and May are state testing months. This year will be the first year
when students will receive scores for their performance on the (CAASPP)
test (however the school and District will not receive an API or AYP score
this year). This computer-based test is quite different from summative state
tests given in the past; this article will give you some information about
this new exam.
The CAASPP is composed of four sections:
1. ELA Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
2. ELA Performance Task (PT)
3. Math CAT
4. Math PT
DIMENSIONS OF
DEPTH AND
COMPLEXITY
The CAASPP focuses
on examining students’
critical thinking and
higher level thinking
skills. Specifically, the
test questions will focus on various levels of
depth and complexity,
which are embedded in
the Common Core
State Standards.
Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)
As each student takes a CAT, the test delivery system adjusts the difficulty
of the items to be tailored to how the student is performing on the assessment. This means that the questions get harder or easier depending on
whether or not the students get the question correct. This is unlike a “fixed
-form” test where all students see the same items. This helps to ensure sufficient breadth and depth at the student level to obtain a reliable score. The
ELA and Math CAT sections each contain about 35-40 questions.
Types of questions on the CAT section include:
 Multiple choice- select one correct answer, select multiple correct answers
 Matching- yes/no, true/false
 Fill-in Tables
 Select or order text/graphics
 Drag and Drop
 Graphing
 Short Text Response
 Long Essay
Performance Tasks
Each student will receive 1 ELA and 1 Math Performance Task. Students
are given “stimuli” (video clips, audio clips, graphs, pictures etc.) and
asked to solve about 5-6 complex questions that are centered on a common
theme or real-world problem. The content of PTs focus on those aspects of
the Common Core State Standards that rely on research, problem solving,
and application and transfer of knowledge, including higher Depth and
Complexity. The PT will be scored for Purpose/Focus/Organization, Evidence/Elaboration, and Conventions. Some PTs will be scored automatically, while others will be scored by hand.
The PTs include a 30 minute classroom activity that must be given at least
3 days prior to the test. This activity is designed to build students’
knowledge of terms and concepts prior to taking the individual test. Students will be permitted to work together on the classroom activity, but cannot bring any notes from the activity to the test day.
2
APPROXIMATE TESTING CALENDAR
Day/
Start Time
Monday
10:30am
Tuesday
10:30am
Wednesday
10:30am
Thursday
10:30am
Friday
10:30am
5th Grade
CST
April 20-24
Prepare for
SBAC
3rd Grade
April 27May 1
ELA CAT
Part I
UPCOMING DATES
4th Grade
May 4-8
(10:45am
start time
after PE)
5th Grade
May 11-15
ELA CAT
Part I
(5th teachers to training)
ELA
Performance
Task
ELA
Performance
Task
ELA CAT
Part 1
5th Grade Science CST/
CMA/
CAPA
Part I
Math CAT
Part I
Math CAT
Part 1
ELA
Performance
Task
5th Grade Science CST/
CMA/
CAPA
Part 2
Math
Performance
Task
5 Grade
Science
Makeup Testing
April 16- PTA Meeting
April 17-19- 5th Grade
Pali Camp
April 20- Site Governance
Meeting
Prepare for
SBAC
th
Makeup
Testing
May 1822
Makeup
Testing
April 21– Parent Ed event
April 22- May 22-State
Testing 3rd-5th
Makeup
Testing
Makeup
Testing
April 29- Science Club
Night
May 5- Budget Meeting
May 7- Staff Appreciation
Luncheon
May 7- PTA Meeting
rd
3 grade
Makeup
Testing Day
(4th teachers
to training)
Math
Performance
Task
Math CAT
Part 1
Math
Performance
Task
Makeup
Testing
Makeup
Testing
Note that teachers have flexibility on when they give the test as long as
they complete all testing within the testing window of April 20-May 22.
This calendar is intended to be a general guide.
Check out caaspp.org for practice tests and more information about the
state test.
TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS

While the test in not timed, it is estimated that each section will take
students about one hour to complete.

All students may use scratch paper.

The test is not timed, so students have ample time to finish.

All students will have “Universal Tools” on their test such as a highlighter, strike through, digital notepad, dictionary, glossary, spell
check, zoom, and calculator on certain questions.

Students with IEPs may have specific accommodations.
May 13- Outdoor Assembly- 2nd Grade
May 13- Science Club
Event After School
May 14- Parent Volunteer
Breakfast
May 14- STAR End-ofYear Party
May 18- Site Governance
Meeting
May 20- Open House
May 21- School Tour
May 27- Outdoor Assembly- 5th Grade
May 27- Franklin Follies
May 28- PTA Meeting
May 29- Staff End-ofYear Luncheon
June 3- 5th Grade Graduation
June 5- Last day of
School
3
THE HONORARY SERVICE AWARDS
Staff, parents, and others who have had a positive impact on Franklin were
honored at the HSA awards last month. Thanks to all of you for you dedication and support!
CAMPUS SAFETY
Procedures when entering campus will be strictly enforced.
AN ALUMNI VIST
Gary Hart, a Franklin
alum, toured his old campus and spoke with some
of our Student Committee
members. Mr. Hart
served in the California
legislature for 20 years
having been elected as
both an assemblyman and
senator. There he authored numerous educationally related bills. After his tenure in the legislature, he founded
the CSU Institute for Education Reform. Gary
also served as the State
Secretary of Education
under Gray Davis.
4

Office staff will ask you why you are here.

You must have an appointment with the teacher or be a scheduled volunteer.

The office will call the teacher to notify them of your arrival.

Be aware that visits or observations are not permitted without an administrator present, are no more than 20 minutes, and must be scheduled ahead of time with the teacher and administrators.

Write your name, date, and reason for visit clearly on the sign-in log.

Take a visitors badge and place it in a visible location on your body.
Students have been taught to let a teacher know if they see someone
without a badge. If you see someone without a badge (all staff wear a
badge as well) immediately let the office know.

The office will buzz you in.

When you leave campus be sure to sign out. The office needs to know
your location in case of emergency.

Even if the office knows you, you will still need to follow these procedures for the safety of the campus.
Thank you for your assistance in helping to keep our campus safe.