FAQs

Why should I participate in sessions?

The sessions are a fun and engaging way to practice content for the state assessment you will be taking this spring. You will get to review questions and content you might see on the CAASPP test with your peers in game formats such as Kahoot, Jeopardy, Trivia, and more! You'll also earn raffle tickets to win prizes! The more tickets you earn, the better your chance of winning prizes!

Is the Grasp the CAASPP open to all students?

The program is open to all students in any of the Connecting Waters Charter Schools in grades 3-8 and 11.

What are the "live gaming sessions" for this program?

These are live sessions that you will attend twice per month via the CWCS online class platform with your grade level peers. A CWCS credentialed teacher will facilitate each session with fun and engaging games to deliver math and ELA content for your grade level to give you extra practice for the CAASPP test you take in the spring. The questions asked in the live sessions will be similar to questions you will see on the spring test. Content will be in the form of games such as Kahoot, Jeopardy, Trivia, etc.. Content will vary each session.

Do I have to attend every session to participate?

No, you can attend as many sessions as you want. Check postings for session times for your grade level. However, the more you attend, the more practice you get to increase your test score, and the more raffle tickets you earn!

Do I have to sign up for each live session?

No, just show up the day and time of your grade level session via your online classroom link. Be sure to use your real name when you sign in to earn credit for your virtual raffle tickets!

Do I get a grade in the sessions I attend?

No, these are not classes. This is a friendly competition designed to support you in studying content for the spring assessment. As you participate in the live sessions, you may come across content that you want to study more about to better prepare for the test you will be taking in the spring.

What is the difference between CAASPP and SBAC?

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System was established on January 1, 2014. The CAASPP System replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, which became inoperative on July 1, 2013.

The CAASPP System encompasses the Smarter Balanced Assessment, also referred to as the SBAC (developed by The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), a standardized test consortium).

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments include assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics for all students in grades three through eight and grade eleven.

Student Participation: All students at the designated grade levels are required to participate with the following exceptions:

• Students who participate in the alternate assessments.

• ELA only—English learners who are in their first 12 months of attending a school in the United States.

Is the CAASPP / SBAC really an important test?

YES! The Smarter Balanced assessment (SBAC) focuses on real world critical-thinking and problem solving skills. The test is administered once a year to students in grades 3-8 and once in grade 11. This assessment is necessary to ensure our students are prepared for the technical demands and jobs of an increasingly specialized and global 21st century economy and workforce and success in college. Smarter tests measure how well students are learning important skills for life after high school, including critical thinking and real-world problem-solving. CSUs and Community Colleges will use grade 11 assessments to help determine course placement and overall readiness of the student for college level coursework.

Are student records or state test results released to the public or private entities?

Combined student test results are released to the general public (and always have been) based on a compilation of student performance, NOT by individual pupil results. There are no names or identifying information tied to the public records. This is required for school accountability. Again, this hasn't changed and is nothing new with Common Core, or with the new accountability system. Student education records (including assessment results) are official and confidential documents protected by one of the nation's strongest privacy protection laws, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law prevents the state and any educational institution from releasing individual test results to the public, including corporations. There is no validity to this claim. The law requires parental consent for LEAs (Schools) and state agencies to release any student records, including test scores. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs97/web/97859.asp

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Contact Shoni Johnson, Curriculum & Assessment Director at sjohnson@cwcharter.org.