Visions Changes for Next School Year (2014/2015)

As you have probably heard, Visions is changing to a new curriculum delivery model for next year. We will still have launchpad for keeping track of student information (that is called a SIS, student information system), but we will be moving to Pearson GradPoint for our learning management system (LMS).

All coursework will be on Gradpoint. As far as I know, there will be no textbooks or workbooks as all work will be completed online.

Each student will be provided with a Chromebook and internet access, if they don't already have it. (I'm not sure if you are getting the new HP ones on this link or the ones produced by Samsung that the CTs have this year. You can see mine and test it out at our meetings.)

If you would like to research Pearson GradPoint or see a course demo, Click here to visit their website.

Visions CTs have been provided with Chromebooks this year and are focusing our professional development days on learning GradPoint from teacher and student point of view.

I will provide more information as it comes.

State Testing For 2013/2014

With California adopting the Common Core State Standards (instead of the California State Standards that we currently have), and the Smarter Balanced Assessments (instead of the STAR testing we have been doing), there will be major changes in curriculum and testing starting this school year.

What does this mean for you?
STAR (Standardized Testing and Reporting):
All STAR tests are suspended this school year. EXCEPT for the science tests for grades 5, 8, & 10, as they are required by federal law.

SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium):
The new Smarter Balanced Assessment will be held in the spring as a field test.

Grades 3-8 and 11 will take either the math or English test. Which test each school will give will be determined by the board of education and we have not been notified yet.

Scores will not be provided to students, parents, or schools as the goal of this testing round is to "test" the test to see how well it is created and to iron out any issues that may come up without students being penalized.

What this means for 9-12 students in a nutshell:

• 9th and 12th graders will not be testing this spring. 
• 10th graders will take the STAR science test. 
• 11th graders will take the SBAC field test in either math or English.

I will keep you apprised of information as it comes to me.

Meanwhile, here is a link to an EdSource article titled "What's Next for Standardized Testing in California?" that has some more in-depth information.