CSAP Development

Who participates in the development work of the CSAP?

Federal guidelines require that all CSAP development activities provide demonstrated effort to balance all work groups with representative demographics within the state and documented expertise meeting the qualifications of Highly Qualified status per NCLB/State guidelines. The Unit of Student Assessment works to balance the participants at every worksession using the following guidelines:
   1. Documented content expertise (Reading/Writing, Mathematics, Science).
                      - Meet NCLB "Highly Qualified" requirements in the content area of specified work
                      - Resume/Vita required of all participants in the work
                      - Recommendation school/district administration
   2. Representative of expertise meeting the needs of sub-groups:
                      - Students with Disabilities
                      - English Language Learners
                      - Gifted and Talented
   3. Representative of the state regions:
                      - Rural/Urban
                      - Front Range, Western Slope, Eastern Plains
                      - Front Range (Denver/Metro, CoSprings/Metro), Eastern Plains, Mountain,
                        San Luis Valley, Southwestern region
   4. Representative of the ethnic diversity of the state of Colorado (reference the CSAP Biographical data grid).
                      - American Indian or Alaskan Native
                      - Asian or Pacific Islander
                      - Black (not Hispanic)
                      - Hispanic
                      - White (not Hispanic)
   5. Current/updated resume vita submitted with application. (Submitted with each application for each work group)
   6. Recommendation from District/Building Administration (CDE/USA form)

All participants are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement for confidentiality (sample CDE form, sample CTB form) to protect the integrity of the test data and content. This is general assessment practice and protects the interest of the tax-payer monies used to develop and maintain a quality state assessment system.

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What is the difference between a professional development experience and
a CSAP Work Session?

Ongoing development of the state assessment system requires the participation of content experts from throughout the state. The purpose of the work is clear - continue to provide the highest quality assessment system to the students of Colorado.

CSAP Work Session	Professional Development
Purpose:	Purpose:
Development of the Assessment System an its component parts	Development of the participant expertise (knowledge and skills)
Participant role:	Participant role:
Participants bring content expertise to the work session where they: - provide input - review/edit and develop product Preparation, and documented content expertise are required for successful completion of quality product. Active - Productive - Collaborative There is a requirement to protect the security and integrity of the Colorado Assessment system (non-disclosure of item-specific information). Voluntary participation.	Participants attend expecting to obtain with new knowledge and/or learning experiences where they may practice new skills. Registration is generally all that is required (perhaps some preparatory reading). Active - Receptive - Individual Participants of all There is an expectation that new learnings will be applied to current classroom practice for the benefit of the school/district students. There is an expectation that best practices (after demonstrating student results) are shared with colleagues at the school/district.

The purpose of the CSAP work sessions is the quality ongoing development of the Colorado assessment system. IT may also be true that participants gain insight or new learnings, however, the purpose is not to develop the participant expertise, but rather the assessment system itself. While a participant may gain insight and new learnings through their work on the development projects, the purpose of the work is centered upon the development of the Colorado assessment system.

Expenses for travel and meals will be reimbursed by the state. It is common practice that professional development leave is provided by the school or local district for those requiring substitute teachers. In this way, participants working during CSAP work sessions serve as content "consultants" to CDE.

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