CPI Links and Contents of an Entry
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training - Module II. This PowerPoint in its entirety is for the exclusive use of New
Jersey educators. All other uses of this document are forbidden without written permission from the NJDOE.

APA
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training - Module II

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Portfolio: Paper based, submit in a 3-ring binder
 Binders are mailed to districts the week of October 20, 2014 , based on the APA registration counts your administrator submitted September through mid-October 2014.
Content Area: Science is the only content area assessed by the APA in 2014-2015.
 Assessed in grades 4, 8, and high school.
 Entries relate to content standards, grade-level CPIs, and revised
2014-2015 CPI Links. Science will have four entries, each one reflecting the assessment of one CPI Link.
 Evidence documents educational instruction and student performance of skills. The instructional activity used at the beginning and at the end of the CPI Link instruction is submitted as the assessment evidence.
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APA Portfolio
Table of Contents
Science
4 Entries
NOTE: NO entry should contain more than four pieces of evidence.
This graphic represents a student who is being assessed in Science with the
APA. Science is the only content area assessed by the APA in 2014-2015.
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

APA Portfolio
Table of Contents
Science
Entry 1
Entry Cover Sheet reflecting 1 st Standard,
Strand, CPI, and CPI Link
Science
Entry 2
Entry Cover Sheet reflecting 2 nd Standard,
Strand, CPI, and CPI Link
Science
Entry 3
Entry Cover Sheet reflecting 3 rd Standard,
Strand, CPI, and CPI Link
Science
Entry 4
Entry Cover Sheet reflecting 4 th Standard,
Strand, CPI, and CPI Link
2 pieces of evidence 2 pieces of evidence 2 pieces of evidence 2 pieces of evidence
NOTE: NO entry should contain more than four pieces of evidence. An entry containing more than four pieces of evidence will result in zero scores for all dimensions.
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

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A Table of Contents that references page numbers in the portfolio must be included. The Table of Contents does not need a page number.
Evidence that is longer than one page should be numbered using a combination of page number and letters (for example, 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, etc.).
 For example, a student was given a test with 8 test items. The test was two pages long, but it is one activity/piece of evidence.
The pages might be numbered page 3 and 3a.
Entry Cover Sheets get their own page numbers.
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The APA Table of Contents template can be found on the NJ APA Questar website under the
Documentation tab at https://nj-servicepoint.questarai.com/NJxx01_Documentation.aspx
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

Activity
Initial Activity
Final Activity
Collection Period
September 2, 2014 - November 14, 2014
December 8, 2014 - February 13, 2015
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Dates on the evidence must include month, day, and year.
Be sure to plan early in the year when you will instruct and assess each CPI Link and content area.
 All students will need to be assessed on an initial activity within the correct time frame above, even if the majority of instruction will not occur until the winter.
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Entry One
Based on
Standard and
Strand 1
Select CPI &
CPI Link
Four Science Entries
Entry Two
Based on
Standard and
Strand 2
Select CPI &
CPI Link
Provide instruction
& document activities and results
Provide instruction
& document activities and results
One Piece of
Evidence from
September 2 -
November 14, 2014
One Piece of
Evidence from
September 2 -
November 14, 2014
One Piece of
Evidence from
December 8, 2014 -
February 13, 2015
One Piece of
Evidence from
December 8, 2014 -
February 13, 2015
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II
Entry Three
Based on
Standard and
Strand 3
Select CPI &
CPI Link
Provide instruction
& document activities and results
One Piece of
Evidence from
September 2 -
November 14, 2014
One Piece of
Evidence from
December 8, 2014 -
February 13, 2015
Entry Four
Based on
Standard and
Strand 4
Select CPI &
CPI Link
Provide instruction
& document activities and results
One Piece of
Evidence from
September 2 -
November 14, 2014
One Piece of
Evidence from
December 8, 2014 -
February 13, 2015

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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II


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Each entry requires documentation (evidence) of student performance of the skill stated in the CPI Link.
Includes two different activities.
Two pieces of evidence is the requirement for an entry.
 One piece of evidence from each activity.
Evidence may come from classroom work, community-based settings, or other places where student is working on gradelevel CPI Links.
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(continued)
 The first piece of evidence documents the initial, or very early, performance of the CPI Link. This evidence must capture what the student does/does not know related to the CPI Link.
 This evidence must reflect the entire CPI Link in one activity, and be collected between September 2 and November
14, 2014.
 In order for the CPI Link to be eligible for the student’s APA entry, the accuracy score on the activity can not be above
39%.
 Additional information on scoring the evidence is included later in the training.
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(continued)
 The second piece of evidence documents final performance of the CPI Link. This evidence should capture what the student has learned related to the CPI
Link.
 This evidence should assess the same CPI Link using a
different instructional activity, and be collected between
December 8, 2014 and February 13, 2015.
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

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Grade-level CPIs are the building block.
Content Centrality establishes what concept must be assessed.
 Intent/Essence of the CPI
Performance Centrality directs the level of skill statement.
 Complexity/difficulty
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APA CPI Link can be less complex than the grade-level CPI and/or less difficult
Three types of links––Matched, Near, and Far––reflect the degree of complexity/difficulty when compared to the grade-level CPI.
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

Grade Level
CPI
CPI 5.5.4A1 Identify the roles that organisms may serve in a food chain
Matched Link

Identify organisms and their roles in a food web that includes the sun

Explain how one organism can be a part of two different food webs

Describe what happens when an organism of a food web is removed *
Near Link Far Link

Classify organisms by whether they are herbivores,

Identify predators and prey*

Identify decomposers and
 omnivores, or carnivores*
Label predators and prey within a food web*

Build a simple food web

Label primary producers producers

Identify the type of food herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores eat and consumers within a food web
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

CPI 5.5.4A1 Identify the roles that organisms may serve in a food chain
Essence of the CPI: Understand the role organisms play in moving matter and energy in a food web
Matched Link

Identify organisms and their roles in a food web that includes the sun

Explain how one organism can be a part of two different food webs

Describe what happens when an organism of a food web is removed *
Near Link Far Link

Classify organisms by whether they are herbivores,

Identify predators and prey*

Identify decomposers and
 omnivores, or carnivores*
Label predators and prey within a food web*

Build a simple food web

Label primary producers producers

Identify the type of food herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores eat and consumers within a food web
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The CPI Links Content Guide and Five Items Resource documents should be used as a companion to the CPI Links. It provides clarifications concerning the content and skills contained in the CPI Links. The resource guides are organized by grade.
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What’s Included
 Content Guide
 Test Specifications

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A glossary of terms contained in the CPI Links
Further clarifications concerning specific content, skills, and/or language contained in the CPI Links
 “Five Items” Examples
 Examples that show what constitutes five items for certain links where that may not be clear, for each standard
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

Decisions Are Based On:
 The student’s grade
 What the student already knows
 How quickly the student learns new information
 High expectations for students
 Initial level of prompts (if any) needed for the student to succeed
 How well the student performs on the initial activity
Decisions Are Not Based On:
 The student’s disability category
 Low expectations for students
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Student’s mode of communication
Supports needed by the student to participate and perform in the curriculum
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There are multiple ways to provide instruction.
Choose modifications and supports based on the student’s mode of communication and areas of strengths and needs.
CPI Links were built based on the idea that any student can participate in grade-level linked instruction and make progress acquiring the skills when given appropriate supports and modifications.
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All
 George is in 12 th grade.
 He reads using pictures and sight words.
 He needs significant time to learn new information.
 He prefers to be independent.
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Far Link 5.10.12B2
Classify positive and negative ways humans affect the environment*
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

All
 Sarah is in 12 th grade.
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She uses picture symbols to read.
She often needs gestural prompts to help her answer questions.

 .
She has a strong understanding of weather related occurrences.
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Near Link 5.10.12A1 Explain the effect of naturally occurring processes on the environment of NJ*
Sarah followed along while the teacher read the text. She dictated her answers to her teacher who used Writing with Symbols to scribe her answer.
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2014-2015NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

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CPI Links should not be used in isolation.
Read the Standard and Strand for the overall concept.
Read the CPI and Essence.
Make sure instruction is within the Essence of the Standard,
Strand, CPI and CPI Link.
 Evidence of instruction on a CPI Link will be scored not only on the
 discrete skills contained within the Link but also within the Essence of the standard, strand, and CPI
For example, 5.6.4A3 is a standard with a Far link that states
“Identify examples of water in solid, liquid, and gaseous
states*”. The evidence must assess the student’s ability to identify examples of water understanding that matter can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas.
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Things to
Remember
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2014-2015
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II
To complete the Entry Sheet online, you will be asked to select information from dropdown menus. After you have made your selections, the system will auto-populate the information into the Entry
Cover Sheet form.
The NJ APA online Entry
Cover Sheet is found on the
NJ APA Questar website at: https://njservicepoint.questarai.com/N
Jxx01_Documentation.aspx

2014-2015
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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

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2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

Entry Cover
Sheet:
Description of Activities
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When writing the description of an activity be sure to
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Restate the skill being assessed;
Describe the types of materials used (table of insulators and conductors; type of science experiment);
Describe how the student accessed the information;
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
Describe how the student demonstrated performance of the skill; and
Explain if/when scribing is used and how.
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CPI 5.10.12A1 Near Link
Compare and contrast human impact versus naturally occurring processes on the environment
Evidence collected between September2, 2014 and November 14, 2014
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Behavior of the student
 e.g., “Student refused to choose an answer.”
Feelings of the student
 e.g., “Student loved this activity/hated this activity.”
Scores for accuracy and independence
 Scores must be written on the actual student work, not the Entry
Cover Sheet
Supports or help provided for skills not related to the CPI Link

 e.g., “After the student chose the correct answer, she needed help placing the picture on the line.” e.g., “Student needed repeated directions to stay on task.”
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Entry Cover Sheet
After you have entered all the required information, including Activity
Descriptions, clicking the
Submit button on the bottom of the screen will bring up a PDF of the Entry
Cover Sheet Form.
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Information to answer these questions is found throughout
Modules I and II of the training. You may go back to any part of the training or to the 2014-2015 Procedures Manual to find the answers. You should not continue with the training until you can answer all of these questions correctly.
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(
)
CPI 5.5.4A1 Identify the roles that organisms may serve in a food chain
Essence of the CPI: Understand the role organisms play in moving matter and energy in a food web
Matched Link

Identify organisms and
Near Link

Classify organisms by
Far Link

Identify predators and prey*

Identify decomposers and their roles in a food web that includes the sun

Explain how one organism can be a part whether they are herbivores, omnivores, or carnivores*

Label predators and prey
 producers
Identify the type of food herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores eat of two different food webs

Describe what happens when an organism of a food web is removed * within a food web*

Build a simple food web

Label primary producers and consumers within a food web
Using the CPI and Links above, answer the following questions:
1.How many different Far Links are there?
2.How many different Near Links are there?
3.What is the essence of the CPI?
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II

(continued)
4. May a student have a combination of Near, Far, and Matched links within one portfolio?
5.May a student have a combination of Near, Far, or Matched links within one entry of the portfolio?
6 .
Is it important to read the CPI and Essence when designing instruction and assessment? If so, why?
7. What type of information should not be included in the activity description?
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1.
2.
3.
4.
3
4
Understand the role organisms play in moving matter and energy in a food we b
Yes.
5.
6.
No. The same link must be assessed on both pieces of evidence within a single entry.
Yes. Links, CPIs, and Essence statements work together to lead to an understanding of the grade-level standard at a modified level. Work that does not lead to the Essence will score a zero for all dimensions.
7.
Information about the student’s behavior or willingness to participate in the activity should not be included on the Entry Cover Sheet.
Scores for Accuracy and Independence must be included on the evidence and do not belong on the Entry Cover Sheet.
2014-2015 NJ APA Teacher Training – Module II