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1.5. Smarter 2025 Beta Project FAQ

This year, in our efforts to help everyone on the project improve the quality and accuracy of their scoring, we will be implementing some new tools that will give you all a chance to hone your skills.  We hope this FAQ will address any questions you may have, but if it doesn’t, you can direct any additional questions to your scoring leadership. 

Q:  What is this “Beta” project?  

A:  The Beta project is a way for all Smarter Balanced readers to practice their scoring after training, but before beginning to score actual student responses. You will score a selection of practice responses in this partition, during which time you can refine your skills. Even though this partition is specifically for practice, your accuracy in the Beta project will have a direct impact on which items you will be able to score, and which you will not.  

Q: Will my Team Leader be available to help me while I practice?   

A:  Yes! Your Team Leader(s) will be available to you through chat and, after you’ve begun to accumulate some scoring time, they may send you feedback on responses you scored.

 
Q:  Can I send questions up using the Notes function? 

A:  Yes! However, as part of this process, you may not hear back from your Team Leader immediately.  Part of this process involves you spending several days scoring on your own so that we can get an idea of how you’re scoring without your Team Leader’s guidance. Then, after a few days, your Team Leader will begin responding to notes.  But your Team Leader will always be available through chat if you need them. 

Q: When will I start scoring actual student responses? 

A: Once you’ve had some time to practice, we will evaluate your accuracy.  If we determine that you are scoring accurately, you’ll receive an automated chat message that will instruct you when to begin scoring in the Operational Smarter project.  You should then return to your project selection screen and select the Operational project and begin work there.  

Q: Once I start working in the Operational project, will I ever go back to the Beta project? 

A:  There are some instances in which you might return to working in the Beta project. Those include: 
1. You may still have additional items to practice.  While you might be ready to score some items outside of Beta, you might still need practice on others. If you run out of work in the main project, you should return to Beta to practice your other items. 
2. You may be assigned additional items or trainings, at which point your scoring leadership will ask you to return to the Beta project in order to do your new training and/or practice your new item(s).  
If you’re ever not sure where you should be working, you can chat with your Team Leader for 
clarification. 

Q:  How long will I practice in the Beta project? 

A: That will depend on several things. The first thing is how many items you’re learning to score. If you have only a few items to practice, you won’t work in the Beta project as long as someone with lots of items to practice.  It will also depend on if there are items where you need additional practice to help refine your scoring. Don’t try to compare your time in the Beta project to others. It will be different for everyone.