Per Title 5 (Division 1, Chapter 11, Subchapter 7.5, Article 2, Section 11511[d]) of the California Code of Regulations, Educational Data Systems is authorized to recoup costs for unused CELDT materials sent to districts. The Code states, "For both initial and annual assessments, the school district is responsible for the cost of excessive materials ordered by the school district". The term, Excessive Materials, is defined in Article 1 of the same code, as "the difference between the sum of the number of tests scored and 90 percent of the tests ordered by the district."
Per this regulation, a district is responsible for using and returning for scoring 90% of the student and/or answer books ordered, including braille and large print versions. Districts are not responsible for the overage amount Educational Data Systems includes as part of the initial test materials shipment, for materials shipped to complete “short” orders as reported by the district in a timely manner, nor for manuals or other ancillary materials.
The number of tests ordered includes the order quantities submitted by a district via the online materials ordering system each spring, plus any additional tests ordered and sent to the district at the district’s request throughout the year. If a district does not place an online order for test materials for the upcoming administration year in the spring, Educational Data Systems estimates the number of tests needed based on the number of CELDT tests scored during the previous school year.
Educational Data Systems calculates excessive materials charges by adding the number of scannable student and answer books in the district’s initial order to the number of books in any additional orders made throughout the year. This number is multiplied by .90 to determine how many student and/or answer books the district should have used and returned for scoring to avoid charges. Excessive materials charges apply if the total number of scannable student and answer books received for scoring is less than 90% of materials ordered throughout the test administration year. This calculation will be computed separately for braille books.
Note that the kindergarten through grade two (K–2) scannable books are much larger than the grades three through twelve (3–12) books, and therefore have a higher Excessive Materials charge.
The following chart shows the charge per item by grade span for the 2009–10 Edition.
| Item | Excessive Materials Charge |
|---|---|
| Student Books (grades K–2) | $3.42 per item* |
| Answer Books (grades 3–12) | $1.88 per item |
| Braille Package (all grade spans) | $92.14 per package |
*Note that at grades K and 1, an item is equivalent to both the Reading and Writing Student Book and the Listening and Speaking Student Book.
The following examples show how Excessive Materials charges are calculated based on differing order quantities and percentages of materials used by a district for the 2009–10 Edition.
| Grades K–2 | Grades 3–12 | Braille | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Order (spring 2009) | 50 | 120 | 2 |
| Additional Order on 9/18/09 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Additional Order on 2/5/10 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Total Order: | 60 | 150 | 2 |
| Required 90% of Order Returned for Scoring |
54 | 135 | 2 |
| Actual Documents Returned for Scoring |
50 | 126 | 1 |
| Difference: | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| Difference Multiplied by Charge | (4 X $3.42) = $13.68 | (9 X $1.88) = $16.92 | $92.14 |
| Total Charge: | $122.74 | ||
| Grades K–2 | Grades 3–12 | Braille | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Order (spring 2009) | 50 | 120 | 0 |
| Additional Order on 9/18/09 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Additional Order on 2/5/10 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Total Order: | 60 | 150 | 0 |
| Required 90% of Order Returned for Scoring |
54 | 135 | 0 |
| Actual Documents Returned for Scoring |
55 | 135 | 0 |
| Difference: | -1 | 0 | 0 |
| Difference Multiplied by Charge | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Charge: | $0 | ||
| Grades K–2 | Grades 3–12 | Braille | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Order (spring 2009) | 50 | 120 | 0 |
| Shortage of Grade 2 Material Reported on 7/18/09 | (4)* | 0 | 0 |
| Overage of Grade K–1 Reported on 7/18/09 | (4)* | 0 | 0 |
| Total Order: | 50 | 120 | 0 |
| Required 90% of Order Returned for Scoring |
45 | 108 | 0 |
| Actual Documents Returned for Scoring |
45 | 108 | 0 |
| Difference: | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Difference Multiplied by Charge | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total Charge: | $0 | ||
* Grade 2 items shipped to district with no impact on Excessive Materials Charges.
** Grade K–1 items picked-up by Educational Data Systems with no impact on Excessive
Materials Charges.
When will my district be notified if we have a charge?
During the month of September 2010, Educational Data Systems will calculate the excessive materials charges for the 2009–10 Edition and send an invoice via e-mail. If you do not have any Excessive Materials charges, you will not receive an invoice or other Excessive Materials communications.
Will I receive a bill in the mail?
Invoices are sent by e-mail. If more documentation is needed, Educational Data Systems will supply a hard copy invoice upon request from the district. Hard copy requests should be made within five days of the receipt of the e-mail. Send requests in writing to Educational Data Systems via e-mail to support@celdt.org.
How can I pay this charge?
Educational Data Systems accepts district-issued checks. We cannot accept credit cards at this time.
Where do I send the check for payment?
The information related to payment will be contained in the e-mail, but checks may be mailed to the following address:
Educational Data Systems
c/o: Accounting Department
P.O. Box 225
Santa Clara, CA 95052-0225
What if my district wants to dispute the charges?
If you do not agree with our calculations please provide an explanation in writing. Educational Data Systems will review the dispute and respond to the district in writing.
Why are there different charges?
The grades K–2 student books are notably more expensive to print and ship than the grades 3–12 test and answer books. With this differential pricing, high school districts are not penalized for the higher cost of the larger K–2 books. Additionally, the braille books and their components are significantly more expensive to produce. If these materials are not used by the district after ordering, the costs for reproduction must be recouped.
What do I do if I have charges from the 2008–09 Edition or before?
Excessive materials charges from the 2008–09 Edition and prior must be resolved with the previous contractor, CTB/McGraw-Hill.
Any additional questions related to 2009–10 Edition excessive materials calculations or charges may be directed to the CELDT Customer Support Center by phone at 866-850-1039 or by e-mail at support@celdt.org.
