CAASPP is California's new system of end-of-year state assessments comprised of the Smarter Balanced computerized assessment, the science pilot assessments, and the alternate assessment.

Student Accessibility Resources and Test Settings

The California Department of Education recognizes the validity of assessment results depend on each and every student having the appropriate accessibility support, based on the constructs being measured by a particular assessments.

 

California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP): An indicator of progress toward career and college readiness

California’s new academic standards – the things we want students to know and be able to do – are designed so students graduate ready for college and a career. One way we measure their progress is through computer-based assessments, which students in grades 3-8 and 11 take each spring. These tests were created specifically to gauge each student’s performance in mathematics and English language arts/literacy as they develop – grade by grade – the skills called for by the standards, including the ability to write clearly, think critically and solve problems. Teachers, business leaders and public colleges and universities all support these long-term learning goals, because they reflect what students need to be prepared for the career and college experiences that await them.

Three million students, one common yardstick

Every school is different, and each takes its own approach to teaching, learning and assessing student progress. Results of any test should be considered along with other measures of learning, and in consultation with a student’s teachers. Because CAASPP tests are given statewide, they provide an opportunity to measure the skills of all students against the same academic standards in the same way, and the results provide information schools can use to improve teaching and learning. Given on-line, the tests are computer-adaptive, allowing more precise measurement of individual skills. Parents receive a written report of their child’s scores, and can compare progress from one year to the next.

California's testing system makes improving instruction a priority

No single assessment can provide teachers with all the feedback they need to tailor instruction to meet the needs of their students. California also provides optional interim tests and a digital library of resources for educators to use and monitor student progress throughout the year. And because the questions students answer during these tests require them to demonstrate the abilities they will need to do well in college and the workplace, CAASPP provides schools with models of high-quality instruction. California State Universities and many community colleges consider high marks on these tests among 11th-graders a reliable sign of readiness for college-level work.   

Shifting the focus to students and classrooms requires patience and persistence

California is leading the way in moving from a top-down approach to testing to a system focused on gathering insights about student progress and helping schools put them to use improving teaching and learning. These major changes take time to carry out, and it is important to remember that schools and teachers are still adjusting to new standards and assessments. Our education system has a long way to go, but we are making real progress in creating a system that serves the long-term needs of our students and our state.

 

Video:

 Why Smarter Balanced Assessments are Valuable

The table below contains rough estimates of the time it will take most students to complete the Smarter Balanced assessments. This information is for scheduling purposes only, as the assessments are not timed.

* Classroom Activities are designed to fit into a thirty-minute window; however, the time within the window will vary due to the complexity of the topic and individual student needs.

These guides provide grade band specific information about the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy and mathematics. The guides are organized by grade span to highlight the changes in expectations as students move through the grade levels. They explain how student skills and knowledge are assessed and reported through collecting and scoring evidence. They also provide examples of the range and types of items that appear on the assessments. The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments are part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System.

 

Please visit the CDE Web page for CAASPP Teacher Guides.

 

 

CAST Video

• California Science Test (CAST) and the Next Generation Science Standards

SBAC PowerPoint Presentations:

• Finding Resources in the Digital Library

  • How do I find resources in the library?

  • How do I find the Interactive Modules?

  • How do I mark a resource as a favorite?

• Navigating Resources in the Digital Library

  • What information will I find in the About This Resource tab?

  • How do I write a review for a resource and rate it?

  • How do I share a resource?

  • How do I locate similar resources in the Digital Library?

  • How do I flag an issue with a resource in the Digital Library?

 

 

Click on the links below to navigate to the specified Smarter Balanced resource Web pages.

• Manuals and User Guides

• Online Practice and Training Tests

• Practice Test Calculators and Scoring Guides

• Smarter Assessments: Formative, Interim, & Summative Assessments

Scoring

Schools are expected to receive scores within four weeks of assessment completion.  The Smarter Balanced score sheets allow families to chart student's grade level growth over the years. Score numbers will range from about 2000-3000, with achievement levels from 1-4. Teachers and community members helped set these levels using data from 2014 field tests involving more than 3 million students.

Smarter Balanced is different enough that scores cannot be accurately compared to those of previous state tests, but families may be tempted to compare them anyway, especially if a student's level changes. Remember that scoring shifts are normal whenever more rigorous academic assessments are introduced; teachers and students need time to adjust.  

Please know that these scores will be viewed as one assessment among many that will help our teachers measure student learning and growth. Teachers and school officials will continue to recalibrate expectations. Everyone is working together to ensure student scores are viewed fairly as we continue to grow into this new academic expectation.

Accessibility & Accommodations

There are three levels of accommodations available to students:

• Universal Tools such as calculators, dictionaries, and breaks are available for all students.

• Designated Supports such as translations of directions/glossaries and scribes are available when indicated by a teacher or other adult.

• Accommodations such as ASL, Braille, and read alouds are available only for students with a 504 or an IEP.

For video tutorials please visit the CAASPP Embedded Universal Tools, Designated Supports, and Accommodations Video Tutorials Web page.

Please visit the CAASPP FAQs Web page for additional information.