FAQs

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) is the system of state standardized assessments for California. To meet the requirements of federal laws, California administers standardized summative assessments to students in the following subjects and grades:

• English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics, in grades three through eight and eleven
• Science, in grades five, eight, and once in high school.

The CAASPP also includes the following optional assessments and formative assessment resources:

• California Spanish Assessment—a summative assessment designed to provide students information on their Spanish language arts skills in writing mechanics, listening, and reading;
• Interim Assessments in ELA, mathematics, and science—assessments available to California educators to support teaching and learning throughout the year; and
• Tools for Teachers—a library of instructional resources available to California educators to support classroom-based formative assessment processes

The Smarter Balanced Assessments are part of the CAASPP; they are the state standardized assessments for ELA and mathematics. California is a member of the Smarter Balanced Consortium, which is a group of member states who all administer the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and Mathematics as their state standardized assessments. Similar to all assessments within the CAASPP, the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and Mathematics assess students’ progress toward:

• meeting the rigorous academic standards adopted by the California State Board of Education, and
• developing the critical thinking, analytical writing, and problem-solving skills needed for college and a twenty-first century career readiness.

The first statewide administration of the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments was in spring 2015.

The California Alternate Assessments for ELA, Mathematics, and Science are designed to ensure that all students can participate in assessments that measure what they know and can do in relation to the grade-level academic content standards. Students identified with the most significant cognitive disabilities are eligible for these assessments only if it is designated in their Individualized Education Program.

Each of the assessments within the CAASPP measures what students know and can do in relation to the state academic content standards. The state content standards for ELA and mathematics are the California Common Core Standards for ELA and Mathematics. For science, the state content standards are the Next Generation Science Standards. The California Spanish Assessment is aligned with the Common Core State Standards en Español.

There are a full range of accessibility supports available for all students, including those who are English learners and students with disabilities. These include universal tools, designated supports, accommodations, and unlisted resources. All students who use a universal tool, designated support, or accommodation during testing will receive a valid score. For a full list and description of these supports, please see the CDE’s Student Accessibility Supports web page.

Summative assessment results can provide students, families, and educators a snapshot of student achievement. These results can be used alongside other measures to help understand student performance relative to grade-level expectations. Additionally, schools and districts use summative assessment results to inform their instructional planning, student support, and resources.

Interim and formative assessments are also an important piece of a comprehensive assessment system. While summative assessment results provide a snapshot of what students know and can do at a certain point in time, interim and formative assessments can be used by educators to gather more detailed and timely information about student achievement. This information can be used to adjust instruction and better support student needs during the school year.

Assessment results are only one measure of student learning and should be used with other measures and information in making educational decisions. Parents and guardians are encouraged to speak with their child’s teachers and school regarding specific questions about their child’s learning.

Students in the eleventh grade may choose to opt into the Early Assessment Program (EAP). Students who opt into EAP, choose to have their ELA and mathematics assessment results sent to the California State University (CSU) system and participating California community colleges as one of multiple measures used to determine a student’s readiness for college-level coursework in English and mathematics. CAASPP results are used for purposes of course placement only and are not used for college admissions.

Grade 11 students are encouraged to submit their test results to the CSU by selecting the release button at the end of each CAASPP exam (i.e., for both the ELA and mathematics assessments).

For more information, please see the CDE’s Early Assessment Program web page.

Once enough students in the state have tested so that quality control processes can be completed, scores will be available to local educational agencies (LEAs) within three to four weeks after the test administration to the student. Once LEAs receive the student score reports, they have 20 working days to distribute the reports to parents. If LEAs receive results after the school year has ended, they will have 20 working days to distribute from the start of the new school year, in accordance with Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, Section 863.

Yes. The California Department of Education takes the privacy of student records very seriously.  All student scores and other confidential data are stored securely, monitored against intrusion, and accessible only to those with legitimate educational purposes and credentials.