CAASPP UPDATE: CAASPP & ELPAC 2019 RESULTS
The California Department of Education (CDE) is transitioning to a paperless delivery of California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) and Summative English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) individual student score reports (SSRs). During the summer months, SSRs were released by the testing vendor on a rolling basis as the assessments were scored. The complete set of 2019 Smarter Balanced and ELPAC student results are in, so now ALL parents/guardians of last year’s test takers may access their children’s score reports electronically through the Infinite Campus Parent application. California Alternate Assessment (CAA) results will be available later in the fall, while California Science Test (CAST) results should become available by January 2020.
- To learn how to access your child’s SSR, visit https://www.pausd.org/infinite-campus/accessing-california-paperless-score-reports.
- To learn more about the CAASPP assessments, visit https://www.pausd.org/explore-pausd/news/caaspp-2019-student-score-reports-available
As of August 20th, the California Department of Education has not finalized its timeline for the public release of 2019 CAASPP or ELPAC school, district, or state data. When available, information will be posted publicly on the following webpage: https://caaspp.cde.ca.gov/.
Statewide Testing
California students take several mandated statewide tests. These tests provide parents/guardians, teachers, and educators with information about how well students are learning and becoming college and career ready. The test results may be used for local, state, and federal accountability purposes.
California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP)
On January 1, 2014, California Education Code Section 60640 established the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System of assessments. The CAASPP System includes the following required assessments which are administered annually in the spring:
- Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments
The Smarter Balanced computer adaptive assessments are aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics tests are administered in grades three through eight and grade eleven to measure whether students are on track to college and career readiness. In grade eleven, results from the ELA and mathematics assessments can be used as an indicator of college readiness.
- California Science Test (CAST)
The computer-based CAST measures students’ achievement of the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS) through the application of their knowledge and skills of the Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts. The CAST is administered to all students in grades five and eight and once in high school (i.e., grade ten, eleven, or twelve).
- California Alternate Assessments (CAAs)
Only eligible students—students whose individualized education program (IEP) identifies the use of alternate assessments—may participate in the administration of the CAAs. Test examiners administer the computer-based CAAs for ELA, mathematics, and science one-on-one to students. Students in grades three through eight and grade eleven will take the CAA for ELA and mathematics. Test items developed for ELA and mathematics are aligned with the CCSS and are based on the Core Content Connectors. Students in grades five and eight and once in high school (i.e., grade ten, eleven, or twelve) will take the CAA for Science. The CAA for Science embedded performance tasks are based on alternate achievement standards derived from the CA NGSS. Students taking the CAA for Science will take three embedded performance tasks in spring 2019.
Pursuant to California Education Code Section 60615, parents/guardians may annually submit to the school a written request to excuse their child from any or all of the CAASPP assessments. We encourage parents to contact the principal’s office with any questions they may have about the assessments or their child’s participation. Parents are notified of their right through the Annual Data Update (ADU) process.
While the district has a broad testing window (March through May), school sites determine their site-specific testing windows. Principals will notify their communities of the testing dates as they are solidified.
English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)
California transitioned from the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) to the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) in 2017–18. The ELPAC is aligned with the 2012 California English Language Development Standards. It consists of two separate English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments: one for the initial identification of students as English learners and the other for the annual summative assessment to identify students’ English language proficiency level and to measure their progress in learning English.
Physical Fitness Test (PFT)
The physical fitness test for students in California schools is the FitnessGram®. The main goal of the test is to help students in starting lifelong habits of regular physical activity. Students in grades five, seven, and nine take the fitness test.
