Alternate English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics California Alternate Assessments (CAAs)

California Alternate Assessments Noteworthy Information

• 2019–20 results are not available due to the suspension of testing as a result of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
• Aggregate overall achievement and area achievement results, beginning in 2020–21, will be reported for tested groups of 11 or more with enrolled counts displayed for groups of 4 or more.

California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) Results Definitions

Number Enrolled—A count of students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who are eligible to take the CAAs for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics in grades 3–8, and grade 11.

Number Tested—A count of students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who were administered the CAAs in ELA and mathematics. This number excludes students not tested by parent/guardian request, students not tested due to a significant medical emergency, and students who were assigned to take the test, but did not test.

Number of Tests with Valid Scores—The number of valid scores includes students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who were enrolled during the selected testing window and received a score.

Mean Scale Score—The sum of scale scores for students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) with valid scores divided by the Number of Tests with Valid Scores. For more information, please visit the Scale Score Ranges page.

Note: The percent of students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) at a particular performance level is the sum of the number of students at a particular performance level divided by the total number of students across all performance levels for that entity.

CAASPP Reporting Calculations

For CAASPP public reporting purposes, the exemption date for recently arrived English learners (ELs) is calculated as follows:

• Any recently arrived EL whose first date of entry into a U.S. school, as shown in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS), is after April 15 of the year prior to the assessment, did not need to take the ELA assessment and will not be included in any aggregate CAASPP reporting unless they completed the assessment. However, ELs with an enrollment date that is after April 15 of the year prior to the assessment who chose to participate in the ELA test will be included only in the percent of students tested calculations.

Definitions of Language Fluency Groups

Fluent English proficient and English only (IFEP, RFEP, and EO)—An aggregation of students who have an English Language Acquisition Status of Initial Fluent English Proficient, Reclassified Fluent English Proficient or English Only.

Initial fluent English proficient (IFEP)—A student whose score on the Initial ELPAC determines fluent English proficiency and places the student in mainstream classes. This student does not require English Learner services.

Reclassified fluent English proficient (RFEP)—A student in kindergarten through grade twelve who, upon entering public school in California, is identified as an English learner (EL) and is subsequently reclassified in California as proficient in English.

English learner (EL)—A student in kindergarten through grade twelve whose primary language is a language other than English as indicated on their Home Language Survey and who, upon initial assessment in California, is determined to be eligible for support with English language development based on the results of their initial assessment of English language proficiency.

Adult English learner (ADEL)—A student aged 22 years or older enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 12 who has been identified by a local educational agency as an English learner (EL) through a local process (e.g., Home Language Survey, and/or another local assessment) because the student is not eligible to take the Initial English Language Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC). Adult English learners are not considered English learners for purposes of federal Title III funding or state-level accountability, and are not aggregated to any other English learner groups.

English only (EO)—A student in kindergarten through grade twelve for whom English is reported as the primary language on their Home Language Survey.

Ever-EL—A student who has been designated an English learner (EL) at any point during their enrollment in a U.S. school.

For more information, please visit the Understanding English Learner Achievement in California (PDF) document.

Reporting Performance Level Descriptors