Alternate Science California Alternate Assessment (CAA)

Understanding California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science Summary Reports

California Alternate Assessment for Science Noteworthy Information

Aggregate overall 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.
All High School Grade—for Science, all tested high school grades (i.e., 10, 11, and 12) from one administration year.

California Alternate Assessment for Science (CAA) 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 CAA for Science in grades 5, 8, and high school (i.e., grade 10, 11, or 12).

Number Tested—A count of students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who were administered the CAA for Science. 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—A count of students tested in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) and responded to enough questions on the test to generate a valid score. Scores that are invalidated are not included in this aggregation.

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 achievement level is the sum of the number of students at a particular achievement level divided by the total number of students across all achievement 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.

Reporting Achievement Level Descriptors

CAA for Science General Achievement Level Descriptors

CAA for Science General Achievement Level Descriptors
Grade	Understanding (Level 3)	Foundational Understanding (Level 2)	Limited Understanding (Level 1)
5, 8 and high school (i.e., 10, 11, or 12)	Students at this level demonstrate understanding of core subject matter in the content area. They are actively working with adapted grade-level content that focuses on the essential knowledge and skills and may need occasional prompts and assistance to complete tasks and activities.	Students at this level demonstrate foundational understanding of core subject matter in the content area when provided with frequent prompts and supports. They are actively working with adapted grade-level content that focuses on the essential knowledge and skills and may frequently need supports to complete tasks and activities.	Students at this level demonstrate limited understanding of adapted grade level content that focuses on much of the basic knowledge and skills, even with extensive supports.

For more information, please visit the CAA Achievement Level Descriptors web page.