English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments

Understanding Smarter Balanced English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics Summary Reports

Test Results Definitions

Number Enrolled—A count of students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who were eligible to take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments, by subject (English language arts/literacy or mathematics) in grades 3–8 and grade 11.

*Note: The number enrolled shown in the 2014–15 results includes all students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who were eligible to take any CAASPP test for any subject.

Number Tested—A count of students in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) who were administered the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments, by subject (English language arts/literacy or mathematics). This number excludes students not tested by parent/guardian request, students not tested due to a significant medical emergency, students who only logged into one part of the assessment, 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 with valid scores in the selected entity (i.e., state, county, district, school, or student group) divided by the Number of Tests with Valid Scores. For more information, please visit the Scale Score Ranges page.

CAASPP Reporting Calculations

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

A recently arrived EL is an 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. These students do not need to take the ELA assessment if their enrollment date is after April 15th of the previous year. However, if a recently arrived EL participates in the ELA assessment, they will be included in the calculations on this website.
Any recently arrived EL whose first date of entry into a U.S. school is after April 15 of the year prior to the assessment will not be included in any aggregate CAASPP scoring calculations.

Reporting Achievement Level Descriptors

English Language Arts/Literacy Achievement Level Descriptors

English Language Arts/Literacy Achievement Level Descriptors
Grade	Standard Exceeded (Level 4)	Standard Met (Level 3)	Standard Nearly Met (Level 2)	Standard Not Met (Level 1)
Grades 3–5	The student has exceeded the achievement standard and demonstrates advanced progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in future coursework.	The student has met the achievement standard and demonstrates progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in future coursework.	The student has nearly met the achievement standard and may require further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in future coursework.	The student has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in future coursework.
Grades 6–8	The student has exceeded the achievement standard and demonstrates advanced progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has met the achievement standard and demonstrates progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has nearly met the achievement standard and may require further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.
Grade 11	The student has exceeded the achievement standard and demonstrates the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has met the achievement standard and demonstrates progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after completing high school.	The student has nearly met the achievement standard and may require further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.

Mathematics Achievement Level Descriptors

Mathematics Achievement Level Descriptors
Grade	Standard Exceeded (Level 4)	Standard Met (Level 3)	Standard Nearly Met (Level 2)	Standard Not Met (Level 1)
Grades 3–5	The student has exceeded the achievement standard and demonstrates advanced progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in future coursework.	The student has met the achievement standard and demonstrates progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in future coursework.	The student has nearly met the achievement standard and may require further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in future coursework.	The student has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in future coursework.
Grades 6–8	The student has exceeded the achievement standard and demonstrates advanced progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has met the achievement standard and demonstrates progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has nearly met the achievement standard and may require further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.
Grade 11	The student has exceeded the achievement standard and demonstrates the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has met the achievement standard and demonstrates progress toward mastery of the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has nearly met the achievement standard and may require further development to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.	The student has not met the achievement standard and needs substantial improvement to demonstrate the knowledge and skills in mathematics needed for likely success in entry-level, credit-bearing college coursework after high school.

For more information on Achievement Level Descriptors, please visit the Smarter Balanced Resources web page.

Noteworthy Information About Area Results

Beginning with the 2020–21 administration, California adopted the adjusted-form blueprints for the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and Mathematics. The adjusted-form blueprints reduced the number of questions on each test which, in turn, reduced testing time for students and schools while providing a valid measure of student achievement in ELA and mathematics.
As a result of the fewer number of items on tests using the adjusted-form blueprints, individual area results are reported for groups of 30 or more beginning with the 2020–21 administration.
Composite area results are available for student groups of 11 or more, beginning with the 2023–24 administration. For ELA, the Reading and Listening claims are combined into a single Reading and Listening composite area, while the Writing and Research claims are combined into a single Writing and Research composite area. For mathematics, the Concepts and Procedures claim remains the same while the other three claims are combined into a single Mathematical Practices composite area.

Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments

Area (Claim) Descriptors

These categories were identified by using the distance a student's performance on the questions related to that claim is from the Level 3 "Standard Met" achievement level criterion. The claim achievement category indicates that the score on a claim is one of the following:

If the scale score of a claim is above the "Standard Met" achievement level on the total content-area test, the achievement category for the claim is "Above Standard".
If the scale score of a claim is at or near the "Standard Met" achievement level on the total content-area test, the achievement category for the claim is "Near Standard".
If the scale score of a claim is below the "Standard Met" achievement level on the total content-area test, the achievement category for the claim is "Below Standard".

English Language Arts/Literacy Area Achievement Level Descriptors

English Language Arts/Literacy Area Achievement Level Descriptors
Area	Above Standard	Near Standard	Below Standard
ReadingDemonstrating understanding of literary and non-fictional texts	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to read closely and analytically to understand a range of informational texts (e.g., biographies; articles; and other writing covering disciplines like science, social studies, and technical topics) and literary texts (e.g., stories, plays, poems, and science fiction) of high complexity.	The student demonstrates some ability to read closely and analytically to understand a range of informational texts (e.g., biographies; articles; and other writing covering disciplines like science, social studies, and technical topics) and literary texts (e.g., stories, plays, poems, and science fiction) of moderate complexity.	The student does not yet demonstrate an ability to read closely and analytically to understand a range informational texts (e.g., biographies; articles; and other writing covering disciplines like science, social studies, and technical topics) and literary texts (e.g., stories, plays, poems, and science fiction) of moderate complexity.
WritingProducing clear and purposeful writing	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to produce well-organized, developed, and supported writing (e.g., narrative, informational, explanatory, and argumentative) for different purposes and audiences.	The student demonstrates some ability to produce organized, developed, and supported writing (e.g. narrative, informational, explanatory, and argumentative) for different purposes and audiences.	The student does not yet demonstrate an ability to produce organized, developed, and supported writing (e.g. narrative, informational, explanatory, and opinion) for different purposes and audiences.
ListeningDemonstrating effective communication skills	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to use effective listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences.	The student demonstrates some ability to use effective listening skills for a range of purposes and audiences.	The student does not yet demonstrate the ability to use effective listening skills.
Research/InquiryInvestigating, analyzing, and presenting information	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.	The student demonstrates some ability to engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.	The student does not yet demonstrate the ability to engage in research and inquiry to investigate topics, and to analyze, integrate, and present information.

Mathematics Area Achievement Level Descriptors

Mathematics Area Achievement Level Descriptors
Area	Above Standard	Near Standard	Below Standard
Concepts and ProceduresApplying mathematical concepts and procedures	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to consistently explain and apply mathematical concepts and the ability to interpret and carry out mathematical procedures with ease and accuracy.	The student demonstrates some ability to explain and apply mathematical concepts and the ability to interpret and carry out mathematical procedures with ease and accuracy.	The student does not yet demonstrate the ability to explain and apply mathematical concepts or the ability to interpret and carry out mathematical procedures with ease and accuracy.
Problem Solving/Modeling and Data AnalysisUsing appropriate tools and strategies to solve real world and mathematical problems	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to consistently solve a variety of well-posed mathematics problems by applying his or her knowledge of problem-solving skills and strategies. The student also demonstrates a strong ability to analyze real-world problems, and can build and use mathematical models to interpret and solve problems.	The student demonstrates some ability to solve well-posed mathematics problems by applying his or her knowledge of problem-solving skills and strategies. The student also demonstrates some ability to analyze real-world problems, and can build and use mathematical models to interpret and solve problems.	The student does not yet demonstrate the ability to solve a variety of mathematics problems by applying his or her knowledge of problem-solving skills and strategies. The student does not yet demonstrate the ability to analyze real-world problems, or build and use mathematical models to interpret and solve problems.
Communicating ReasoningDemonstrating ability to support mathematical conclusions	The student demonstrates a thorough ability to clearly and precisely put together valid arguments to support his or her own mathematical thinking or to critique the reasoning of others.	The student demonstrates some ability to clearly and precisely put together valid arguments to support his or her own mathematical thinking or to critique the reasoning of others.	The student does not yet demonstrate the ability to put together valid arguments to support his or her own mathematical thinking or to critique the reasoning of others.