About CAASPP and ELPAC
The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) system consists of the following online summative assessments:
The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) consists of four assessments:
School Type Definitions
Suppression Rules
CAASPP Reporting Student Groups
ELPAC Reporting Student Groups
The CAASPP System
The primary purpose of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System
is to assist teachers, administrators, students, and parents by promoting high-quality teaching and learning through
the use of a variety of assessment approaches and item types. The CAASPP includes the Smarter Balanced assessment system
for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics, the California Science Test (CAST), the California Alternate
Assessments (CAAs) for ELA, mathematics, and science, and the optional California Spanish Assessment (CSA).
Visit the California Department of Education’s California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) web page
or the CAASPP.org website for more information about the CAASPP.
The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and mathematics are an annual measure of what students know and
can do using the Common Core State Standards for English language arts/literacy and mathematics.
The purpose of the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments is to assess student knowledge and skills for
English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics, as well as how much students have improved since the previous year.
These measures help identify and address gaps in knowledge or skills early so students get the support they need for success
in higher grades and for college and career readiness.
All students in grades three through eight and grade eleven take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments
unless a student’s active individualized education program (IEP) designates the California Alternate Assessments.
Visit the California Department of Education’s Smarter Balanced Assessment System web page for more information.
The California Science Test (CAST) measures what students know and can do using the California
Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS), which focus on understanding the scientific concepts found
in the Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences. These standards integrate
Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts to help students
understand how science works in the natural world.
The purposes of the CAST are to assess student knowledge and skills in science, to foster science
education at every grade level, to measure the range and depth of the CA NGSS, and to prepare
students for college and careers.
The CAST is for eligible students in grades five and eight and one time in high school (i.e., grade ten, eleven, or twelve).
The California Department of Education recommends testing high school students when they are enrolled in their
last science course. High schools have the option to test any or all students in grade ten or eleven as long as all
students have been tested by the end of grade twelve.
Visit the California Department of Education’s California Science Test web page for more information.
Designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs)
for ELA, mathematics, and science are an annual measure of what students know and can do using alternate achievement
standards. Known as the Core Content Connectors, these standards are aligned with the Common Core State Standards
for ELA and mathematics, and the Next Generation Science Standards for science.
The purpose of the CAAs is to assess student knowledge and skills in English language arts/literacy, mathematics,
and science while helping to identify and address gaps in knowledge or skills so students get the support they need.
Students are eligible to take the CAAs only if it is indicated in their active individualized education program (IEP).
The CAAs for ELA and mathematics are administered to all eligible students in grades three through eight and grade eleven.
The CAA for science is administered to all eligible students in grades five, eight, and once in high school
(i.e., grade ten, eleven, or twelve).
Visit the California Department of Education’s California Alternate Assessments for ELA and Math web page
or the California Alternate Assessment for Science web page for more information.
The California Spanish Assessment (CSA) measures students’ skills in reading, writing mechanics, and listening
using the Common Core State Standards en Español.
The purpose of the CSA is to measure a student’s competency in Spanish language arts in grades three through eight
and high school in order to provide student-level data in Spanish competency and to provide high school students
with a measure suitable to be used, in part, for the State Seal of Biliteracy. These measures help identify and
address gaps in knowledge or skills for students working towards biliteracy.
Any students in grades three through eight and high school seeking a measure to recognize their
Spanish-specific reading, writing mechanics, and listening skills, regardless of their
current enrollment in Spanish instruction may take the CSA.
Visit the California Department of Education’s California Spanish Assessment web page for more information.
The ELPAC System
The English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) system is used to determine and monitor
the progress of the English language proficiency for students whose primary language is not English.
The ELPAC is aligned with the 2012 California English Language Development Standards and assesses
four domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Visit the California Department of Education’s English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) web page
or the ELPAC.org website for more information about the ELPAC.
The Initial ELPAC is administered to students in kindergarten through grade twelve whose primary language is a language
other than English as indicated on their Home Language Survey. The purpose of the Initial ELPAC is to identify students
as being either an English learner or fluent English proficient. It is administered only once during a student’s initial
enrollment in a California public school. The Initial ELPAC is scored locally, and the results are considered the official score.
A domain exemption may be used if an English learner has a disability that precludes assessment of the student in one or more
domains of the English language proficiency assessment such that there are no appropriate accommodations for the affected domain(s).
This use of a domain exemption(s) must be identified in the student’s individualized educational program (IEP) or Section 504 plan.
For a student to be assigned an Overall score, the student will need to be assessed in all domains to receive a student score report.
Alternate assessments are decided locally and were allowed only for potential
English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities for the 2021–22 administration.
The use of alternate assessment(s) for each domain must be identified in the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan.
Starting in 2022–23, students will need to be administered the Initial Alternate ELPAC.
The Summative ELPAC is administered only to students who have previously been identified as an English learner
based upon the results of the Initial ELPAC. The Summative ELPAC measures how well English learners are progressing
toward English language proficiency.
A domain exemption may be used if an English learner has a disability that precludes assessment of the student
in one or more domains of the English language proficiency assessment such that there are no appropriate
accommodations for the affected domain(s). This use of a domain exemption(s) must be identified in the student’s
individualized educational program (IEP) or Section 504 plan. For a student to be assigned an Overall score,
the student will need to be assessed in at least one domain for both the Oral and Written Language composites of the ELPAC.
Visit the California Department of Education’s
Summative ELPAC Participation and Scoring (PDF) document for more information.
English learners with the most significant cognitive disabilities as determined by the student’s IEP team or
Section 504 plan will take the Alternate ELPAC beginning in 2021–22.
Coming in fall 2023
The Summative Alternate ELPAC is intended only for English learner students who have the most
significant cognitive disabilities and whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) team has
decided that the student should take alternate assessments. The Alternate ELPAC operational
field test in 2021–22 was a census field test, meaning all students who would be eligible
were required to participate in the administration.
Domain exemptions are not allowable for the Alternate ELPAC as this test uses integrated domains
and is administered one on one by a test examiner that is familiar with the student.
Receptive (listening and reading) items and expressive (speaking and writing) items are made
available to students who may respond using their preferred communication modes
(i.e., eye gaze, pointing, augmentative auxiliary communication (AAC) device).
The purpose of the Summative Alternate ELPAC is to provide information on annual student progress
toward ELP and support decisions on student reclassification as fluent English proficient (RFEP).
The ‘All Schools’ school type includes all charters, both direct-funded and locally-funded, and all non-charters. Direct-funded charters are aggregated to themselves in this school type, meaning that a direct-funded charter school is aggregated to a district with the same name as the school.
The ‘Charter Schools’ school type includes only charter schools, both direct-funded and locally-funded. Direct-funded charters are aggregated to their authorizing district in this school type.
The ‘Non-charter Schools’ school type includes only non-charter schools.
Student Enrollment Counts
In order to protect student privacy, data is suppressed when a limited number of student results are available. The following information outlines the conditions in which student results will be suppressed. All suppressed values will be denoted with an asterisk (*).
Enrolled counts will always be displayed if the count is greater than 3. If not, it will be suppressed.
If the tested count is zero, zero will be displayed. If the tested count is 1, 2, or 3, the tested count will be suppressed. If the tested count is greater than 3, the tested count will be displayed.
If the tested with scores count is zero, zero will be displayed. If the tested with scores count is 1, 2, or 3, the tested with scores count will be suppressed. If the tested with scores count is greater than 3, the tested with scores count will be displayed.
Performance Level Tables
When the tested with scores count is zero, the Mean Scale Score and Area Performance Level results will be N/A.
When the tested with scores count is suppressed, the Mean Scale Score and Area Performance Levels results will be suppressed.
When the tested with scores count is greater than 3 but less than 11, the Mean Scale Score and Area Performance Level results will be suppressed.
When the tested with scores count is 11 or greater, the Mean Scale Score and Area Performance Levels results will be displayed.
