CAASPP English Language Summative

Overview

The CAASPP or “Smarter Balanced” assessments are administered to all California students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 11 and measure English Language, Mathematics, and Science.  The Math and ELA tests are comprised of two parts - a computer adapted test and a performance based task.  They are typically administered during the last two months of the school year.  The five separate tests that comprise the SBAC are untimed and require at least two weeks of time at each school to administer correctly.   Results go to the state and are part of the Dashboard, DataQuest, and Ed-Data websites.  Reports can be disaggregated by student disability status, economic status, EL fluency, Ethnicity, and Parent Education Level.  The test is primarily used to evaluate the effectiveness of schools vis-à-vis comparable schools.  The 11th grade tests can also be used for college course placement purposes.

Who it measures:  

All students in Grades 3,4,5,6,7,8,11 unless a student’s IEP indicates they should take the California Alternate Assessment (CAA) instead.  Parents do have the right to “opt-out” of testing via a specific written request, and each of those must be documented correctly in the TOMS system.

What it measures:  

The summative assessments 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 in English language arts/literacy and mathematics, as well as how much students have improved since the previous year (student growth). These measures help identify and address gaps in knowledge or skills early on so students get the support they need for success in higher grades and become ready for college or a career.    Content Standards can be found at this link:  https://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/

Test # 1 English Language Arts Computer Adaptive Test

The first test repeats the cycle of Computer Adaptive Test and Performance Task Test, this time in English Language Arts. The ELA CAT has approximately 35 to 50 questions that requires students to identify the correct answers from predetermined answers, enter their own "open-ended" responses with no answer prompts, and complete matching activities. Again, since there is no predetermined time limit, some students may even take 3 or 4 hours to complete each test.

Test # 2 English Language Arts Performance Task

The second test is a Performance Task (PT) test that requires students to complete a smaller number of more complex questions in response to extended reading selections. Similar to the math PT tests, students will complete this test in greatly varying lengths of time and technology needs and scheduling must be highly planned (and also flexible!) to accommodate the needs of each student.

When is it given?

The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments are administered during the local educational agency’s selected test window. Most schools will test between the start of April and the end of May.   Please note:  The Summative Assessments are UNTIMED, meaning a student can literally take one, two, or even more hours to complete each of the tests.  Site leaders should plan for this by never scheduling two tests on the same day, and creating a secure testing space for the large number of make-up tests required for students taking longer to finish, or for students with poor attendance.

How is the data used?

Students receive an overall “scale” score somewhere between 2114 and 2795 for English language arts/literacy and between 2189 and 2862 in math. (Score ranges vary slightly based on grade level.) These scale scores fall into one of four achievement levels: (4) standard exceeded, (3) standard met, (2) standard nearly met, and (1) standard not met.

Content claims are summary statements about the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate on the assessment related to a particular aspect of the standards. Within each claim area, assessment targets were developed to ensure that item writers and reviewers address the standards, learning progressions, and the Depth of Knowledge levels.

After students take the Smarter Balanced assessments, their results are reported in two primary ways: scaled scores and achievement levels. On this page, you can learn more about scores, as well as how achievement levels were determined and how they are used by educators and parents.

Scaled Scores - A scaled score is the student’s overall numerical score. These scores fall on a continuous scale (from approximately 2000 to 3000) that increases across grade levels. Scaled scores can be used to illustrate students’ current level of achievement and their growth over time. When combined together across a student population, scaled scores can also describe school- and district-level changes in performance, as well as reveal gaps in achievement among different groups of students.

Roster Integration:  

Student Roster list syncs automatically via CALPADS (allow 72 hours).  Student names, grade levels, SSID#’ and program enrollment carry over, but not testing accommodations.  They must be done separately.  The IT and Data teams are responsible for troubleshooting roster issues.

Where is this information stored?  

Test results are stored in the TOMS (Test Operation Management System) and can be downloaded from TOMS and stored in the Illuminate system for long-term storage and use.   The data can also be “pushed” into Mosaic/Data Wall for additional reporting purposes.

To view scores for the students that did not test at your district last year, please follow the steps outlined below.

1. Login into CAASPP TOMS
2. Select Online Reporting System from the left-hand menu
   In the new page, select Retrieve Student Results.
3. Select Search Students from the top menu and use the SSID or the name to search for students.
4. On the Student Search Results page, you may view the scores or print the selected tests to give to the student. If you choose to print the results, you will receive an email with a link to download the PDF.