CAASPP Smarter Balanced Assessments

All California public high school students participate in the Grade 11 Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics, part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) system of testing.

The California State University (CSU) approves the assessments as a multiple measure by which admitted first-year students may demonstrate academic preparation for college-level GE English and math.
 

Computer-Adaptive Tests & Performance Tasks

The assessments comprise two components: Computer-adaptive tests (CAT), requiring students to select from banks of available responses to questions that adjust in difficulty according to students' answers; and performance tasks, in which students apply knowledge and reasoning skills to complete a series of tasks with a common theme or problem.
 

Annual Testing Window

The testing window begins after 66% of annual instructional days concludes and may continue (up to and including) the last day of instruction for the academic year. Schools generally schedule testing across two instructional days, separating the CAT and performance tasks.
 

Practice Tests & Resources

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium provides practice tests, downloadable copies of previous years' test questions, and general resources to prepare students for the assessments.  Use the Quick Reference Guide to discover how to start a practice test.
 

Student Score Reports

After testing concludes, students' preliminary results will populate in the Online Reporting System. Schools will subsequently receive printed copies of Student Score Reports four weeks after testing concludes or download via the Test Operations Management System (TOMS). Students will receive printed copies of their Student Score Reports by mail six to eight weeks after testing concludes.

Important: Students must select "Release" in the Release Authorization prompt at the conclusion of the assessments for the CSU to view and apply Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment results toward satisfying first-year course placement standards at the CSU.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Academic Preparation

Students may demonstrate academic preparation for GE English and math by scoring "Standard Exceeded" per subject or "Standard Met" and completing approved year-long college preparatory English and/or math courses with minimum C- grades. Visit Academic Preparation or CAASPP for interpretive test score guides.