Assessment Spotlight: CERS Training and ELPAC Listening Professional Learning
New CERS training recordings and upcoming live sessions can help educators use assessment data more effectively, while a facilitated ELPAC resource connects listening-task demands with practical formative assessment strategies.
At a glance
- Recordings and supporting materials are available for the first two 2026–27 CERS Essentials sessions.
- Live CERS sessions on interim assessment data and customized administrator reports are scheduled for October.
- A 45-minute ELPAC professional learning resource models five formative assessment strategies.
- The ELPAC resource requires a free Tools for Teachers account.
CERS Essentials: Recordings Available and New Sessions Ahead
The 2026–27 California Educator Reporting System (CERS) Essentials Training Series offers free, topic-focused virtual sessions for teachers, administrators, and other staff who want to strengthen their use of CERS.
Watch the first two sessions
Recordings, presentation slides, and resource guides are now available for:
Exploring Interim Assessment Data
Explore interim assessments and the CERS features educators can use to review interim assessment data.
Creating Customized Reports
Learn how administrators can create custom aggregate reports and select the report types that best meet local needs.
The series continues through May 2027 with sessions addressing custom student groups, writing extended response scores, and access to summative assessment results.
Professional Learning for the ELPAC Listening Domain
ELPAC Listening Domain Professional Learning: Listen to an Oral Presentation Task Type is a 45-minute facilitated experience designed to deepen educators’ familiarity with ELPAC Interim Assessment resources while modeling effective instructional practices.
Formative assessment in action
Participants experience five strategies that can be carried into professional learning and classroom instruction:
- Entrance Ticket
- KWL Strategy
- Notice/Wonder
- Collaborative discussion
- Exit Ticket
Together, the activities help educators identify the language skills required for proficiency, interpret the listening demands students encounter, and connect assessment evidence to instructional planning.
Tools for Teachers account required
Tools for Teachers is available free of charge to California LEA staff. Staff members can follow the How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers guide or contact their LEA testing coordinator for assistance.
Stay connected
For questions about test administration, coordination, and training, visit the CAASPP and ELPAC website .
Please share this update with educators in your LEA who would benefit from these professional learning opportunities.