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SDLA Compliance Resource

Provide Annual Statewide-Testing Notice to Parents and Guardians

A yearly communication control that explains the assessments pupils may take and clearly includes the parent or guardian right to submit a written CAASPP exemption request.

  • CAASPP
  • Parent Notice
  • Assessment Rights
Date(s) Annually, on the LEA’s locally scheduled timeline and early enough to inform families before statewide testing
Applies to California LEAs administering statewide assessments to enrolled pupils, with notice tailored to the assessments and grades applicable locally

In Plain Language: Tell parents and guardians, in writing and before testing, which statewide assessments may apply to their children. The annual notice must also explain the California right to submit a written request excusing a pupil from any or all parts of CAASPP. A testing-schedule letter that omits the exemption right does not complete the annual-notice obligation.

Why this matters

Families need enough information to understand the purpose, timing, and expected participation for statewide testing—and to exercise the rights California law provides. A clear annual notice also reduces inconsistent explanations at school sites and helps staff distinguish an information request from a legally effective exemption request.

Primary ownership

Primary owner: LEA CAASPP coordinator. Partners: superintendent or charter administrator, school test coordinators, principals, communications, enrollment/SIS staff, special education and alternate-assessment leads, language-access staff, family liaisons, and records staff.

From CDE template to an annual testing notice with exemption rights: the SDLA ITO workflow

The notice and a parent's written exemption request are separate records and stay that way. This SDLA ITO (Input, Transformation, Output) graphic shows how the current assessments, grades and windows, and the CDE template become the final notice, the distribution evidence, and the separate exemption-request log.

SDLA ITO: eleven steps from the current assessments, grades and windows, and the CDE template, through preparing the notice, tailoring it, distributing it, and routing written requests, to the final notice, the distribution evidence, and the separate exemption-request log.
Read down each column, then move to the next: Input identifies what to collect; Transformation covers preparing the notice, tailoring it, distributing it, and routing written requests; Output covers the final notice, the distribution evidence, and the separate exemption-request log. Distribute annually, early enough to inform families before statewide testing.

Open the full-size workflow graphic

Operational workflow

  1. Confirm the current statewide assessments, applicable grades, local testing windows, delivery methods, and CDE notification resources.
  2. Prepare the annual notice using current CDE template language, including the right to request exemption under Education Code section 60615.
  3. Tailor schedules and contacts without weakening or obscuring required rights; prepare accessible formats and translations appropriate to the LEA’s families.
  4. Distribute early enough to inform families before testing and provide a knowledgeable contact for questions.
  5. Retain distribution evidence and route every written exemption request to the designated coordinator for validation, implementation, and documentation.

Two related but separate pathways

LEA prepares annual notice
Families receive testing information and rights
Parent may submit a separate written request
LEA validates and implements the request
Notice and request records are retained separately

Notice content and quality checks

  • Current school year and locally applicable assessments
  • Purpose and anticipated administration timing
  • Clear statement of the written CAASPP exemption right
  • Instructions identifying where a written request should be sent
  • Current LEA or school contact information
  • Accessible format and appropriate language access
  • Consistency across handbook, website, email, and school communications

Evidence to retain

  • Final annual notice for the 2026–27 school year
  • CDE template/version used and local review record
  • Translations and accessibility checks
  • Distribution lists, dates, channels, and delivery evidence
  • Staff instructions for routing questions and written requests
  • Separate exemption-request log and implementation evidence

Official guidance and help

Source review completed August 30, 2026. Verify the current CDE notification template, translations, local assessment schedule, Education Code, regulations, and CAASPP administration instructions before distribution.