The CAASPP and ELPAC websites have been redesigned and combined into a single website that can be accessed at www.caaspp-elpac.org. Beginning today and extending through June, a soft launch of the new website provides LEA coordinators early access to become familiar with the new website prior to the 2024–25 administration year. The CAASPP Website and ELPAC Website will remain available for the remainder of the 2023–24 administration, and test administrators and test examiners can continue to use those sites to complete 2023–24 testing. It is at your discretion to determine the best timing to introduce site and school staff to the new website. Webinar To help orient you to the new website, ET...

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. New Resource! Guidance on Diagnostic and Formative Assessments Today, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced the availability of a new resource, "Guidance on Diagnostic and Formative Assessments." This informative document describes how educators can use California's approved assessments to evaluate where students are academically at the start of and throughout the school year. CALPADS and the ELPAC: Changes Beginning July 1, 2020, the California Longi...

Assessment SpotlightFocusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments.Calendar Reminder: CAASPP and ELPAC System Downtime Fast ApproachingVarious CAASPP and ELPAC systems will be unavailable from Wednesday, January 8, at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, January 14, at 8 a.m. for a scheduled downtime. During the downtime, the following CAASPP and ELPAC systems will not be available:Test Operations Management System (TOMS)Test Administrator InterfaceCompletion Status and Roster Management SystemData Entry InterfaceInte...

Dear LEA CAASPP or LEA ELPAC Coordinator: Welcome to the 2019–20 school year! CAASPP and ELPAC systems have resumed operation after they were updated to support 2019–20 CAASPP and ELPAC testing. New Test Operations Management System (TOMS) Interface Both the CAASPP and ELPAC TOMS have transitioned to a new combined TOMS interface. Enhancements and new functionality can be previewed on the System Enhancements web page. Share this information with your site staff to introduce them to the new interface. One notable change is with the credentialing functionality for electronic Student Score Reports (SSRs). It has been updated so that credentials only need to be generated once for the 2019–20 yea...

General ELPAC Information Upcoming TOMS Systems Downtime As part of the transition to the 2019–20 school year, the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) will experience downtime from Tuesday, August 27 at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, September 3, 2019 at 8 a.m. The new Test Operations Management System (TOMS) interface will be available on September 3, 2019. During the downtime, LEAs may administer all domains of the Initial ELPAC except Listening in grades three through twelve. LEAs can administer Speaking—Summarize an Academic Presentation by reading aloud the recorded audio script provided in the Examiner's Manual. The Local Scoring Tool and all audio recorded files will be available in MyT...

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System and English Language Proficiency Assessments of California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California's other statewide assessments. Accessing Individual Student Score Reports in TOMS Local educational agency (LEA) CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators can access, print, or save an individual 2018–19 Student Score Report (SSR) through the Test Operations Management System (TOMS). To download an individual SSR: Log on to TOMS. Search for an individual student. Select the magnifying glass icon in the Actions column. Select the Reporting tab on the Student Profile page. Select the link to the SSR PD...

Dear LEA CAASPP Coordinator or LEA ELPAC Coordinator: Based on feedback from coordinators, the ELPAC Test Operations Management System (TOMS) and CAASPP TOMS have been integrated into a new and improved system, called MyTOMS. The new MyTOMS will be available for the 2019–20 administrations of both CAASPP and ELPAC according to the following schedule: July 8, 2019—ELPAC functions available within MyTOMS September 3, 2019—CAASPP functions available within MyTOMS During this time between July 8 and September 3, 2019, ELPAC TOMS can be accessed by selecting the [TOMS] button on the ELPAC website at https://www.elpac.org/. CAASPP users will continue to access CAASPP TOMS in the current interface,...

Enter your text here ... Dear LEA CAASPP Coordinator: Components of the CAASPP System are released at different times throughout the year. As you set up your local educational agency’s (LEA’s) test administration window and finalize your planning for another successful administration, please keep the following dates in mind: Date Release Milestone September 4, 2018 ·         Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments will be available. September 17, 2018 ·         The California Spanish Assessment (CSA) field test will be available. (Note that the window for the field test closes on October 12...

​​Editor's note:  Below is a communication sent out by the CDE on April 26, 2018 detailing some of the information regarding the transition from paper distribution of CAASPP test scores to the electronic distribution (e.g. secure PDF files sent via email to parents).  The effort is being headed up by CDE and ETS and additional details are available in the CALPADS vendor notes. ​ Dear County and DistrictSuperintendents and Charter School Administrators: CALIFORNIA ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTPERFORMANCE AND PROGRESS TRANSITION TO ELECTRONIC STUDENT SCORE REPORTS In spring 2014, California tookthe bold step of transitioning almost completely from paper assessments toonline assessments with ...

Focusing on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System, including the Smarter Balanced assessments—a major component of CAASPP—and the California Alternate Assessments and science assessments. Accessibility Last month, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium passed eight motions to update the Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines (UAAG). The changes, which apply only to specific CAASPP assessments, are as follows: New universal tools - Embedded thesaurus - Embedded line reader
New designated supports - Non-embedded amplification - Embedded mouse pointer size and color New accommodations - Embedded braille transcript ...

CAASPP Update # 161 - July 6, 2016 Focusing on the CAASPP System, including the Smarter Balanced assessments—a major component of CAASPP—and the California Alternate Assessments and science assessments. Updated Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines The Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines document has been updated for the 2016–17 CAASPP administration. Among the changes are two new resources: - Simplified Test Directions (non-embedded designated support) - 100s Number Table (non-embedded accommodation) In addition, the recommendations on the use of scratch paper (non-embedded universal tool) now include the use of a whiteboard and marker as well as low-te...

Smarter Balanced Content Development Opportunities This Summer! If you are a California educator with the following qualifications, Smarter Balanced wants to hear from you regarding possible participation in content development activities: l Currently certified or licensed to teach English language arts/literacy (ELA) and/or mathematics in a K–12 public school or certified to teach English learners and/or students with disabilities.Currently teaching in a public school or currently employed by a public school, district, or state education entity, including higher education, located within a Smarter Balanced member state.Within the past three years:Have taught ELA and/or mathematics in grades three through eight and/or high school or worked in a classroom content support role, such as a literacy or mathematics coach or district/state content specialist.and/or Have taught students with disabilities and/or English learners in grades three through eight and/or high school or worked in a support role, such as a district/school coordinator or instructional specialist. Educators with specialization in teaching students with visual impairments or who are deaf or hard of hearing are encouraged to apply.Familiarity with part or all of the Common Core State Standards for the content area in which they are interested in working. For ELA item review, educators who have documented expertise in the area of science and/or social science may apply.Some opportunities will have additional preferred experience qualifications. The activities are taking place this summer, beginning in July, and selected educators will participate in a meeting that lasts four or five days. The content development meetings are as follows: Data review—review of field-tested items for possible content-related issues or accessibility-related issuesItem review—review of items before their being field-testedInterim assessment block/Digital Library connections—development of resources to connect the Digital Library with interim assessment blocks Apply by e-mailing Dixie Abbott, California Educator Involvement Coordinator, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to request an application. Completed applications must be returned by May 20, 2016. An FAQ document can be requested by e-mail as well. Smarter Balanced and respective contractors will make the final selection of educators to serve from each member state. The goal of that selection will be to have a balance of geographic regions, grade levels, years of experience, and other demographic data. Lodging, travel costs, and applicable reimbursements to each selected participant will be provided following the meeting and may include substitute reimbursement defined by local policy. New This Week! Parent Resources for Understanding the Student Score Report The video “Understanding the CAASPP Student Score Report 2015–16,” which explains how to interpret student results and highlights the new features found in the report, is now available in English. It is located on the California Department of Education (CDE) CAASPP Student Score Report Information Web page. The Spanish version of the video is coming soon. A CAASPP document, Understanding Your Student Score Report, is now available in English for each of the following on the Understanding the CAASPP Student Score Reports Web page: Grade three (ELA and mathematics)Grades four, six, and seven (ELA and mathematics) Grades five and eight (ELA, mathematics, and science) Grade ten (science)...