CAASPP Communication: June 2025
Email Update, June 2, 2025
This communication includes information and updates about CAASPP.
Notice
Coordinator How-To Hub Resources for Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS
The 2024–25 summative assessment results for CAASPP (Smarter Balanced ELA, Smarter Balanced mathematics, and CAST) and ELPAC (Summative ELPAC and Summative Alternate ELPAC) have started flowing into CERS. Educators with access to CERS can begin exploring the data now.
To support LEA coordinators in accessing these results in CERS, the Coordinator How-To Hub includes a section under the Late Spring timeframe called Access Summative Assessment Results in CERS. This section provides helpful resources, including quick reference guides and demonstration videos that can be shared with teachers to guide them on how they can access student results in CERS.
As a reminder, CERS provides access to individual summative assessment student results and partial aggregated summative assessment results at the group, school, and LEA levels. Prior to the public release of all summative assessment student results in the fall, aggregated results in CERS are partial and may not reflect final LEA outcomes. These partial results are not appropriate for public release but can be used for the purposes of local planning.
The analysis and scoring processes for the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA, mathematics, and science and the California Spanish Assessment (CSA) are still underway. Results for the CAAs will be available in CERS in early fall 2025, and results for the CSA are expected to be available in early 2026.
Visit the Coordinator How-To Hub to explore these resources.
June 30: 2025–26 Test Administration Year Rollover
The rollover to the 2025–26 test administration year will happen from Monday, June 30, 2025, at 5 p.m. through Monday, July 7, 2025, at 8 a.m., for both CAASPP and ELPAC. LEA CAASPP coordinators should plan on downloading reports and completing the annual rollover preparation.
An email reminder will be sent out soon with details on what to expect and how to prepare for the 2025–26 rollover.
Ensure All Eligible Students Are Tested
LEA coordinators must ensure that all students eligible for CAASPP are tested.
- Section 1111(b)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 requires that state assessments in English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science be administered to all public elementary school and secondary school students in the applicable grade levels.
- In addition, Section 60640 of the California Education Code requires that CAASPP be administered to all pupils, inclusive of pupils enrolled in charter schools. It is important to note, this requirement applies to students enrolled in Non-Public Schools (NPS).
- Ensuring all eligible students are tested is important because test results provide a clear picture of how well students are mastering skills in subjects like ELA, mathematics, science, and Spanish. The results can guide instruction and highlight strengths and areas for improvement. It is also a way to determine how schools are supporting learning overall and helping to improve education across the state.
Complete 2024–25 Interim Assessment Hand Scoring
The 2024–25 interim assessments for ELA and mathematics, the California Science Test (CAST), and ELPAC will remain available until July 31, 2025. During the system update that begins on August 1, 2025, student responses for the interim assessments will be cleared from the Teacher Hand Scoring System (THSS) and will no longer be available for hand scoring.
To ensure that student results from all completed 2024–25 interim assessments appear in the California Educator Reporting System (CERS), all outstanding hand scoring must be completed in the THSS prior to the system downtime on July 31,2025 at 5 p.m. An email will be sent to LEA coordinators in early June with more information regarding the 2025–26 interim assessment rollover.
Upcoming Trainings
To register or locate additional details about upcoming trainings, including dates, times, and content, visit the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page.
June 10: Coffee Session, 2–3 p.m.
Want the latest updates and answers to your assessment questions? Join us for the monthly Coffee Sessions, hosted by the California Department of Education and ETS! Register on the Coffee Session Series registration web page to attend this or any upcoming sessions.
June 11: Scoring and Reporting Webinar, 2–4 p.m.
Register now for the 2024–25 Scoring and Reporting Webinar, covering information about the data available from the 2024–25 CAASPP and ELPAC test administrations, including how results are scored and reported, how to access results, and how to communicate about results.
Data Leadership Training Series
Register Now! This direct virtual training series focuses on making sense of CAASPP data within a culture of data use for system improvement to promote equitable outcomes for students. The training series consists of four sessions that form a coherent learning sequence. Participants can either choose to attend all four or selected sessions.
Training Dates and Focus:
- Tuesday, June 17, 2–3:30 p.m.—Using Summative Assessment Data for Understanding and Improving Systems
- Wednesday, June 18, 2–3:30 p.m.—Creating Conditions for Data-Driven Decision-Making
- Tuesday, June 24, 2–3:30 p.m.—Using Data for Communication and Engagement
- Thursday, June 26, 2–3:30 p.m.—Data Leadership Shared Practice Panel
June 26: New Coordinator Training Webinar #2, 3–4 p.m.
Webinar #2 will focus on managing users. Register now for the 2025–26 New Coordinator Training Webinar Series! This series of webinars throughout the year gives just-in-time information for coordinators. LEA CAASPP coordinators and LEA ELPAC coordinators who have been in their role for less than 12 months or want a refresher on coordinator responsibilities are encouraged to attend.
New Educator Opportunities Available
Do you want to make an impact on the development of state assessments? Share your experience and knowledge by joining remote meetings held periodically throughout the year to assist with test development during engaging, remotely facilitated sessions. We encourage you to share this opportunity with classroom educators who are interested in contributing their expertise.
Come create or update your profile and apply now!
Those without an Educator Opportunities Portal account can create an account via the Educator Opportunities Portal Account Creation Form. For any questions, please contact the Educator Opportunities Team by phone at 916-228-2682 or by email at edopportunities@scoe.net.
Available Now!
On-Demand Trainings
Recordings of the following trainings are now available on the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page:
Ongoing Reminders
Prepare for SSR Electronic Distribution
To Do:
- Ensure connections between the local student information system (SIS) and the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) are active.
- Collaborate with technology personnel as needed.
- Note that this is needed to populate the correct student data in a timely manner for Student Score Reports (SSRs).
- Ensure the reports are properly displayed, parents/guardians can access the report, and parents/guardians can access only scores for their own children.
- Regenerate credentials for the SIS to securely connect to TOMS, if needed.
- The SIS vendor credentials have a 365-day expiration rule.
Resources:
- Refer to the Distributing SSRs chapter in the Scoring and Reporting Guide for information about the LEA’s SSR distribution options.
- Refer to the SSR and Reporting Resources web page for the estimated SSR release dates.
The Importance of Maintaining Test Security
To ensure the validity of all results, it is critical that all staff working with summative assessment materials are trained in test security. In addition, please confirm that all coordinators in charge of submitting Security and Test Administration Incident Reporting System (STAIRS) cases are trained accordingly. You can find more information, videos, and resources on the Test Security web page.
New Materials Tracking Lookup Tool
The Materials Tracking Lookup tool is a new way to quickly and easily look up tracking numbers for special versions of CAASPP and ELPAC paper–pencil tests as well as Smarter Balanced and CAST graphic packages.
Additional Help
Previous CAASPP monthly communications, as well as other email communications, are located on the Coordinator Emails web page.
- Direct questions about policies, regulations, and requirements to caaspp@cde.ca.gov.
- Contact your region’s Success Agent for answers to questions about assessment coordination, development, and administration, as well as for technical support.
- Direct questions about Moodle, certification, and calibration to moodlesupport@scoe.net.
- Get Answers from a user-friendly lookup tool available to help LEA coordinators quickly find answers to the most common testing questions. For further support, visit the Contact Us web page.
Sincerely,
California Outreach Team
CAASPP & ELPAC Website