CAASPP: 2024–25 Deadline for Test Administration Window Setup

Email Update, September 19, 2024

Dear LEA CAASPP Coordinator:

The deadline for setting up a 2024–25 CAASPP test administration window in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) is December 1, 2024. LEA CAASPP coordinators will not be able to set up a 2024–25 test administration window after the test administration calendar lockdown on December 1, 2024. After this lockdown, LEA CAASPP coordinators will need to contact their assigned Success Agent.

Refer to the TOMS User Guide and the TOMS: Setting Up Your Test Administration Window video for more information and for the steps needed to set up test administration windows.

Schools within an LEA may have varying instructional dates because of multiple tracks, which means an LEA CAASPP coordinator may need to set up more than one test administration window. The test administration window is applicable to the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments, California Science Test (CAST), California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics, and California Spanish Assessment (CSA). Up to six test administration windows can be configured. LEAs must be sure to assign each school to a testing window in TOMS.

The following are considerations when establishing the LEA's test administration window:

• An LEA must set up an instructional calendar in TOMS that includes all noninstructional days before setting up the LEA's test administration window(s).
• A CAASPP testing window must contain at least 25 instructional days. A testing window cannot start sooner than January 14, 2025, except for the CAA for Science.
• The CAA for Science is available from September 17, 2024, through either the final day of the LEA's instructional calendar or June 30, 2025, whichever comes first. The Activate checkbox for the CAA for Science administration window is checked by default and cannot be edited. Administration of the four CAA for Science embedded performance tasks should take place throughout the instructional calendar.
• While the CSA test administration launch date has been moved to March 4, 2025, the test assignment and test administration window setup remain available. The testing window for the CSA will continue to run through the LEA's instructional end date or June 30, 2025, whichever comes first. During test administration setup in TOMS, the Activate checkbox for the CSA is unchecked because the CSA is optional; check this box to add the CSA to the test administration window.
• After setting up the test administration window(s), the LEA coordinator will use the [School Admin Assignment] tab to select the schools to associate with the test administration. This final step is crucial to ensure test administration windows are finalized prior to the lockdown. Quick instructions to assist with the completion of this process are available in the Test Administrations for CAASPP section in the TOMS User Guide. These instructions are also included at the end of this email for easy reference.
• Access to the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and mathematics, the CAAs for ELA and mathematics, and the CAST will open on the first day of the selected testing window. Once the selected testing window has closed, students in the LEA assigned to test during the window will no longer have access to these summative assessments. A testing window cannot be reopened.
• The following TOMS demographic fields will be frozen from receiving CALPADS updates when a student first logs on to a CAASPP or ELPAC summative assessment:
• Grade Assessed
• Date of Birth for Testing
• Primary Language for Testing
• English Language Acquisition Status for Testing
• Special Education for Testing, Primary Disability Code for Testing
• SED for Testing

Note: If a demographic field becomes locked because a student started a CAASPP or ELPAC summative assessment, the LEA CAASPP coordinator or LEA ELPAC coordinator will need to submit a Security and Test Administration Incident Reporting System (STAIRS) case to resolve.

The following are additional reminders of actions to take prior to testing:

• Verify that the primary shipping, secondary shipping, billing, and reporting shipping addresses listed for the LEA are correct in TOMS. To do this, select the [Organizations] tab in the top navigation bar, search for the LEA or entity within the LEA, select the [Addresses] tab, and then select the [Edit] pencil icon. Note that each address must be a physical address; special version materials (braille and large print) cannot be shipped to a post office box.
• Ensure that all student information is up to date and correct in CALPADS.

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