CAASPP Communication: December 2025

Email Update, December 2, 2025

This communication includes information and updates about CAASPP.

Notice

2024–25 CSA Results Release

Results for the 2024–25 California Spanish Assessment (CSA) student score data files and Student Score Reports (SSRs) will be available in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS) in December.

Following the TOMS release, the aggregate results will be available on the Test Results for California’s Assessments website, to complete the release of all 2024–25 results.

Test Security

TOMS Account Policies and Best Practices

All LEA staff should be made aware of and adhere to the following policies and best practices for accessing TOMS:

• Only LEA staff can be granted a TOMS user account.
  • All TOMS user roles must sign a security affidavit. Site coordinators and LEA coordinators must also sign a security agreement. (Refer to the Overview of TOMS User Roles section of the TOMS User Guide for additional information.)
  • Non-TOMS users with access to test materials must sign the 2025–26 CAASPP Test Security Affidavit for Non-TOMS Users .
• TOMS accounts must not be shared. Only one user should be given the logon credentials for a single TOMS account.
• TOMS accounts must have a first name, last name, and telephone number associated with the staff member to whom the account is granted. Group or fictitious names are not permitted (for example, “CAASPP Tester”).
• TOMS account logon credentials should not be saved or stored on devices.
• LEAs are advised to be cautious when assigning site-based roles (for example, Site Coordinator, Educator - Test Site), as these roles grant access to all interim and summative assessment results for an entire school; results can include personally identifiable student information. TOMS user role assignment should align with privacy laws and local policies.
• The Sample Interim Assessment Test Security Agreement is available on the Test Security web page. Although a test security agreement is not required by the state for interim assessments, this form may be used at the discretion of the LEA and may be modified as needed for local use.

Reminders

Accessibility Resources

The following content is available to assist in making decisions about assigning student accessibility resources:

• California Assessment Accessibility Resources Matrix
• Accessibility Resource Graphics web page
• Accessibility Guide
• Test Settings subsection of the TOMS User Guide
• CAASPP Student Needs Matching Tool - CAASPP (CA Dept of Education)
• Individual Student Assessment Accessibility Profile (ISAAP) Tool

Accessibility resources should be assigned to a student on the basis of individual need, as determined by the student’s educational team.

FedEx Replaces UPS for PPT Deliveries and Returns

FedEx will be the new carrier for paper–pencil test deliveries and returns. PPT materials include special version braille and large-print assessments. A new returns portal will be live in December. Complete return instructions will be included with orders for PPT materials. Other changes for PPT orders include the following:

• PPTs sent to the LEA will be bundled in packs of 5 instead of 10.
• Smarter Balanced and California Science Test (CAST) PPTs will use the portal to generate return labels instead of including preprinted labels with the order.
• Materials will be returned to North Carolina instead of New Jersey.

Required Trainings

Completion of all CAASPP test administration training is mandatory to ensure accurate and appropriate test administration and scoring. CAASPP test administrators and CAASPP test examiners must complete the security affidavit in TOMS prior to administering summative assessments.

CAASPP test administrators have three options for training:

1. The CAASPP Test Administrator Tutorial available through the Moodle Training Site (Moodle) in December
2. Local training using the CAASPP Test Administrator Training Deck and Resource Guide
3. Local training using information located on the CAASPP & ELPAC Website

CAASPP test examiners are required to complete the CAASPP Test Examiner Tutorial for the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science. The tutorial is available through Moodle now.

LEA CAASPP coordinators will receive training through the Pretest Virtual Training Series in December.

Note that in addition to any of the listed training options, local training policies and procedures must be followed.

Visit the Test Administration Trainings and Tutorials web page for a complete list of required trainings and deadlines.

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.

December 9: Coffee Session, 2–3 p.m.

The 2025–26 virtual monthly Coffee Sessions, hosted by the California Department of Education (CDE) and ETS, offer opportunities for LEA staff to ask questions and get answers about assessments, trainings, resources, and more. LEA coordinators are recommended to register annually on the Coffee Session Series registration web page. By registering once, you will be eligible to attend all upcoming sessions.

December 10: Pretest Virtual Training Series, 2–4 p.m.

The Pretest Virtual Training Series will provide LEA CAASPP coordinators information about changes and updates to CAASPP testing for the 2025–26 test administration year. Registration is now open for both Pretest Virtual Training sessions.

December 11: New Coordinator Training Webinar #8, 3–4 p.m.

The eighth session in the New Coordinator Training Webinar series will continue its focus on preparing LEA CAASPP coordinators and LEA ELPAC coordinators for testing.

Register now for the 2025–26 New Coordinator Training Webinar Series.

January 2026 Site Administrator Assessment Convenings

Please encourage site administrators to attend one of the January 2026 Site Administrator Assessment Convenings. These convenings will provide site administrators with the opportunity to learn about assessment resources offered by the California Department of Education, ask questions, and share topic-related ideas with other site administrators throughout the state. January’s convenings will focus on how educators can be supported in identifying accessibility resources for their students on the CAASPP and ELPAC, formative assessment resource updates, and upcoming training opportunities to help support LEA staff at the site level. Registration is required.

Register now for the January 2026 Site Administrator Assessment Convenings.

January and February 2026: Formative Assessment Shared Practices Webinar Series

This CDE-hosted webinar series will consist of three independent webinars featuring California teachers and administrators sharing local formative assessment practices. Each webinar will focus on a different set of resources on the Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers website, including formative assessment and accessibility strategies, instructional resources for science, and professional learning resources for English language development. Teachers and administrators are encouraged to attend! Registration for the Formative Assessment Shared Practices Webinar Series is required.

Educator Meeting Opportunities

It is not too late to help shape the future of California’s assessments!

Apply now for the CAST Range Finding Meeting:

• Complete approximately one hour of training on March 19, 2026, 4–5 p.m.
• Score assigned prompts during the scoring window (March 20–25, 2026) and attend the virtual score discrepancy meeting in early April 2026.

This application closes on December 3, 2025.

The opportunity to participate in the CAAs for ELA and Mathematics Item Review Meeting, to be held March 25–26 and April 1–2, 2026 (after-school hours), is still available. This application closes on December 2, 2025.

Other opportunities for the CAA for Science and the CSA are also available.

To apply for educator meetings, go to the Educator Opportunities Portal. 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.

More information is available on the Get Involved web page.

Available Now!

On-Demand Trainings and Recordings

Recordings of the following trainings are now available on the Upcoming and On-Demand Trainings web page:

• November Coffee Session
• Lexile Framework for Reading
• Quantile Measures for Mathematics

Previous CAASPP Monthly Communications

Previous CAASPP monthly communications, as well as other email communications, are located on the Coordinator Emails web page.

Additional Help

• 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