Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

Smarter Balanced Accessibility Resources


The Smarter Balanced Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines web page External link opens in new window or tab. includes many helpful resources to help educators understand Smarter's approach to assessment accessibility and to implement the use of the universal tools, designated supports, accommodations that are available for the Smarter Balanced assessments. Resources on this Web site include policy and research documents, guidelines, and tools for the implementation of assessment accessibility at the school and district levels. For your convenience, links to the most frequently used items are included below:

Accessibility Resources Comparison to Previous YearExternal link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Guidelines for Choosing Text-to-Speech or Read Aloud in Grades 3–5 External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Illustration Glossary: A New Accessibility Resource for Mathematics External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Instructions for Using Embedded Glossaries External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Read Aloud Guidelines External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Read Aloud Guidelines in Spanish External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Scribing Protocol External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Simplified Test Directions Guidelines External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Questions:   California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Office | caaspp@cde.ca.gov | 916-445-8765
Last Reviewed: Monday, February 5, 2024
Recently Posted in Testing