Assessment Spotlight, Issue 329

Focusing on the CAASPP System and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California’s other statewide assessments. For questions related to test administration, coordination, and trainings, visit the CAASPP and ELPAC website .

2025 California Assessment Conference – Register Today!

The seventh annual California Assessment Conference (CAC) will take place on November 12–14, 2025, at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, California, with a focus on Assessment in Action: Sharing Strategies to Support Student Learning.

Customize your learning by selecting from over 80 sessions presented by educators from across California and hear from an outstanding keynote speaker, Dr. Robin Avelar La Salle from Orenda Education, who will speak about transforming systems to ensure that all students receive premium education.

For more information and a registration link, visit the CAC website .

ELPAC: Implementing the Home Language Survey in California Schools

The California Department of Education (CDE), Multilingual Support Division, Language Policy and Leadership Office, invites you to an upcoming webinar on the Home Language Survey (HLS). This webinar is designed to inform educators, administrators, school staff, and parents regarding the use and purpose of the HLS for the identification of potential English learners when enrolling in a California school.

Date: Thursday, August 14, 2025

Time: 2–3 p.m.

In this webinar, the presenters will:

• Explain the purpose and use of the HLS in California public schools
• Describe how the HLS requirement is implemented during the enrollment process
• Present HLS implementation best practices by school districts
• Discuss the services and supports English learner students are entitled to receive
• Demonstrate how to access the CDE sample HLS

This webinar is an opportunity to build shared understanding around the foundational role of the HLS in identifying and serving English learners in California.

Register in advance for this webinar .

We hope you will join us and share this opportunity with parents and colleagues in your district, county office, or school site.

For questions, please contact the Language Policy and Leadership Office at LPLO@cde.ca.gov or 916-319-0845.

Reminder: 2025–26 Introduction to CERS Training Starts Soon!

Space is still available for the 2025–26 Introduction to the California Educator Reporting System (CERS) online training. This free training, sponsored by the CDE, is designed to help local educational agency (LEA) staff become familiar with the features and functions of CERS. Two training sessions are available, each tailored to specific educators.

Introduction to CERS for Test Coordinators and Administrators

Register for 2025–26 Introduction to CERS for Test Coordinators and Administrators . This three-hour online training is designed for staff who manage LEA staff access to CERS. This training session will be offered on the following dates:

• August 20, 2025, 8:30–11:30 a.m.
• October 7, 2025, 8:30–11:30 a.m.

Introduction to CERS for Teachers

Register for the 2025–26 Introduction to CERS for Teachers . This two-hour online training is designed for teachers and other LEA staff who have, or will have, access to assessment results in CERS. This training session will be offered on the following dates:

• August 27, 2025, 3:30–5:30 p.m.
• October 9, 2025, 3:30–5:30 p.m.

If you have any questions about the 2025–26 Introduction to CERS trainings, please contact the Sacramento County Office of Education at caaspp@scoe.net.

California Alternate Assessment for Science Administration Planning Materials for 2025–26

The 2025–26 California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science Administration Planning Guides (APGs) and the Preparing for Administration (PDF) document for grades five and eight and high school are now available. The APGs provide the assessed Science Connectors for 2025–26 and include a testing planner to help prepare for the best time to administer the three embedded performance tasks throughout the school year.

Schools are assigned to one of two forms, and all grade levels within a school have the same form assignment. It is important to download the materials associated with the correct form for the administration of the CAA for Science. LEAs can locate their form assignments by school name or county/district/school code on the CAASPP CAA for Science Form Assignments web page .

LEAs should access these guides early to ensure the careful and timely planning of the three embedded performance tasks over the course of the school year. The CAA for Science testing window opens on September 16, 2025.

To receive future CAASPP and ELPAC updates and notifications, subscribe to the CAASPP mailing list by sending a blank email message to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. Are you a new subscriber? For previous Assessment Spotlight issues, visit the CDE Assessment Spotlight web page.