Assessment Spotlight, Issue 341

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 .

Educators Needed for Smarter Balanced Item Review

Smarter Balanced is recruiting educators to participate in the Math Item Review for the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments! This virtual event, hosted by Smarter Balanced, will be held October 27‒30, 2025. During the Math Item Review, educators will take part in a synchronous virtual review of pre-field test items (test questions), evaluating them for content accuracy, fairness, and accessibility. Smarter Balanced item quality criteria will be shared with reviewers at the start of the meeting.

If you or educators at your site or local educational agency (LEA) are interested in participating in this or future item review events, please apply through the Smarter Balanced Educator Recruitment web page.

Charter School Assessment Coordinator Network

Join us on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 9:30‒11 a.m. for the next virtual Charter School Assessment Coordinator Network meeting. These quarterly meetings provide assessment updates, best practices, and networking opportunities for charter school coordinators and administrators.

Register now for the next meeting on Zoom as space is limited.

California Spanish Assessment Updates

We are excited to announce that in September 2025, the California State Board of Education (SBE) approved threshold scores for the California Spanish Assessment (CSA), beginning with the 2024–25 administration. This approval includes the expansion of the writing constructed response items for all grades and the speaking items for the high school grade band. Please note that the 2024–25 scores should not be compared to any previous administration scores due to changes in the blueprint.

Additionally, the SBE approved the overall level 3 on the high school CSA as one way to meet, in part, the State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) requirements. The SSB recognizes high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing one or more languages in addition to English. Students may meet this threshold in grade 9, 10, 11, or 12. Students at Level 3 on the CSA demonstrate a high degree of grade-appropriate Spanish literacy in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and are on track for being literate in Spanish by high school graduation. Next steps include submitting updated language to include the CSA as an option to meet the SSB per Education Code 51461(a)(2)(A).

October’s Featured Tools for Teachers Resource

Teacher training leaders—do your teachers know about the variety of formative assessment resources available on the Smarter Balanced Tools for Teachers website? One of the best ways to promote awareness is by giving teachers time to explore the website, and this month’s featured resource, Understanding Tools for Teachers (account required), helps with that. This is a professional learning lesson a training facilitator can use to introduce the Tools for Teachers website to educators, with the following free formative assessment resources designed to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom:

• Instructional resources for English language arts/literacy (ELA), science, and math
• Formative assessment strategies
• Accessibility strategies
• Interim assessment connections playlists for ELA and math
• Professional learning resources to support educator understanding of interim assessments, ELPAC, and more

The lesson includes step-by-step directions for leading a group of educators through formative assessment activities like Entrance Ticket, Jigsaw, and Fist to Five—strategies that support participants’ learning about the different Tools for Teachers features by activating background knowledge, assessing understanding, and providing engagement opportunities. In addition, two short videos with a video guide are provided with guiding questions to help educators reflect on how they can use the resources during daily instruction.

To access this and other Tools for Teachers resources, LEA staff need an account, which can be obtained either through self-registration, described in the How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers flyer (PDF), or through their LEA CAASPP or LEA ELPAC coordinator.

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 California Department of Education Assessment Spotlight web page.