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
.
K–2 Educator Involvement Opportunity for English Language Arts and Math Resource Development
Smarter Balanced will soon begin developing English language arts and math lesson plans for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade (K–2). All lesson plans will include formative assessment and accessibility strategies and will be available on the Tools for Teachers website.
The California Department of Education (CDE) is looking for California K–2 teachers to assist in the development of these new resources—specifically, current K–2 classroom teachers with strong expertise in grade-level expectations and experience supporting the unique needs of young learners. Compensation will be provided upon resource publication. For further details, or to submit the name of a K–2 teacher for consideration, please contact Tammy Saldaña at tsaldana@cde.ca.gov by January 31, 2026.
Reminder to Register for the 2025–26 Formative Assessment Shared Practices Webinar Series
Reserve your spot to attend the kick-off of the CDE hosted Formative Assessment Shared Practices Webinar Series on January 29, 2026. Join the CDE to hear from teachers, principals, and district administrators as they share how they are promoting and using formative assessment to support teaching and learning for all students. Please join us and encourage your local educators to attend. Each webinar in this series will be an excellent professional learning opportunity for administrator and teacher teams to watch together. Register now for the Practices Webinar Series
. The three webinars in this series are:
- Flexible by Design: Formative and Accessibility Strategies for Every Learner
- Thursday, January 29, 2026, 3:30‒5:00 p.m.
- By Teachers, For Teachers: Unlocking Classroom-Ready Science Resources
- Thursday, February 12, 2026, 3:30‒5:00 p.m.
- Professional Learning Resources for Supporting English Learners
- Thursday, February 26, 2026, 3:30‒5:00 p.m.
- Thursday, February 26, 2026, 3:30‒5:00 p.m.
California Educator Reporting System Trainings: Register Now
Registration is open for California Educator Reporting System (CERS) trainings, which will start in February. These CDE sponsored trainings have been updated for the 2025–26 school year and will support teachers and administrators in understanding CERS features and accessing information to support teaching and learning. Register now for CERS—Beyond the Basics
and Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS
trainings.
Authentic Tasks for Learning and Assessment in Science Task Bank Launch
The CDE and the Los Angeles County Office of Education are excited to announce that the Authentic Tasks for Learning and Assessment in Science (ATLAS) bank is now available! ATLAS bank is a user-friendly, online resource offering over 1,300 science lessons for grades K–12 that are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Each task is designed to support authentic science inquiry and performance assessment. Educators can access the ATLAS bank and register for a free account by visiting the ATLAS website
.
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.