Assessment Spotlight, Issue 367

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 .

New Coordinator Training Webinar: Managing Users

Register now for the New Coordinator Training Webinar : Managing Users, on June 18, 2026, from 3 to 4 p.m. This webinar will focus on:

• Understanding coordinator roles and responsibilities
• Assigning roles to other users
• Recognizing required forms for maintaining test security

This webinar is part of a yearlong series that provides just-in-time information for coordinators. These webinars also offer opportunities to ask questions of experienced coordinators.

Audience: Local educational agency (LEA) CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators who have been in their role for less than 12 months or want a refresher on coordinator responsibilities.

Smarter Balanced English Language Arts Passage Review—Apply to Participate!

Smarter Balanced is accepting educator applications to participate in the English Language Arts (ELA) passage review for the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments. This virtual event will be held on July 13‒15, 2026. During the event, educators will review newly selected ELA passages considering content, fairness, and accessibility criteria.

Interested educators can complete the English Language Arts Assessment review application . For additional details about this and other upcoming opportunities, including item writing, item review, and other assessment activities, visit the Smarter Balanced Educator Recruitment web page . Your participation will impact millions of students across the country and is an excellent professional learning opportunity.

June’s Featured Tools for Teachers Resource

Calling all high school math teachers! Help your students strengthen their reasoning skills, build their confidence, and begin to see math as a powerful tool for solving real-world problems with this month’s featured Tools for Teachers resource, Electric vs. Gas Cars: Justify Your Decision (account required). In this lesson, students compare electric and gas vehicles, engage in critical thinking, perform multi-step calculations, and use data displays to justify their conclusions.

The lesson begins with a whole-group discussion to activate prior knowledge and set learning goals. Teachers use formative assessment strategies like Fist to Five to assess students' familiarity with key concepts and guide a discussion on electric vehicles to build context. Using discussion slides and student handouts, teachers model problem-solving strategies, interpret data tables, and help students create clear solution plans. During independent practice, students work in groups, receiving tailored support or challenges as needed. The lesson wraps up with an Exit Ticket for reflection, encouraging students to evaluate their process and celebrate their learning.

To view this and other Tools for Teachers resources, LEA staff need a Tools for Teachers account which they can get through self-registration, described in the flyer How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers (PDF) or by contacting their testing 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.