Assessment Spotlight, Issue 369

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 .

Repeat Session: Initial ELPAC New Coordinator Training Webinar

Register now for the Repeat Session of the May 21 webinar : New Coordinator Training Webinar—Prepping Initial ELPAC on July 21, 2026, 3–4 p.m. This webinar will focus on:

• Understanding the Initial ELPAC process
• Preparing for Initial ELPAC testing
• Understanding the ELPAC requirements for the Administration and Scoring Training
• Identifying key ELPAC tasks

Audience: Local Educational Agency (LEA) CAASPP and ELPAC coordinators who have been in their role for less than 12 months, were designated after the May session, or would like a refresher on coordinator responsibilities. We hope you can join us!

Training Reminder—2026 Interim and Formative Assessment Webinar Series July Sessions

There is still time to register for this summer’s Interim and Formative Assessment Webinar Series, sponsored by the California Department of Education (CDE). The three independent webinars in this series support educators in understanding and using the interim and formative assessment components of the CAASPP and the ELPAC assessment systems to inform teaching and learning.

Webinar 1: Formative Assessment and Tools for Teachers

• Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
• Time: 9–11 a.m.

Webinar 2: CAASPP and ELPAC Interim Assessments

• Date: Friday, July 10, 2026
• Time: 9–11 a.m.

Webinar 3: Educator Panel and Shared Practices

• Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026
• Time: 9–10:30 a.m.

Register now for the 2026 Interim and Formative Assessment Webinar Series summer sessions!

Training Reminder—Interim Assessment Hand Scoring Summer Workshop Series

Space is still available to reserve your spot for the 2026 Interim Assessment Hand Scoring Summer Workshop Series! Join us for this professional learning opportunity, sponsored by the CDE, and engage in conversations with colleagues about the instructional implications of the CAASPP and ELPAC interim assessments. This series consists of five independent online workshops in which participants will use tools and resources available for local hand scoring of the interim assessments. There is one workshop for each of the following content areas:

• English Language Arts/Literacy
• Mathematics
• California Science Test
• ELPAC Speaking
• ELPAC Writing

Register here for the 2026 Interim Assessment Hand Scoring Summer Workshop Series . This workshop series runs July 16–29, 2026, and will be offered only once during the 2026–27 school year.

Systems Downtime Reminder

From Tuesday, June 30, at 5 p.m. to Tuesday, July 7, at 8 a.m., the following CAASPP and ELPAC systems will be unavailable for a scheduled downtime:

• Completion Status System
• Data Entry Interface
• Test Delivery System, including Test Administrator Interface
• Student Interface
• Teacher Hand Scoring System
• Test Operations Management System (TOMS)

After this downtime, only LEA staff who have been assigned TOMS user roles for the 2026–27 test administration will be able to access these systems, and certain data and reports from previous test administrations will not be available.

The CAASPP-ELPAC System Downtime Schedule web page provides a calendar of scheduled downtimes through June 2027.

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.