Assessment Spotlight, Issue 372

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 .

Discover the Power of the California Educator Reporting System

The California Educator Reporting System (CERS) provides access to student assessment results that can help educators understand student performance, identify learning needs, and inform instruction. Whether reviewing 2025–26 summative assessment results or exploring interim assessment data to prepare for the new school year, there are trainings and resources available to help you learn more about the different functions and features of CERS.

Choose the learning options that work best for you:

• CERS Essentials Training Series —Register for live one-hour virtual trainings to participate in free, instructor-led sessions. Bring a colleague with you to see CERS features in action, ask questions, and gain practical tips for using assessment data.
• Introduction to CERS Microlearning Videos —Learn at your own pace with short videos that demonstrate how to access, navigate, and use CERS. There is a video series available for teachers and another series for test coordinators and administrators.

In addition to these CERS trainings, resources such as Quick Reference Guides and the CERS User Guide are available to help you use the system with confidence throughout the school year.

Updating Systems for the 2026–27 Interim Assessments

To prepare for the 2026–27 interim assessments, CAASPP and ELPAC systems will be updated from Friday, July 31, at 5 p.m. to Tuesday, August 4, at 8 a.m. During this time, CAASPP and ELPAC interim assessments will be unavailable for administration, local scoring, and viewing in the following systems:

• Data Entry Interface
• Interim Assessment Viewing System
• Teacher Hand Scoring System
• Test Delivery System

The interim assessments, along with other CAASPP and ELPAC components, will become available for the 2026–27 test administration when system updates are completed, at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

Physical Fitness Test

In June 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officially reinstated the Presidential Fitness Test. Beginning this fall, schools will be encouraged—but not required—to administer the Presidential Fitness Test. Schools may administer the Presidential Fitness Test in addition to the Physical Fitness Test which remains required per California Education Code Section 60800. For additional information on the Presidential Fitness Test, visit Getactive.gov/kids .

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.