What is the CAASPP Test?

What is CAASPP?

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, popularly known as the CAASPP, is the state’s new academic testing program, which has replaced the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. The CAASPP is a system of assessments created to provide information used to monitor the progress of the student and ensure that all students are ready for college and career when they leave high school. It also measures student progress in different subjects and helps teachers monitor the needs and successes of individual students as they progress toward mastery of the state adopted standards.

Its primary purpose is to help teachers, administrators, students, and parents promote high-quality teaching and learning by using a variety of assessment approaches and item types. The CAASPP includes computer-based tests in English-language arts and mathematics as well as paper-best tests for science. The CAASPP comprises of the following assessments:

Candidates targeting this certification can strengthen their exam readiness with our STAR practice test 2026, which covers the key content areas and question formats tested in the official exam.

• Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)
• California Alternate Assessments (CAA)
• California Science Tests (CAST)
• California Spanish Assessment (CSA)

What does CAASPP stand for?

Getting Started with CAASPP Test

To reiterate, CAASPP stands for the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. A system of assessments that help instructors, administrators, students, and families by the use of a collection of approaches and resources by promoting high-quality education and learning.

What are the tests under the CAASPP System of Assessments?

California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) was developed in 2014 and substituted the STAR program. CAASPP consists of multiple types of assessments conducted at different grade levels for various topics. Some of the areas covered by these tests include English Language Assessment (ELA), Mathematics, Science, and Spanish.

Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC)

The Smarter Balanced Assessment system is a standardized test consortium, which is aligned to Common Core State Standards. It is a legitimate, equitable, and accurate student evaluation methodology delivering meaningful results to educators, students, and parents with substantive data to assist students in succeeding. It is administered to students from grade 3 to grade 8 and Grade 11. There are three main components, all of which are intended to improve teaching and learning.

• Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments
• Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments
• Smarter Balanced Formative Assessments.

California Alternate Assessment (CAA)

The CAA covers English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics for grades 3-8 and 11. Its purpose is to test what students are capable of and what they can do. These activities help identify and resolve early knowledge gaps or expertise to provide support for students.

California Science Test (CAST)

The CAST is a two-stage adaptive assessment based on the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). It is given to students as they reach the end of Grade 12, although there is a chance to be tested at Grade 10 or Grade 11.

California Spanish Assessment (CSA)

The CSA is an online examination based on the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS) en Español. This measures students' proficiency in Spanish language arts in grades 3–8 and 11 and offers student-level data on Spanish proficiency. It also measures the implementation of Spanish language arts programs at the community level and offers a secondary school test appropriate for the use, in part, of the State Seal of Biliteracy.

How important is CAASPP testing?

Since CAASPP assessments are conducted nationally, they provide an opportunity to assess the abilities of all students against the same educational standards in the same way, and the CAASPP test results provide knowledge that schools can use to enhance teaching and learning. Moreover, the CAASPP results go to colleges, which means they will know your scores.

CAASPP Testing Window, Exam Duration, and Format

Usually, the CAASPP testing window opens in early April 2026 but can be opened as early as the second Tuesday of January, given that 66% of the school year has been completed successfully. The testing window is 25 days.

SBAC for both ELA and Mathematics takes approximately 7 to 8 hours of testing time for each student. Students who have been enrolled in the U.S. for 12 months are excluded from taking SBAC (Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments). The SBAC assessment is categorized into two sections: the Computer Adaptive and the Performance Task. The test format consists mostly of technical improvement, selected response and constructed response items, which require students to use their reasoning ability and apply actual-life situations.

The CAST is a computer-based exam consisting of stand-alone questions and two or three performance tasks. Performance tasks require students to answer a number of related questions. Testing will take about two hours to complete. The CSA is a computer-based evaluation consisting of stand-alone questions. The average examination time for the CSA is between 1.5 and 2 hours, depending on the grade level of the student.

CAASPP Grades and CAASPP Scoring Guide

In accordance with the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 863(a) and (b), the Student Score Reports should be distributed to the parent or guardian of each child within 20 days from the date of the report by the local education agency (LEA).

The scoring system of the CAASPP is determined using scaled scores. The student achievement or performance level is determined on the basis of scale scores for all exams. Each grade level and subject area of the Smarter Balanced Assessment, California Alternate Assessments (CAAs), California Science Test (CAST), and California Spanish Assessment (CSA) have its own scale score set. Student ratings are classified into performance indicator categories:

• SBAC

• • Standard not met
  • Standard nearly met
  • Standard met
  • Standard exceeded
  • CAA and CAST
  • • Level 1
    • Level 2
    • Level 3

    To get a good grasp of how the CAASPP scores are interpreted, you may refer to the tables of CAASPP score range for SBAC and CAAs below:

    Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments Scale Score Ranges

California Alternate Assessments Scale Score Ranges

CAASPP Prep Guide and Test-Taking Strategies

Although your grasp of high school topics will mostly come out of your years of study, it doesn't hurt to note what the CAASPP assessments would cover and what kind of questions you might be asked about. 

It is no secret that adequate training is one of the major contributing factors that every test-takers should never neglect while carrying out an assessment. If you want to do well on the CAASPP, it is crucial that you figure out ways to improve your training before the test day.

To help you learn a few of the techniques you could use in the assessments, we've gathered the most effective methods below for your reference:

To optimize your preparation, you must give it your best shot to practice frequently. Utilize the many available CAASPP practice test materials and study guides for a surefire success and way of getting prepared for the test day. You can make use of the online practice and training on the CAASPP portal at www.caaspp.org/practice-and-training/. Or utilize these alternatives:

• CAASPP practice questions
• CAASPP org practice test
• CAASPP practice test pdf
• CAASPP practice tests printable
• CAASPP org practice
• CAASPP practice math test
• CAASPP practice test 2026
• Smarter Balanced practice test CAASPP 
• CAASPP org practice and training test
• CAASPP org practice SBAC test prep
• CAASPP student practice test

Eat a healthy breakfast

Don’t ever try taking a test with an empty stomach. For your CAASPP, be sure to eat a healthy breakfast filled with protein and healthy carbohydrates. Skip sugary or processed food.

Get enough rest

Studying for hours or days will be useless if your body is tired. Before your test day, be sure to have enough time to rest, focus, stay calm, and be confident. 

Arrive early and prepared

Before the test day, get everything ready and organized. This way, you wouldn’t have to panic or worry about things being forgotten. Do yourself a favor by arriving at the testing area early so you will have more time to review your notes, flashcards, or any other prep materials before the test starts. Furthermore, you can also use this time to clear your mind, be calm, and mentally prepare yourself.

Relax

When taking the exam, make sure to stay confident, calm, and relaxed. Never let stress or anxiety rule over you. Take a few deep breaths and resume to the test. This way, you can be confident about the outcome of your exam.

Ignore distractions

When taking the CAASPP exams, stay focused, and alert. Don’t mind the other test-takers if they finish before you. Make use of the time allotted for the test and double-check your answers before submitting it.

Make a guess

If you encounter a difficult question and you don’t know the answer, you can skip it and get back to it later or make a scholarly guess. Eliminate obviously wrong choices and make a smart guess from the remaining choices.