California students in grades 3–8 and 11 take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments in English language arts and mathematics. Students in grades 5 and 8, and once in high school, take the California Science Test (CAST). This page has free practice sets organized by skill, worked explanations of sample questions, the current testing windows, time estimates, and when score reports arrive.
According to California Department of Education, “a series of three embedded performance tasks administered one-on-one”[1] Practice with the free CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (20 questions with answer explanations).
CAASPP is California's system of statewide tests, run by the California Department of Education. It is a group of tests, not one exam. Which tests a student takes depends on their grade and, for some students, on their IEP.
Schools pick their own testing dates inside the statewide window of January 19 through June 30, 2027. For Smarter Balanced, CAST and the ELA and math CAAs, the local window is at least 25 instructional days. The CAA for Science window runs from September 15, 2026, until the last day of instruction or June 30, 2027, whichever comes first. Schools get results within 3–4 weeks of testing. Parents should get them within 20 days after the school receives them. This page does not cover score scales, achievement levels or retesting rules. For those, check caaspp-elpac.org or the CDE website, or ask your school.
Interactive CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
Facts verified Nov 1, 2026 against California Department of Education. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Facts verified Nov 1, 2026 against California Department of Education. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science) | 3 embedded performance tasks administered one-on-one throughout the year | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Number of questions (California Spanish Assessment (CSA)) | Computer-based linear test | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Number of questions (Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (ELA and Mathematics)) | Computer adaptive test (CAT) with performance task | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Time limit (California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science) | Untimed; less than one class period per embedded performance task | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Time limit (California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA and Mathematics) | Untimed; approx. 60–100 minutes per content area | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Time limit (California Science Test (CAST)) | Untimed; approx. 2 hours | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Time limit (California Spanish Assessment (CSA)) | Untimed; approx. 2.5–4.5 hours | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Time limit (Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (ELA and Mathematics)) | Untimed; approx. 5–6 hours | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Passing score (Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (ELA and Mathematics)) | No pass/fail; 4 achievement levels (Level 3 = Proficient) | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Delivery (California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA and Mathematics) | Computer-based, one-on-one with a test examiner | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Delivery (California Science Test (CAST)) | Computer-based, includes performance tasks | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Eligibility (California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science) | Grades 5 and 8, and once in high school (grade 10, 11, or 12), when IEP identifies alternate assessment | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Eligibility (California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA and Mathematics) | Grades 3–8 and 11, when IEP identifies alternate assessment | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Eligibility (California Science Test (CAST)) | Grades 5 and 8, and once in high school (grade 10, 11, or 12) | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Eligibility (California Spanish Assessment (CSA)) | Optional, grades 3–12 | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Eligibility (Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (ELA and Mathematics)) | Grades 3–8 and 11 | caaspp-elpac.org |
| Testing window (California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science) | Sep 15, 2026 – last day of instruction or Jun 30, 2027 | California Department of Education |
| Testing window (California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for ELA and Mathematics) | Jan 19 – Jun 30, 2027 (local window ≥25 instructional days) | California Department of Education |
| Testing window (California Science Test (CAST)) | Jan 19 – Jun 30, 2027 (local window ≥25 instructional days) | California Department of Education |
| Testing window (California Spanish Assessment (CSA)) | Jan 19 – Jun 30, 2027 | California Department of Education |
| Testing window (Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (ELA and Mathematics)) | Jan 19 – Jun 30, 2027 (local window ≥25 instructional days) | California Department of Education |
Facts verified Nov 1, 2026 against California Department of Education. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Prepare for the CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the relationship between a percentage and its decimal equivalent?
Answer: B. Divide the percentage by 100 to get the decimal
Explanation:
B is correct. A percentage is an amount out of 100. To write it as a decimal, divide by 100. This moves the decimal point to the left, and the value stays the same.
A is wrong because a percentage and its decimal are the same value written in different ways. C is wrong because multiplying by 100 goes the other way: it turns a decimal into a percentage. D is wrong because adding 100 changes the value completely and has nothing to do with converting.
Rule to remember: percentage to decimal, divide by 100. Decimal to percentage, multiply by 100. To check your answer, ask whether the decimal is smaller than the percentage number. It should be.
Question: A student reads two articles that disagree about whether a new medicine is safe. What is the BEST next step?
Answer: B. Look for additional sources from medical experts to compare perspectives
Explanation:
B is correct. When sources disagree, the right move is to collect more evidence. Qualified medical sources, such as researchers or health agencies, let you compare claims and see which side has stronger support.
A is wrong because the order of publication does not decide accuracy, and newer research often corrects older findings. C is wrong because sources disagree all the time, and dropping the topic skips the actual research task. D is wrong because a longer article is not more reliable. Length tells you nothing about evidence.
Rule to remember: judge a claim by its evidence and by who is making it. When sources conflict, check more credible sources before you decide.
Question: What does it mean when a research source is described as 'peer-reviewed'?
Answer: B. Other experts in the field examined and approved the source before publication
Explanation:
B is correct. In research, "peers" are other qualified people working in the same field. A peer-reviewed source was checked by these reviewers before publication, which is a quality control step.
A is wrong because it uses the everyday meaning of "peer" (a classmate). In research, the word means a specialist in the same subject. C is wrong because online reader reviews show popularity, not a check of methods and accuracy. D is wrong because peer review has nothing to do with a source's age. Old and new sources can both be peer-reviewed, or neither.
Rule to remember: peer-reviewed means other specialists in the field reviewed the work before it was published. That makes it a strong choice for research tasks.
Start by confirming which tests the student will take. Grade decides most of this. The IEP decides whether the student takes a CAA, and the CSA is optional. Then ask the school for its local testing dates.
Begin with a broad set to find weak spots: English Language Arts, Mathematics or Science. Grade 11 students can use the Gr11 math set. After that, practise the skills you missed. For math, use Number Sense, Algebraic Thinking, Functions, Measurement and Geometry or Data Analysis. For ELA, use Reading Comprehension, Literary Analysis, Informational Text or Writing.
Smarter Balanced includes a performance task, so practise Research Skills and Speaking and Listening, and write full answers, not just pick options. Read the explanation for every question you miss. Our questions are not real test items, so also use the official practice and training tests on the CAASPP website to get used to the real testing software. The tests are untimed, so practise working carefully at a steady pace rather than rushing.
It depends on grade. Students in grades 3–8 and 11 take the Smarter Balanced tests in ELA and mathematics. Students in grades 5 and 8, and once in high school (grade 10, 11 or 12), take the California Science Test. Students whose IEP calls for alternate assessment take the California Alternate Assessments instead. The California Spanish Assessment is optional for grades 3–12.
Every CAASPP test listed here is untimed, so students are not cut off. The state's estimate for the Smarter Balanced ELA and mathematics assessments is about 5–6 hours. The ELA and math CAAs are estimated at about 60–100 minutes per content area. The California Spanish Assessment is estimated at about 2.5–4.5 hours. Schools usually split testing across several sessions.
The statewide window for Smarter Balanced, CAST, the CSA and the ELA and math CAAs runs from January 19 through June 30, 2027. Each school or district sets its own dates inside that window. For Smarter Balanced, CAST and the ELA and math CAAs, the local window is at least 25 instructional days. The CAA for Science opens earlier, on September 15, 2026.
Schools receive results within 3–4 weeks after the test is given. Parents should then receive their child's score report within 20 days after the school gets it. If you have not received a report, contact your school or district first, because they handle delivery to families.
The CAAs are for students whose IEP calls for alternate assessment. The ELA and math CAAs are for grades 3–8 and 11. They are computer-based and given one-on-one by a test examiner who knows the student. The CAA for Science is for grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, and is made up of 3 embedded performance tasks given one-on-one.
No. The CSA is optional and open to students in grades 3–12. It is a computer-based linear test, so every student sees a fixed set of questions instead of an adaptive one. It is untimed, with an estimated testing time of about 2.5–4.5 hours. Ask your school whether it offers the CSA.