CAASPP Practice Test

What the CAASPP is and how it works

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.

• Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments (ELA and mathematics): grades 3–8 and 11. Computer adaptive, with a performance task. Untimed, estimated at about 5–6 hours.
• California Science Test (CAST): grades 5 and 8, and once in high school (grade 10, 11 or 12). Computer-based, and includes performance tasks.
• California Alternate Assessments (CAAs): for students whose IEP calls for alternate assessment. The ELA and math CAAs cover grades 3–8 and 11. They are given one-on-one by a test examiner who knows the student and are untimed, at about 60–100 minutes per content area. The CAA for Science covers grades 5 and 8 and once in high school, and uses 3 embedded performance tasks.
• California Spanish Assessment (CSA): optional, grades 3–12. A computer-based linear test, untimed, at about 2.5–4.5 hours.

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.

Free CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress Study Tools

Interactive CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• CAASPP Math Practice Test (Gr11) — 20 questions with instant scoring and answer explanations
• CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• CAASPP - California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

CAASPP Exam at a Glance

Facts verified Nov 1, 2026 against California Department of Education. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.

Worked examples: how to reason through CAASPP questions

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.

Example 1

Question: What is the relationship between a percentage and its decimal equivalent?

1. They are unrelated
2. Divide the percentage by 100 to get the decimal
3. Multiply the percentage by 100 to get the decimal
4. Add 100 to get the decimal

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.

Example 2

Question: A student reads two articles that disagree about whether a new medicine is safe. What is the BEST next step?

1. Believe the article that was published first
2. Look for additional sources from medical experts to compare perspectives
3. Ignore both articles and choose a different topic
4. Use whichever article is longer

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.

Example 3

Question: What does it mean when a research source is described as 'peer-reviewed'?

1. The source was written by a student's classmate
2. Other experts in the field examined and approved the source before publication
3. The source received positive reviews from online readers
4. The source was published more than ten years ago

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.

How to use these practice tests

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.