The Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA) is a teacher certification examination developed by ETS and required in Arkansas, Georgia, and several other states. It measures the reading, writing, and mathematics skills of candidates seeking initial teacher licensure. The three separate CASA subtests — Reading, Writing, and Mathematics — each require focused preparation, and this free printable PDF gives you realistic practice questions covering all three so you can study offline, annotate freely, and review material at your own pace before exam day. Practice with the free Core Academic Skills Assessment practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (16 questions with answer explanations).
Print the PDF, work section by section, and pair it with our timed online practice tests to simulate real exam conditions and get automatic feedback on your performance.
Interactive Core Academic Skills Assessment resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
Each of the three CASA subtests targets a distinct academic skill area. Here is a detailed breakdown of what to expect in each section.
The Reading subtest contains 56 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 85 minutes. You will read both informational and literary texts and answer questions on main ideas and supporting details, author purpose and tone, logical inferences, vocabulary in context, argument evaluation, and identifying the strongest evidence for a claim. The passages range from academic articles to narrative excerpts, so practice reading varied text types quickly and accurately.
The Writing subtest combines 40 multiple-choice questions (80 minutes) with two essay prompts (approximately 30 minutes each). The multiple-choice questions cover sentence correction, revision-in-context, research skills, and identification of grammatical errors. The essay section requires one argumentative essay — where you take a position and support it with evidence — and one informative or explanatory essay. Essays are scored on development of ideas, organizational structure, language use, and adherence to standard written conventions.
The Mathematics subtest has 56 questions in 85 minutes, with calculator access permitted on a designated portion of the test. Content areas include: number and quantity (fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, proportions, exponents, and scientific notation); algebra (linear equations and inequalities, systems of equations, functions, and quadratic equations); geometry (perimeter, area, volume, coordinate geometry, and angle relationships); and statistics and probability (mean, median, mode, range, basic probability, and reading graphs and tables). The level of difficulty is aligned with college-readiness standards rather than advanced mathematics.
The printable PDF is an excellent study companion, but combining it with interactive online practice lets you check your answers instantly and track your improvement over time. Our Core Academic Skills Assessment practice test covers Reading, Writing, and Mathematics with detailed answer explanations for every question. Use the online tests to build exam stamina, then revisit the PDF to reinforce the topics where you need the most work.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Validates your knowledge and skills objectively | Study materials can be expensive |
| Increases job market competitiveness | Exam anxiety can affect performance |
| Provides structured learning goals | Requires dedicated preparation time |
| Networking opportunities with other certified professionals | Retake fees apply if you don't pass |
Try these questions from our free Core Academic Skills Assessment practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe? A) The childrens' toys were scattered everywhere. B) The children's toys were scattered everywhere. C) The childrens toys' were scattered everywhere. D) The childrens's toys were scattered everywhere.
Answer: B. The children's toys were scattered everywhere.
'Children' is already plural, so add 's to form the possessive: 'children's.'
Which of the following is not covered in the number and quantity domain?
Answer: C. Grammar rules
The number and quantity domain in mathematics focuses on understanding different types of numbers, their properties, and how they are represented and used. This includes whole numbers, rational and irrational numbers, decimals, fractions, and percentages. Grammar rules, however, belong to the English Language Arts domain, dealing with the structure and usage of language, not numerical concepts.
A passage states: 'Although the policy was implemented with good intentions, its outcomes were largely counterproductive.' What does 'counterproductive' mean in this context?
Answer: A. Producing the opposite of the desired effect
'Counterproductive' means working against the intended goal, producing the opposite of what was desired.
A writer is creating a piece that describes the step-by-step process of photosynthesis for a middle school science class. The writing is objective and focuses on presenting factual information clearly. Which text type is the writer employing?
Answer: C. Informative/Explanatory
The primary purpose of the text is to educate the reader about a specific process by presenting facts in a logical sequence. This aligns with the goal of informative/explanatory writing, which aims to clarify a concept or explain a process without expressing personal opinion.