CA Alternate Assessment (CAA) - ELA, Math, & Science

  • Introduction
    The summative California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for English language arts (ELA) and mathematics are to be administered to students in grades three through eight and grade eleven whose individualized education program teams designate the use of an alternate assessment on statewide assessments and who have a cognitive disability that prevents him or her from taking the online California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments. This population of students has, in previous years, been assigned to take the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) for ELA and mathematics. Students in grades five and eight will also take the CAA Science test.
     
    A Parent Guide to Understanding The California Alternate Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA), Mathematics, and Field Test for Science
     
    The California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) are part of the state testing program called the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP. The CAAs are designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Students are eligible only if an alternate assessment is indicated in their active individualized education program (IEP) by the IEP team.
     
    A PARENT GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING The California Alternate Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA), Mathematics, and Field Test for Science
     
    California Alternate Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics
    The California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics are part of California’s system of assessments called the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). Designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, the CAAs for ELA and mathematics are an annual measure of what students know and can do using alternate achievement standards.
    Assessment Fact Sheet
     
    Core Content Connectors (CCCs)
    The CCCs are content targets linked to the CCSS. The CCCs are less complex than the CCSS, focusing on the main academic content in each subject and grade. The CCCs illustrate the necessary knowledge and skills needed to reach the learning targets within the CCSS and the knowledge and skills needed at each grade. The CCCs identify priorities in each content area to guide the instruction for students in this population and for the alternate assessment.
     
    Prioritized Mathematics CCCs and Essential Understandings
    Prioritized English-language Arts CCCs and Essential Understandings: Reading
    Prioritized English-language Arts CCCs and Essential Understandings: Writing
     
    Understanding the Score Reports and Areas

    The website Starting Smarter is for parents and guardians to help understand the student score reports.

     
    Understanding the 2016-17 CAA Student Score Report (4:48)
     
     
     
    California Alternate Assessments Practice and Training Tests
     
    Click on the link below to access both the Practice and Training Tests portal. The Practice Tests provide students with grade-specific testing experiences that are similar in structure and format to the Summative Assessments. The Training Tests provide students with the opportunity to quickly become familiar with the software and interface features. The Training Tests are organized by grade-bands (e.g., 3–5). 
     
    CAA – Start a Training Test
    CAA – Start a Practice Test