Assessment Spotlight, Issue 258

Focusing on the CAASPP System and English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)—and including, when timely, updates on California’s other statewide assessments. For questions related to test administration, coordination, and trainings, visit the CAASPP website and the ELPAC website .

System Downtime Underway

To prepare for the opening of the 2023–24 summative assessment window, the following CAASPP and ELPAC systems will be unavailable starting Thursday, January 4, at 5 p.m. through Tuesday, January 9, at 8 a.m. for scheduled maintenance:

• Test Delivery System, including Test Administrator Interface
• Completion Status System
• Data Entry Interface
• Test Operations Management System (beginning Friday, January 5, at 5 p.m.)

For more information, visit the 2023–24 CAASPP Planned System Downtime and 2023–24 ELPAC Planned System Downtime web pages.

High School Proficiency and Equivalency

Registration is now open for the California Proficiency Program (CPP). Students can now sign up by visiting the HiSET-Proficiency registration page .

California's High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) tests have been replaced by the CPP. The new CPP measures proficiency in language arts and mathematics using subtests from the State Board of Education (SBE) approved GED® or HiSET® high school equivalency vendors. Test results from the previous CHSPE tests will not be considered for the new CPP.

Students now have the option to take the CPP test either online from their homes with live proctoring or on a computer in a testing center. The paper-pencil version is only available in testing centers. The CPP is offered in both English and Spanish.

HiSET® will be the first vendor to offer the CPP. To prepare for the HiSET-Proficiency, please visit the HiSET® Exam Test Prep Resources web page to access preparation materials to study for the mathematics and language arts subtests. Both vendors provide lists of testing accommodations, test specifications, and testing locations on their web pages.

After passing the language arts and mathematics subtests of the proficiency program, the student will earn an SBE-issued Certificate of Proficiency, which holds the legal equivalent of a high school diploma issued by the State of California. Upon completion of the CPP, the student may choose to remain in high school or exit with a parent or guardian’s permission to pursue higher education or a career.

Once an individual has taken the CPP, passed both language arts and mathematics subtests, and exited high school, they may take the remaining high school equivalency (HSE) subtests to earn their HSE Certificate, opening even more doors than the Certificate of Proficiency alone. The CPP is referred to as a program because it acts as a steppingstone for individuals who may choose to earn their HSE Certificate.

Register for Upcoming CERS Trainings!

The California Department of Education (CDE) is hosting winter and spring trainings to support local educational agencies (LEAs) in the use of the California Educator Reporting System (CERS). The following information contains details about available trainings and registration:

CERS—Beyond the Basics for Teachers

Educators who use CERS can learn more about intermediate and advanced CERS features, including customizing groups in CERS, using advanced filters, and reviewing the information available when viewing interim assessment results. The same training will be offered twice:

• February 28, 2024, 3:30 to 5 p.m.
• March 5, 2024, 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Register now for CERS—Beyond the Basics for Teachers

CERS—Beyond the Basics for Coordinators and Administrators

Staff who manage access to CERS, roster students to teachers in CERS, or train staff about CERS can learn more about intermediate and advanced CERS features, including making custom reports, completing advanced rostering, and tips for providing local CERS training.The same training will be offered twice:

• March 5, 2024, 9 to 11 a.m.
• March 14, 2024, 1 to 3 p.m.

Register now for CERS—Beyond the Basics for Coordinators and Administrators

Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS

All CERS users who want just-in-time preparation and support for assessment results, before those results become available for the 2023–24 school year in CERS, are encouraged to register for this training. The topics covered include accessing specific 2023–24 summative assessment results in the CERS, viewing and interpreting individual student reports, and understanding features available for specific assessments, e.g., Lexile and Quantile measures.

Two modules will be offered:

• Module One: Focus on the Summative ELPAC, the Summative Alternate ELPAC, and the California Spanish Assessment.
  • May 16, 2024, 3:30 to 5 p.m.
• Module Two: Focus on the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics, California Science Test, and the California Alternate Assessments for ELA and mathematics, and science.
  • May 23, 2024, 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Register now for Accessing Summative Assessment Results in CERS

Please note: These trainings will build upon the summer and fall 2023 Introduction to CERS trainings which provided educators with an overview of CERS. It is highly recommended that participants have a basic understanding of CERS before attending the winter or spring training. Materials and recordings for the 2023–24 Introduction to CERS for Teachers(Video; 1:24) and the 2023–24 Introduction to CERS for Test Coordinators and Administrators(Video; 1:57) trainings are available for anyone who would like to review them.

If you have any questions about these CERS trainings, please contact Nikki Antonovich, Coordinator, Sacramento County Office of Education, by email at caaspp@scoe.net.

To receive future CAASPP updates and notifications, subscribe to the CAASPP mailing list by sending a blank email message to subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. For previous Assessment Spotlight issues, visit the CDE Assessment Spotlight web page.