Assessment Spotlight, Issue 297

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 and ELPAC website .

California Assessment Accessibility Resource Graphics for 2024–25

The California Assessment Accessibility Resource Graphics for the 2024–25 school year have been updated and are now available on the CAASPP and ELPAC Accessibility Resources web page . These graphics provide a one-page PDF quick reference for the embedded and non-embedded universal tools, designated support, and accommodations allowed in the CAASPP and ELPAC systems. They are available for the following assessments:

• English Language Arts/Literacy (PDF)
• Mathematics (PDF)
• Science (PDF)
• California Spanish Assessment (PDF)
• ELPAC Computer-based (PDF)
• ELPAC Paper-Pencil (PDF)

NEW—CAASPP Student Needs Matching Tool

The CAASPP Student Needs Matching tool (PDF) is a new quick reference guide designed to help educators and individualized education program teams identify appropriate designated supports and accommodations for students in the classroom and on the CAASPP assessments. This document categorizes the available designated support and accommodations into groups according to the needs of a student. For more details regarding accessibility resources, visit the California Department of Education (CDE) Student Accessibility Resources web page.

Complete the California Alternate Assessments 1.0 Percent Threshold Survey Now

If you have not done so already, complete the CAASPP 2024–25 California Alternate Assessments 1.0 Percent Threshold Survey (alchemer.com) . The due date has been extended to November 4, 2024. LEAs may find the link to the survey and guidance for completing the survey on the CDE’s One Percent Threshold on Alternate Assessments web page.

The Every Student Succeeds Act requires local educational agencies (LEAs) to notify the CDE if they expect to exceed 1.0 percent of their total assessed student population taking alternate assessments in English language arts/literacy, mathematics, and science. As a part of the increased monitoring requirements related to exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold on alternate assessments, the CDE requires all LEAs to report the percentage of students taking CAASPP alternate assessments, regardless of whether the LEA:

• Anticipates exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold
• Anticipates not exceeding the 1.0 percent threshold
• Has no students expected to take the alternate assessments

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