Preparing Students for CAASPP

CAASPP LOGO

Smarter Balanced developed a number of educational assessments to be utilized throughout the school year to support learning, inform instruction and provide an end of year picture. The entire Smarter Balanced Assessment System is based on the Common Core State Standards for English language arts/literacy and mathematics. To learn more about the balanced assessment system, click this link to access the video.   

A Balanced System

To improve teaching and learning, Smarter Balanced created a balanced assessment system that has three major components - formative, interim and summative.  Parts of these components can be used to help prepare students for the end of year assessment. 

digital library

The Digital Library offers professional learning resources and instructional materials for educators to improve day-to-day teaching and learning.

To access the Digital Library Resources, click here. 

interim assessment icon

The Interim Assessment allows teachers to check student progress throughout the year, giving them actionable information to inform instruction.

To access the interim assessment resource page, click here. 

summative assessment icon

Practice and Training tests are available to educators and students to preview the question types and the embedded tools outside of the testing environment.

To access the practice and training test, click here. 

Preparing for CAASPP

There are multiple ways to prepare your students for the end-of-year testing.  Here are examples on how to prepare students using the practice test:

  • Individually or in a pair, have students access the ELA and Math practice test.  This will give them the opportunity to view the test interface and try out the universal tools.  Here are instructions on accessing the practice test on a device without an app:  Practice and Training Test Guide 

  • Use this lesson plan to run a practice test in your classroom: Practice Test Lesson Plan.  This document provides a description of the different tools and supports: What do I look like?

  • Run a mock session using the test administrator interface and generating a practice session ID that students can use to access a grade-content practice/training test:  Mock Session Instructions - Chromebook (PDF).

  • Pair students to try out the test together and provide scores at the end of each item answered.  Link to the scoring rubric can be found on the CAASPP webpage.  To redirect to the scoring rubric page, click on the Scoring Rubric CAASPP webpage.

  • Performance task practice test: Pair students and have them sit together and discuss the questions from the PT that is a grade-level lower to assess their knowledge of the prior grade's content.  Listen to their conversation (and questions they ask of you) to determine areas of weakness.  Cover these areas of weakness in class.  Click here to access the performance task scoring rubric.

  • Test Administrators may also visit the CAASPP Resources page for more information.  Click here.