Skip to main content

Assessment Solutions

Useful assessment begins with a clear purpose: identify what students know and can do, select an appropriate way to gather evidence, and turn the results into timely action.

California schools work within a broad assessment landscape that includes classroom formative practices, locally selected screeners and benchmarks, CAASPP, ELPAC, alternate assessments, physical fitness testing, and other state or federal programs. Each serves a different purpose; no single result tells the whole story of a student, classroom, school, or district.

Use this section to explore practical references, explainers, tools, current updates, and historical context. The dynamically maintained resource list on this page will grow as new Assessment Solutions articles are published.

A Connected Assessment Landscape

Strong systems balance instructional usefulness, statewide requirements, accessibility, operational readiness, data quality, security, and responsible interpretation.

Classroom Evidence

Formative checks, observations, student work, performance tasks, rubrics, feedback, and student self-assessment that inform learning while it is happening.

Screening & Interim Measures

Tools that help educators identify needs, examine progress, adjust instruction, and decide when additional evidence or support may be appropriate.

Statewide Programs

CAASPP, ELPAC, alternate assessments, and related California programs with distinct participation, administration, scoring, and reporting requirements.

Accessible Administration

Universal tools, designated supports, accommodations, assistive technology, approved test settings, and opportunities to practice with familiar resources.

Operations & Data

Rosters, eligibility, testing windows, device readiness, staff roles, test security, completion monitoring, scoring, records, and system transitions.

Interpretation & Communication

Looking across multiple measures, recognizing uncertainty and context, examining patterns equitably, and communicating results in understandable language.