California Alternate Assessments (CAAs)
General Information
The summative California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science are administered to eligible students using the secure browser and test delivery system. The CAAs are for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and whose individualized education program (IEP) team has designated the use of an alternate assessment on statewide summative assessments.
Eligible students are those whose disability prevents them from taking the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and mathematics and the California Science Test.
CAAs for ELA, Mathematics, and Science Test Examiner Tutorials
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2021–22 CAA Test Examiner Tutorials
The CAA Test Examiner Tutorial has officially moved from Brainshark to Moodle! The General and CAA for Science sections are available now. The ELA and Mathematics section will be available on December 21, 2021. Participants will be able to log on to Moodle and use an assigned enrollment key to access the test examiner tutorials. To receive the CAA test examiner Certificate of Completion, participants must view 100 percent of all videos and answer all Check for Understanding questions correctly. A check mark to the right of each item on the course content page will indicate that the participant has successfully completed that section and can advance to the next section of the tutorial. After successfully completing the General section of the tutorial, participants must complete the CAA for ELA and Mathematics section, CAA for Science section, or both content-area sections to receive a Certificate of Completion. - CAA Test Examiner Tutorial Moodle Template Letter (Posted 09/02/21)
- CAA Moodle Access At-A-Glance (Posted 09/30/21)
Additional Resources
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Parent/Guardian Testing Notification Templates
Parent/Guardian notification templates are available on the Parent/Guardian Notification web page to notify parents and guardians of the year's statewide assessments. - Talking to Parents about the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) (Posted 12/01/20)
- Guidance on Using Eye-Gaze as a Response Method (Updated 03/09/21)
- Test Examiner Checklists (Posted 09/03/21)
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Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics (Posted 03/31/20)
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Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessment for Science (Posted 03/31/20)
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Alternate Assessment IEP Team Guidance Document
The CDE has created a robust Alternate Assessment IEP Team Guidanceweb page specifying assessment participation criteria intended to help and guide IEP teams in determining whether the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) and the Alternate English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (Alternate ELPAC) would be the most appropriate assessments for an individual student with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
ELA and Mathematics
The CAAs for ELA and Mathematics are available in grades three through eight and grade eleven and are delivered one on one by a trained CAA test examiner familiar to the student.
ELA and Mathematics Form Assignment
Form assignments are available on the CAAs for ELA and Mathematics Form Assignments web page.
Directions for Administration (DFAs) for the assigned forms are available starting on January 11, 2022, in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS). Take the following steps to access CAA DFAs for ELA and mathematics after this date:
- Select the [Resources] button on the TOMS top navigation bar.
- Select CAAs for ELA and Mathematics DFAs from the Available Materials list.
- Select the button corresponding with the grade being tested.
- Scroll down the page to find the form number assigned.
- Select a PDF link to initiate the download process.
Second Scoring for the CAA for ELA
Second scoring is the process of having another test examiner (TE) score the same student’s rubric-scored items simultaneously, yet independently, from the student’s primary TE. The purpose of second scoring is to establish and document standardized scoring procedures and evaluate the validity of the rubric-scored items. All LEAs and schools assigned to the Form 5 will be required to participate in second scoring for the CAA for ELA for that year.
- How to Second Score for the CAA for ELA (Video; 06:41)
(Posted 10/07/21)
- How to Second Score for the CAA for ELA (Posted 10/07/21)
CAAs for ELA and Mathematics Practice Test DFAs and Scoring Guides
CAA for ELA and Mathematics Practice Test Scoring Guides and DFAs web page
ELA and Mathematics Resources and Training Materials
- Entering Student Responses and Scores into the DEI (Video; 08:17) (Posted 09/22/20)
- CAAs for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) and Mathematics Item Routing Training Video (Posted 04/11/16)
Science
The CAA for Science is administered to all eligible students in grades five and eight and one time in high school in grade ten, eleven, or twelve. It is delivered one on one by a trained CAA test examiner familiar to the student.
Science Form Assignment
The CAA for Science is administered as four separate embedded performance tasks (PTs) that are integrated into each student’s instruction. Embedded PTs are available for administration any time, in any order, between September and the end of the instruction or July 15, whichever comes first.
Form assignments for the 2021–22 and the 2022–23 administrations are available for local educational agencies (LEAs) or school by name or CDS code on the 2021–22 CAA for Science Form Assignments by Name or CDS Code web page and the 2022–23 CAA for Science Form Assignments by Name or CDS Code web page.
CAA for Science Directions for Administration
To access the CAA for Science Directions for Administration (DFAs) in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS), take the following steps:
- Select the [Resources] button on the TOMS top navigation bar.
- Select CAA for Science DFAs from the Available Materials list.
- Select the button corresponding with the grade being tested.
- Scroll down the page to find the form number assigned.
- Select a PDF link to initiate the download process.
CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides
To access the CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides, visit the CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides web page.
Science Resources and Training Materials
- CAA for Science: How to Administer an Embedded Performance Task (Video; 5:54) (Posted 12/02/19)
- Tips for Administering the California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science (Posted 12/10/20)
- Response Options for Alternate Assessments (Posted 03/31/21)
- Science Test Administration for High School Students (Updated 01/27/22)
Practice Tests
Last Reviewed: Thursday, March 19, 2020