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.

Additional Resources

• Guidance on Using Eye-Gaze as a Response Method (Updated 08/12/19)
• Test Examiner Checklists (Posted 02/04/20)

• Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics (Posted 03/31/20)

• Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessment for Science (Posted 03/31/20)

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 Version Assignment

Version assignments are available on the CAAs for ELA and Mathematics Version Assignments for 2020–21 Test Administration web page.

Directions for Administration (DFAs) for the assigned versions are available starting on January 14, 2020, in the Test Operations Management System (TOMS). Take the following steps to access CAA DFAs for ELA and mathematics after this date:

1. Select the [Resources] button on the TOMS top navigation bar.
2. Select CAAs for ELA and Mathematics DFAs from the Available Materials list.
3. Select the button corresponding with the grade being tested.
4. Scroll down the page to find the version number assigned.
5. Select a PDF link to initiate the download process.

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.

Science Version 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. Version assignments are available on the CAA for Science Version Assignments for 2020–2021 Test Administration web page.

DFAs for the assigned versions are available as of September 3, 2019, in TOMS. Take the following steps to access CAA for Science DFAs after this date:

1. Select the [Resources] button on the TOMS top navigation bar.
2. Select CAA for Science DFAs from the Available Materials list.
3. Select the button corresponding with the grade being tested.
4. Scroll down the page to find the version number assigned.
5. Select a PDF link to initiate the download process.

CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides

Link to the CAA for Science Administration Planning Guides

Science Resources and Training Materials

• 2020–2021 CAA Test Examiner Tutorials (Posted 07/30/20)
  • To receive the CAA Test examiner certificate of completion, participants must view all slides, listen to 100 percent of the audio without advancing, and answer all in-module questions correctly. The status bar in the top-left corner of the screen will turn green to indicate that the completion criteria has been met. After successfully completing the general section tutorial, participants must complete the ELA, mathematics, science, or any combination of these subject area tutorials to receive a certificate of completion. In November 2020, the module for the CAAs for English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics will be available.
• Science Test Administration for High School Students (Posted 09/05/19)
• Training Performance Task DFA for the CAA for Science (Updated 08/18/20)
• CAA for Science: How to Administer an Embedded Performance Task (Video; 5:54) (Posted 12/02/19)

CAA for Science Practice Test DFAs and Scoring Guides

CAA for Science Online Practice Test Scoring Guides and DFAs web page

Last Reviewed: Thursday, March 19, 2020