CAASPP Replaces STAR

School Accountability for the 21st Century...

 

All of these acronyms can sound complicated, but the idea is really quite simple. Last spring, our students participated in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) System, which includes new computer-based tests in English language arts/literacy and mathematics. CAASPP replaced the former paper/pencil-based tests that comprised the old Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. The new Smarter Balanced exams are part of California's comprehensive plan for supporting high-quality learning at every school. They are based on new, more challenging academic standards, which are designed to more effectively prepare students for college and career. The CAASPP System is intended to provide parents and students with more accurate information about what students are learning in school. For further information about CAASPP, the Smarter Balanced assessments, and what it all means for your child, please click here.

Results from the Smarter Balanced assessments provide one piece of information about a student's academic performance. The student score reports help facilitate conversations between parents and teachers about student performance as well as how to support and improve student learning. You'll notice that along with an overall score for each subject, there is also information about how your child performed in different skill areas associated with English language arts/literacy and mathematics. For more information on interpreting your child's results, please click  here.

 

These new exams include a wider variety of questions than the multiple-choice tests of the past. Students are required to think critically, write analytically, and explain how they solve problems. These skills take time and effort to master, but our students will need them to succeed in the long run. Smarter Balanced assessments make use of computer adaptive technology, which provides more accurate information about student achievement. To experience the Smarter Balanced assessments for yourself, you may take the Practice Test as a guest by clicking here .

 

(Please note to access the Practice Test, you must use one of the following browsers: Mozilla Foxfire 10+, Safari 5+, Chrome 31+, or Internet Explorer 10 or 11.)
 

When parents and teachers work together, our students succeed! The California Department of Education developed a parent guide to help families learn more about the Smarter Balanced assessments that comprise the new CAASPP System. To access the parent guide, please click here.

This is the first year our schools received student achievement data from Smarter Balanced, and we are very pleased with our initial results. Overall, Orange County outpaced the rest of California on the new standards-aligned assessments, and the Cypress School District performed well above the county average. While student reports help teachers pinpoint individual student needs, school results enable teachers, principals, and district administrators to make informed decisions about how to best support our educational program. Parents and other community members have access to all school and district Smarter Balanced results. To search for a particular school or district, please click here.

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