Assessments: CAASPP, ELPAC, and PFT

Dear iLEAD Agua Dulce Families,

During the months of May and June, our learners will take a variety of assessments depending upon grade level. Please read below for information about and dates of the specific assessments our learners will be taking. Please note the importance of attendance, and please ensure your learner gets plenty of rest and eats a healthy breakfast, especially during these days. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out.

Statewide Testing

Every year, California students take several statewide tests. When combined with other measures, such as grades, class work, and teacher observations, these tests give families and our facilitators a more complete picture of each child’s learning. You can use the results to identify where your child is doing well and where they might need more support.

Your child may be taking one or more of the following: California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP), English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC), and Physical Fitness Test. Pursuant to California Education Code Section 60615, parents/guardians may annually submit to the school a written request to excuse their child from any or all of the CAASPP assessments. This exemption does not exist for the ELPAC or Physical Fitness Test.

CAASPP: Smarter Balanced Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) and Math

• Who takes these tests? Grades 3–8 and grade 11.
• What is the test format? The Smarter Balanced assessments are computer-based.
• Which standards are tested? The California Common Core State Standards.

SBAC/CAASP Testing Dates:

• 3rd-4th grade: May 2-4, 9-11
• 5th grade: May 16-18, 23-25
• 6th-8th grade: May 2, 4, 9, 11

CAASPP: California Science Test (CAST)

• Who takes the test? Grades 5 and 8 and, once in high school, either grade 10, 11, or 12.
• What is the test format? The CAST is computer-based.
• Which standards are tested? The California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS).

California Science Test Dates

• 5th grade: May 12
• 8th grade: May 16-17

Physical Fitness Test

• Who takes the test? Grades 5, 7, and 9 will take the FITNESSGRAM®, which is the test used in California.
• What is the test format? The test consists of five performance components: aerobic capacity, abdominal strength, trunk strength, upper body strength, and flexibility.
• Which standards are tested? The Healthy Fitness Zones, which are established through the Fitnessgram.

Physical Fitness Test Dates:

• 5th, 7th and 9th grades only: The week of May 8 and the week of May 15 during scheduled PE days. Please ensure your child wears proper clothing and shoes.

NWEA MAP Assessments

All K-10th grade learners utilize the MAP NWEA computer-adaptive assessment three times per year: fall, winter, and spring. The MAP assessment is a vital part of our holistic approach to education, as evidenced in our Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs).

• MAP enables us to see how your child progresses toward their academic Individual Learning Plan (ILP) goals, which we set at the beginning of the year, along with an action plan nurtured by our school community, including parents/caregivers, families, learners, and facilitators. iLEAD Agua Dulce embraces the whole child, focusing on both social-emotional and academic skills. The ILP is an integral part of this framework, ensuring that each child is respected and treated as an essential part of the ILP team, encouraged to be a self-directed learner and to, therefore, work toward attainable self-created goals aligned with one’s individual development.
• Educating the whole child, we measure progress and emphasize growth versus final outcome and summative assessments. Thus, the fall assessment gives us a baseline to determine and document each child’s growth throughout the year.
• As a school that emphasizes each learner’s individual growth and educational journey, MAP is an important measure we use to document and show our progress to our local district authorizers, who in turn determine our school’s renewal status.
• The MAP results, which we will share with you after the assessments are completed, allow us to personalize each child’s learning path by identifying areas of strength as well as areas that need additional support and extension.

Spring MAP Assessment Dates:

• Kindergarten: May 22-30
• 1st-2nd grade: May 31, June 1-2
• 3rd-4th grade: June 6-8
• 5th grade: May 31, June 1-2
• 6th-10th grades: June 6-8