Assessments
As a California public school, CalPac must adhere to the same state testing requirements as all public schools. Performance on the CAASPP test impacts CalPac’s performance on the Caliifornia School Dashboard. Students enrolled with CalPac are required to take state and local assessments, including the assessments listed below. Students who do not participate in the required local assessments set by CalPac could be subject to an involuntary withdrawal from CalPac per the policies found in the Parent Handbook.
It is important to CalPac that our students are participating in the required assessments (i.e. internal assessments and state testing), so that we can set our students and school up for long term success.
Why should my child participate in assessments?
CalPac wants our authorizing districts to know all the incredible learning that is fostered in our personalized learning model of independent study. The state of California requires all public schools that receive state and federal funding to have methods of evaluation in place to show student progress in grade level expectations and standards. Our authorizing districts require board updates noting the same student progress. Our goal to have substantive student data reflected by full student participation in assessments for each board update, our annual SARC (School Accountability Report Card for the State of California) and LCAP. The LCAP is an important component of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Under the LCFF all school districts/charters are required to prepare an LCAP, which describes how they intend to meet annual goals for all pupils, with specific activities to address state and local priorities identified pursuant to EC Section 52060(d). The LCAP is a three-year plan, which is reviewed and updated as required.
At CalPac, we hope your vision aligns with the expectations we must meet as a California public school. Please remember participation in assessments is an important life skill for your children and results can be very helpful in early intervention as well as guiding parent choice in curriculum and instruction.
Required Local Assessments
NWEA Math & Reading Diagnostic Tests
Required State Assessments
SBAC - Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
A computer based test. With new state standards, students are working harder, thinking more critically, and applying their learning to the real world. To measure these new standards, educators from states using Smarter tests have worked together to develop new, high-quality tests in English and math for grades 3–8 and 11. Using computer adaptive technology, the tests are customized to every student (smarterbalanced.org). Testing dates/locations vary in April and May.
CAST - California Science Test
The California Science Test (CAST) is an online assessment based on the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) . All local educational agencies (LEAs) with eligible students in grades five and eight and in high school will administer the CAST operational test. The CAST operational test uses the current California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) test delivery system and will be administered online only.
PFT - Physical Fitness Test
The PFT provides information that can be used by (1) students to assess and plan personal fitness programs, (2) teachers to design the curriculum for physical education programs, and (3) parents and guardians to understand their children's fitness levels. The programs also provide results that are used to monitor changes in the physical fitness of California students. By law (Education Code (EC) Section 60800 public schools are required to administer the PFT annually to all students in grades 5, 7 and 9 (cde.ca.gov).
The PFT is administered by TFs. Testing Includes:
- Aerobic Capacity – One Mile Run
- Abdominal Strength and Endurance – Curl-Up
- Upper Body Strength and Endurance – Push-Up
- Trunk Extensor Strength and Flexibility – Trunk Lift
- Flexibility – Shoulder Stretch
- Recording of Height and Weight
ELPAC - English Language Proficiency Assessments for California
State law (California Education Code sections 313 and 60810) and federal laws (Titles I and III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act [ESEA]) require that local educational agencies (LEAs) administer a state test of English language proficiency to (1) newly enrolled students whose primary language is not English, as an initial assessment, and (2) students who are English learners (ELs), as an annual summative assessment (SA). For California’s public school students, this test is the ELPAC.
The ELPAC is used to assess and monitor EL students’ progress toward English language proficiency. EL students continue to take the ELPAC SA annually until they meet their LEA’s reclassification criteria.
