Smarter Balanced: Scores

NOTE: Parents may access their student's scores through the parent portal (see parent resources page for FAQ). 

 

*CAASPP = California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress. The Smarter Balanced Assessments in ELA and Math for students in grades 3-8 and 11, as well as the CST Science Assessments for students in grades 5, 8, and 10 are included in this program.

 

 

 

 

Smarter Balanced Assessments: Scores

 

By now, parents have received the results of their student's performance on the Spring Smarter Balanced Assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics (as well as the CST Science Assessments for students in grades 5, 8, and 10). These scores are one indication of how a student is doing under the Common Core Standards.

 

Please scroll down for annotated guides to sample score reports, links to the CDE video "Understanding Your Child's Score Report," along with other information.

 

What do the scores mean?

 

Students receive an overall score for each subject (ELA and Math), ranging from 2,000 to 3,000. This score shows if students met, did not meet, or exceeded expectations for their grade. The second page of the report includes a further breakdown of that score, providing individualized information on the child's academic strengths and potential challenges. The new assessments are fundamentally different from the old tests; therefore, we shouldn't try to compare these results with a student's previous scores -- they're measuring different things. (Students in grades 5, 8, and 10 who took the Science assessment receive an additional score, ranging from 150-600.) These results are a starting place, providing one view of student academic progress that can be used by parents and teachers to help determine the instructional support students need to succeed. 

 

For a more detailed analysis of what each achievement level means for your child’s grade and subject area, please visit Test Score Guide. From that page, you can select your child’s grade, the subject and the achievement level where your child scored standard exceeded, standard met, standard nearly met, standard not met. FOR MORE DETAILS ON score reports- click this hyperlink to a document with instructions on accessing grade-specific information: Parents: Reading Your Child’s CAASPP Results

 

What does it mean if my child did not meet grade-level expectations?

 

This year's tests establish a baseline. We know that the new tests were an adjustment for students, and it was expected that the first year's scores might leave room for significant improvement.

 

The new Score Reports provide detailed information pinpointing specific areas where students need support or, conversely, where their skills are strong. Parents can work together with their child's IST to identify areas for improvement, and focus on making progress in the coming school year. Testing is important, but it's only one way to gauge how students are doing. A child's scores will be taken into account as part of a broader look at their overall academic progress.