CAASPP Testing Spring 2026

Dear Parent/Guardian of Middle School Students:

This spring, students across the state will participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). This year, PAUSD middle schools will give the summative assessments between April 16 and May 15, 2026.

In the coming weeks, Middle School CAASPP Coordinators will send site-specific information through ParentSquare.

Your child will take the following tests, depending on their grade level or instructional program:

• Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English language arts (ELA) and math (grades 3–8 and 11)
• California Science Test (CAST) (grades 5, 8, and once in high school)
• If designated in the IEP, the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) will be administered in place of SBAC and CAST

It is important for us to obtain results that are reflective of PAUSD’s student body. The assessment results allow PAUSD to evaluate student achievement on State standards and identify challenges to better serve students. We are proud of our students and want their incredible talents to be honored. We want to work collaboratively as a community to achieve the federal and state requirement of testing at least 95% of all students, as well as each student group.

To learn more about these tests go to the Starting Smarter web page at ca.startingsmarter.org/, or review the Parent Guides to Understanding at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/ca/parentguidetounderstand.asp.

Your child’s results will be available in Campus Parent at or before the beginning of the next school year. Directions to access CAASPP results are available here: https://www.pausd.org/learning/state-assessments. The results will identify where your child is doing well or needs more help, so you can better support their learning at home and teachers can better support their learning in the classroom.

If you have any questions please direct them to:

• Ellen Fletcher MS: Kevin Rouse
• Greene MS: Ben Gonzales
• JLS MS: Ivette Daugherty
• Additional information is available here: https://www.pausd.org/learning/state-assessments

Sincerely,

Guillermo Lopez, Ed.D.
Associate Superintendent, Educational Services