SBA Testing

The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments are part of California’s 
system of assessments called the California Assessment of Student 
Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The summative assessments 
are an annual measure of what students know and can do using the 
Common Core State Standards for English language arts/literacy 
(ELA) and mathematics. Accessibility resources provided on Smarter 
Balanced assessments ensure equitable access for students with diverse 
accessibility needs and preferences.

WHY ARE THE SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS GIVEN?
The purpose of the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments is to 
assess student knowledge and skills in ELA and mathematics, as well 
as how much students have improved since the previous year. These 
assessments measure student mastery of the Common Core State 
Standards for ELA and mathematics, as well as student progress toward 
college and career readiness.

 

WHO TAKES THE SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS?

All students in grades 3–8 and grade 11 take the Smarter Balanced 
Summative Assessments unless a student’s active individualized 
education program designates the California Alternate Assessments.

 

HOW ARE THE SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS GIVEN?

The Smarter Balanced Assessments are computer-adaptive tests that 
adjust the difficulty of questions on the basis of the answers students 
give. As students answer correctly, they receive more challenging 
questions. Incorrect answers trigger easier questions.
This approach helps keep students engaged, shortens the testing time for 
many students, and provides more accurate results, especially for lowor high-achieving students.

 

WHEN ARE THE SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS GIVEN?

The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments are 
administered during the local educational agency’s selected test 
window. Most schools will test between the middle 
of March and the middle of May: