The summative California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) for English language arts/literacy (ELA), mathematics, and science are administered to eligible students using the secure browser and test delivery system. The CAAs are for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities and whose individualized education program (IEP) team has designated the use of an alternate assessment on statewide summative assessments.

Eligible students are those whose disability prevents them from taking the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA and mathematics and the California Science Test.

Additional Resources

• Guidance on Using Eye-Gaze as a Response Method (PDF) (Updated 03/09/21)
• Test Examiner Checklists (DOCX) (Posted 09/03/21)
• Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessments for English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics (Posted 03/31/20
• Available Resources for the California Alternate Assessment for Science (Posted 03/31/20
• Alternate Assessment IEP Team Guidance Document 
  The CDE has created a robust Alternate Assessment IEP Team Guidance  web page specifying assessment participation criteria intended to help and guide IEP teams in determining whether the California Alternate Assessments (CAAs) and the Alternate English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (Alternate ELPAC) would be the most appropriate assessments for an individual student with the most significant cognitive disabilities.
• Entering Student Responses and Scores into the DEI (Video; 08:17) (Posted 09/22/20)
• CAAs for English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA) and Mathematics Item Routing Training Video (Posted 04/11/16)
• CAA for Science: How to Administer an Embedded Performance Task (Video; 5:54) (Posted 12/02/19)
• Tips for Administering the California Alternate Assessment (CAA) for Science (PDF) (Posted 12/10/20)
• Response Options for Alternate Assessments (PDF) (Posted 03/31/21)
• Science Test Administration for High School Students (PDF) (Updated 01/27/22)