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STEM SCIENCE UNIT’S HIGHLIGHTS FROM: CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENTS AND UPDATES JULY 2026 ASSESSMENTS Latest information about Assessments via the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) including CA Dashboard and more. POLICIES AND INITIATIVES Updates and announcements of new policies or statewide initiatives that could impact the classroom, school, community and more. CAASPP EMAIL LIST To join the email list, send a blank email message to: subscribe-caaspp@mlist.cde.ca.gov. www.reallygreatsite.com 123 Anywhere St., Any City, ST 12345
New Reporting Achievement Level Descriptors Toolkit Coming Soon! This spring, student assessment results using the new reporting Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) for Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics assessments as well as the California Science Test (CAST) will be released. Prior to the results release, the California Department of Education (CDE) will provide an ALD Communications Toolkit to help coordinators and educators communicate this change. The toolkit will include the following: For All Audiences California’s New Reporting ALDs Video What Do the Scores Mean? – ELA Flyer What Do the Scores Mean? – Math Flyer What Do the Scores Mean? – Science Flyer For Students and Families New Reporting ALDs Flyer Question Guide Sample Items by Achievement Level Next Steps Flyer For Educators New Reporting ALDs Flyer Next Steps Flyers Dialogue Guide (companion to the Question Guide) Sample Items by Achievement Level For local educational agency (LEA)-level and School-level staff New Reporting ALDs Flyer Editable Slide Deck Summary of Changes Memo More information and a link to the toolkit will be available soon. Register Now for the Fall Charter School In- Person Assessment Convenings The CDE invites charter school assessment coordinators to attend the 2026 Fall Charter School In-Person Assessment Convenings. These events offer targeted learning, collaboration, and networking opportunities tailored to local contexts. Participants will connect with county office of education and regional representatives and learn from peers’ best practices. Designed to complement the quarterly virtual meetings of the charter school assessment coordinator network, these convenings allow for deeper engagement and collaborative problem-solving. Convening Dates and Locations Sacramento: September 21, 2026 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Fresno: September 25, 2026 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Los Angeles: September 28, 2026 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Each convening includes peer collaboration, hands-on skill- building activities, support from subject matter experts, and opportunities to ask questions, share experiences, and build a professional network. Register Now to secure your spot and connect with colleagues Authentic Tasks for Learning and Assessment in Science Task Bank Launch The CDE and the Los Angeles County Office of Education are excited to announce that the Authentic Tasks for Learning and Assessment in Science (ATLAS) bank is now available! ATLAS bank is a user- friendly, online resource offering over 1,300 science lessons for grades K–12 that are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Each task is designed to support authentic science inquiry and performance assessment. Educators can access the ATLAS bank and register for a free account by visiting the ATLAS website.
Shared Practices: California Science Test Interim Assessments in Elementary Grades In elementary school, the California Science Test (CAST) is given in fifth grade; however, science education in all elementary grades (K–5) is crucial for student success. The CAST Interim Assessments (IAs), when used as a resource for teaching and assessing science, can be a valuable tool. They may be used in standardized and nonstandardized ways to meet the needs of students. In the Interim Assessment Shared Practices Webinar Series, California elementary educators shared effective practices for using CAST IAs. These methods include creating graphic organizers to pair with CAST IA questions—particularly focusing on Science and Engineering Practices that students struggle with in early grades—such as cause and effect. Educators also used think-aloud discussions to model interpretation and developed hands-on labs rooted in IA questions. With two CAST IAs available for each of grades three, four, and five, educators have a wide range of questions to use. Keep in mind the CAST IAs can be administered outside of grade level to meet the needs of students. For detailed information about each CAST IA, view the Organization of the CAST Interim Assessments flyer (PDF) and visit the Interim Assessment Lookup Tool webpage. New! Interim Assessment Shared Practices Webinar Playlist Earlier this fall, the California Department of Education (CDE) hosted a shared practices webinar series focused on supporting students with interim assessments. This series featured classroom teachers and administrators across the state sharing how they promote and use CAASPP and ELPAC interim assessments to support teaching and learning. State- provided interim assessments are available for: · Smarter Balanced English language arts/literacy and mathematics · California Science Test · ELPAC A new YouTube Playlist of the webinar recordings is available from the CDE for easy access to the tips, strategies, and resources shared by educators during this webinar series. Check out the Interim Assessment Shared Practices Webinar playlist today and tell colleagues about it! All grade eight and high school students taking the California Science Test have access to the following embedded universal tools, including the periodic table and formula reference sheets available in both English and Spanish: · Periodic Table of the Elements for Grade Eight and High School—English · Periodic Table of the Elements for Grade Eight and High School—Spanish · Grade Eight Reference Sheet · Grade Eight Reference Sheet—Spanish · High School Reference Sheet · High School Reference Sheet—Spanish The formula reference sheets provide scientific formulas that students may find useful in answering test items, eliminating the need to memorize them. These tools provide essential scientific information and are also available in printable versions for use in the classroom throughout the school year. Students can explore and gain familiarity with these universal tools through practice tests, training tests, and interim assessments. More information about accessibility resources available for science assessments can be found on the California Student Assessment Accessibility Graphic for Science. Science Test Universal Tools: Periodic Table and Formula Reference Sheets
To view this and other instructional resources, LEA staff need a Tools for Teachers account which can be obtained either through self-registration, described in the flyer How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers, or through their LEA CAASPP or ELPAC coordinator. Drop it Like It’s... This month’s featured Tools for Teachers resource, Drop It Like It’s... (account required) is an engaging high school physical science lesson that brings Newton’s Second Law to life through hands-on experimentation and interactive modeling. Students, working in small groups, create a device using a template to investigate the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration. By collecting and analyzing data, they discover how these variables interact mathematically through the formula F = ma. Formative assessment is seamlessly integrated throughout the lesson to promote deep understanding and real-time feedback. Strategies such as Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down and Strategic Questioning help gauge students' grasp of learning goals, uncover misconceptions, and guide instruction. Students also use sticky notes in the Blanket the Table strategy, collaborate on an Anchor Chart to build consensus, and complete an Exit Ticket reflection to synthesize their learning. Through this structured inquiry and the ongoing formative checks, students not only grasp the core of Newton’s Second Law but also practice scientific reasoning, collaboration, and data analysis. To view this and other Tools for Teachers resources, local educational agency (LEA) staff need a Tools for Teachers account, which is free of charge and can be obtained either through self-registration, described in the flyer How to Self-Register for Tools for Teachers or by contacting their testing coordinator. All Systems Go This month’s featured Tools for Teachers resource, All Systems Go! (account required) is a middle school Life Sciences lesson that helps students understand how the body’s systems work together to create and use energy. Centered on the phenomenon of two people catching their breath after running a short race, students investigate how molecules travel through the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems to fuel movement. The teacher engages students by presenting the race scenario, then students use observations to create a claim and a physical model. Students simulate a race, then use Notice and Wonder and Gallery Walk formative assessment strategies to share their ideas and observe the claims and evidence presented by all the groups. The lesson closes with students completing an Exit Ticket that asks them to write new information they learned about how the body’s systems work together to create energy. Formative assessment and accessibility strategies are woven throughout the individual and small group activities in this lesson. The activities also include embedded strategies that support language learning like Word Wall and Sentence Frames. Stacking Codes This month’s featured Tools for Teachers resource, Stacking Cups (account required), offers grade 8 math teachers a lesson plan to help students understand systems of linear equations by making graphs to predict when two stacks of different-sized cups will be the same height. Grounded in collaborative, inquiry-based learning, the lesson includes warm-ups, guided exploration, and group discussions that encourage critical thinking and clear communication of mathematical reasoning. In the core investigation, students make estimations using graphing to predict when the height of cup stacks will align. Working through Explore, Plan, Test, and Discuss phases, students refine their understanding through testing and peer collaboration through a Sticky Notes and Sort activity. Teachers provide modeling, scaffolded support, and guidance during group discussions to help clarify misconceptions and deepen learning. Students wrap up the lesson by completing Notice/Wonder and Think-Pair-Share activities to share their thoughts about final solutions and what may account for not having height equivalence across stacks. Ready-to-use materials for teachers and students, and a highlighted video, make implementation easy and engaging.