Smarter Balance Assessment System

California Department of Education

In 2013-14, the Common Core State Standards were implemented in California. Teachers used these new standards as their roadmap for teaching English Language Arts and Math. In order to measure these new standards, a new assessment system for grades 3-8 and 11 was created and developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). The system, which includes both summative assessments for accountability purposes and optional interim assessments for instructional use, uses computer adaptive testing technologies to the greatest extent possible to provide meaningful feedback and actionable data that teachers and other educators can use to help students succeed.

Smarter Balanced assessments goes beyond multiple-choice questions to include extended response and technology enhanced items, as well as performance tasks that allow students to demonstrate critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.

​(1) Source: Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium

(2) Source: Smarter Balance Assessments

►  Smarter Balance (Spanish)

►  Smarter Balance Milestones

Practice Tests are available for practice and training purposes, professional development activities, and for discussions with parents, policymakers, and other interested stakeholders.

Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines and accompanying FAQs are available on the CDE Smarter Balance webpage.

California Dept. of Education

• Field Test Home Page
• Frequently Asked Questions

Smarter Balance

• Field Test FAQ
• Guide to the Smarter Balance Field Test
• Guidelines: Frequently Asked Questions
• Training Videos & Resources