CAASPP Scores Explained for California Parents

If your child's CAASPP report says "Developing" this year instead of "Standard Nearly Met," the test didn't change. The words did.

Here are CAASPP scores explained in one paragraph: California's CAASPP Smarter Balanced tests in English language arts (ELA) and math give students in grades 3-8 and 11 a scale score and one of four achievement levels. Starting with 2025-26 reports, those levels are Advanced, Proficient, Developing, and Minimal. Proficient or Advanced means your child met the standard for their grade. The cut scores didn't move, so this year's results compare directly with past years.

That last point is the one most parents miss, and it changes how you should read a score that looks better or worse than last year's.

CAASPP is California's statewide testing system. The part most families see is the Smarter Balanced assessment in ELA and math, taken each spring in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11. Students also take the California Science Test (CAST) in fifth grade, eighth grade, and once in high school.

The ELA and math tests are computer adaptive, so questions get harder or easier based on how your child answers. That's why two classmates can see different questions and still be scored on the same scale.

Results feed into the California School Dashboard, but they're also meant for you. They're one of the few measures that hold your child to the same grade-level standard as every other student in the state.

The State Board of Education adopted new labels and descriptions, and California began using them with 2025-26 results. The descriptions in the table below are paraphrased from the state's official descriptors. Only the labels and descriptions changed. No cut scores moved, and results remain comparable to prior years.

Level	New label (2025-26 on)	Old label (through 2024-25)	What it means
4	Advanced	Standard Exceeded	Sophisticated use of grade-level knowledge and skills
3	Proficient	Standard Met	Thorough use of grade-level knowledge and skills
2	Developing	Standard Nearly Met	An initial understanding of grade-level knowledge and skills
1	Minimal	Standard Not Met	A limited understanding of grade-level knowledge and skills

Why rename them? The state has said the new descriptions correct a common misreading: that Level 3 was a grade-level cutoff, and any student below it was "below grade level". A Developing score means your child has real, partial command of this year's material. It's a signal to pay attention, not a verdict.

One more nuance: Advanced doesn't mean your child is working above grade level. Every question on the test measures grade-level standards, and all four levels describe grade-level learning at increasing depth.

Most families get the Student Score Report through their district's parent portal or by mail, and timing varies by district. Palo Alto Unified, for example, began releasing 2026 reports on June 5.

Look at four things, in this order:

1. The scale score, not just the level. Each level covers a range of scores. A child at the very top of Developing is in a different place than one at the bottom. The state's parent site, CA.StartingSmarter.org, shows where your child's score falls.

2. The area results. Under each subject, the report breaks performance into areas, such as reading and writing in ELA or problem solving in math. Each area is now marked Below Proficient, At or Near Proficient, or Above Proficient. This is where the most useful information lives.

3. Score history. If your child tested last year, the report shows both years. Growth inside the same level is still growth.

4. The subject gap. A child who is Proficient in ELA and Developing in math needs a different plan than a child who is Developing in both.

Statewide 2025-26 results came out on October 15, 2026, the first year the state released them on the same day as the California School Dashboard. Across all tested grades, about 49% of students scored Proficient or Advanced in ELA and about 38% in math, according to EdSource's tracking of state data. Counting Developing as well, 71% of students reached at least that level in ELA and 61.8% in math.

So if your child scored Developing in math, they're in very large company. That isn't a reason to relax. It's a reason not to panic, and to look closely at which areas pulled the score down.

The most common mistake is reading the level like a report card grade. A Proficient score doesn't mean straight A's, and a Developing score doesn't mean your child is failing a class. The CAASPP measures one spring test against the full year of standards, including some your child's class may not have finished by test day.

The second mistake is the reverse: treating Proficient as proof everything is fine. Check the area results. A student can be Proficient overall and Below Proficient in one area, often writing in ELA or problem solving in math. That one area tends to grow into a bigger gap the following year, because next year's standards assume it.

1. Find the report and write down the scale score and level for each subject.

2. Circle any area marked Below Proficient. That's your starting point.

3. Email your child's teacher with three questions: "What does this area look like in class right now? Is my child getting any support for it? What could we practice at home?"

4. Sit with your child for a few questions from the free CAASPP practice and training tests on the state's CAASPP website. Watching how your child approaches a problem tells you more than the score does.

5. Ask your child what test day felt like. A kid who rushed, ran out of steam, or panicked needs different help than one who didn't understand the questions.

Consider extra support if your child scored Minimal in a subject, dropped a level from last year, or has the same area marked Below Proficient two years in a row. Repeated gaps in the same area rarely close on their own. Our grade-by-grade guide to when kids benefit from tutoring covers other signs worth watching.

When do CAASPP scores come out?

Individual Student Score Reports for spring testing usually reach families in late spring or summer, depending on the district. Statewide and school results for 2025-26 were released publicly on October 15, 2026.

What is a good CAASPP score?

Proficient (Level 3) or Advanced (Level 4) means your child met or exceeded the grade-level standard. Within any level, a higher scale score is better, and growth from last year matters as much as the level itself.

Did the CAASPP get harder in 2026?

No. California renamed the four achievement levels starting with 2025-26 results, but the cut scores didn't change, so scores compare directly with previous years.

Does the CAASPP affect my child's grades?

CAASPP scores don't appear on report cards. Some districts consider them alongside other information for decisions like course placement or intervention, so ask your school how it uses them.

Can parents opt their child out of the CAASPP?

Yes. California law lets parents submit a written request each year to excuse their child from any or all CAASPP tests. The request has to be renewed every year.

The area results on a CAASPP report are one of the most useful things a parent can bring to a tutor, because they point to a specific skill instead of a vague "needs improvement." Cosmo's math and ELA curriculum is aligned with California's academic standards, and every student starts with a short assessment that builds a Personalized Learning Plan around where they actually are, not just their grade level.

Classes are live and 1:1, and parents get a learning report every four classes, so you can see progress well before next spring's test. Learn more about Cosmo's online tutoring for California families.

If you've been trying to figure out whether your child needs extra support, sometimes the clearest answer comes from 50 minutes with the right teacher. Cosmo offers a free first class, no commitment, no pressure, just a real picture of where your child is. Try a free class →