California: Parent/Guardian Guide to the 2009 California Standards Tests
Topics: California
The California Standards Tests (CSTs) are given to students in grades two through eleven as a part of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program. Developed exclusively for California’s public schools, the CSTs provide information that can be used to determine how well students are achieving state content standards. These standards describe the knowledge and skills that students should learn in each grade. California’s content standards for all subjects and grades tested are available on the California Department of Education (CDE) Content Standards Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/.
Questions and Answers About the CSTs
Who takes the CSTs?
What is done to help students with disabilities who take the CSTs?
Some students with disabilities may require testing variations, accommodations, and/or modifications to be able to take the CSTs. These are listed in Matrix 1. Matrix of Test Variations, Accommodations, and Modifications for Administration of California Statewide Assessments (October 2007), which is available on the CDE Student Testing Web page at
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/.
What is done to help students who are English learners?
During testing, students who are English learners may use English-to-primary-language translation glossaries or word lists that regularly are used in the classroom. These glossaries or word lists may not include definitions or formulas. English learners may use these glossaries or word lists for all subjects on the CSTs except the CST for English–Language Arts. English learners also may have test directions translated for them and ask clarifying questions in their primary language for all subjects tested on the CSTs, including the CST for English–Language Arts. Variations allowed for English learners are listed in Matrix 2. Matrix of Test Variations for Administration of California Statewide Assessments for English Learners (October 2007), which is available on the CDE Student Testing Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sa/.
Which grades and subjects are included in the CSTs?
The following grades and subjects are included:
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Grades two, three, four, six, and seven
- English–language arts*
- Mathematics
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Grade five
- English–language arts
- Mathematics
- Science
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Grades eight, nine, and eleven
- English–language arts
- Mathematics
- Science
- History–social science (may or may not apply in grade nine)
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Grade ten
- English–language arts
- Mathematics
- Science†
- History–social science (may or may not apply in grade ten)
What content is tested on the CSTs?
There are three kinds of CSTs, all of which are based on California’s content standards:
- CSTs that are based on content standards for a specific grade and subject, such as mathematics in grade two and English–language arts in grade ten
- End-of-course CSTs administered in the secondary grades that are based on content standards for specific courses, such as mathematics, science, and history–social science
- CSTs that cover content standards for a specific subject for more than one grade, such as the CST for Science (Grade 5)
What question format is found on the CSTs?
Questions for all of the CSTs, except the writing tasks in grades four and seven, are in a multiple-choice format. Students are presented with a question and asked to select the correct answer from four possible choices. Released test questions from the CSTs are posted for public viewing on the CDE Program Resources Web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/resources.asp.
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