The CAST is required for all students in grades five and eight and once in high school (i.e., grade ten, eleven, or twelve) unless their IEP indicates assessment with an alternate test. The CAST includes stand-alone or discrete items and PTs. The discrete item types consist of selected response, constructed response, table, fill-in, graphing, and so forth. The PTs measure a student’s ability to integrate knowledge and skills across multiple standards through extended activities.
Content and Format: The CAST is aligned with the California Next Generation Science Standards (CA NGSS). The California State Board of Education (SBE) adopted the CA NGSS in September 2013. The CAST census field test took place in 2018, and the first operational test was administered in 2019. The 2020 CAST is the second operational administration of the test.