Testing & Assessment
Our Approach to Testing & Assessment
Assessments are not designed to find flaws, rather they are used to identify student strengths and potential areas of challenge. At Pacific Coast Academy, we ask our students to participate in two types of assessments: our in-house assessment, which is the Star 360, and the state testing called California Assessment of Student Performance (CAASPP).
Star 360 is an online assessment for math and language arts that provides insights and support for each student’s grade level that can be used for guiding instruction. Each part of the STAR 360 assessment takes only approximately 20 minutes to complete. We will have students take this assessment in the Fall, Winter, and Spring.
The state of California requires specific state tests to be completed each year. Pacific Coast Academy is a public charter school, therefore our students participate in the following California Assessment of Student Performance (CAASPP) state standardized tests:
- Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBAC): Grades 3-8 & 11 Math and Language Arts
- California Science Test (CAST): Grades 5, 8 & high school after final year of science
- Physical Fitness Test (PFT): Grades 5, 7 & 9
- Initial or Summative ELPAC: English Learners only
Click here to view more testing resources for parents.