Default Date and Testing Administration
This article covers how to import CAASPP Student Test Results into Aeries and how Achievement Level Descriptors display for 2025-26 and later results.
Navigate to School Info > Imports and Exports > Import Test Results
File Requirements ↑
NOTE: The data file must be in the format defined in the CAASPP Student Data File Layout found on the CAASPP Test Administration Score Reporting website. Only the LEA CAASPP Coordinator has the necessary permissions in the TOMS site to download the Student Score Data Extract. Please note that the score reports available from the CAASPP Online Reporting system are not in the correct format, the correct file (Student Score Data Extract) can only be downloaded by the LEA CAASPP Coordinator from within TOMS. For more information on finding the correct CAASPP Student Score data file please see the Finding the CAASPP Caret Delimited File article.
Selecting a File Layout ↑
Select the appropriate file layout to import the CAASPP Student Results. When deciding which year file layout to use, first select the file layout that was in effect when the data was downloaded. If the data does not import using that file layout, then try using the file layout for the year the assessment was administered. In the below example the CAASPP Test Results - SY:2024-25 file layout was selected in order to import the 2024-25 CAASPP score data.
Importing the File ↑
Districts can download both a text (.dat) file and a caret-delimited (.csv) file from the testing vendor. The Import Test Results page has been programmed to import only the caret-delimited (.csv) file. If the text (.dat) file is selected to load, a message will appear explaining that only .csv files are supported.
If this message displays, click OK, click on the Select File(s) to Load button, select the file with the .csv extension, and click on Open. Then continue to load and match the records.
Default Date and Testing Administration ↑
The Default Date for the CAASPP Test Results is the oldest date in the data file (excluding prior year CAST records — see Prior Year CAST Records below). The Testing Administration for the Test Results is SPRGXX where XX is the end of the school year for the data being imported (ex. 2024-25 test results would have a SPRG25 Testing Administration). NOTE: We do not recommend updating the Default Date or Testing Administration, especially when import test records from prior administrations.
Match Options ↑
The Student State ID is the primary identification in the CAASPP Student Results data files. It should be the first method used for matching students.
Tables Updated ↑
The CAASPP Student Results import will add/update records to the Test Scores (TST), Content Standards Scores (CST), Testing Exclusions (TEX), and Authorizations (AUT) tables.
If a test record is flagged as Invalid in the Score Status field of the data file, then a Testing Exclusions (TEX) record will be added with a Special Conditions code of I - Test was Invalidated, and no Test Scores (TST) or Content Standards Scores (CST) records will be created for that test record.
Email Summary ↑
After the import process has completed an email with summary information will be sent to the user that initiated the import.
Prior Year CAST Records ↑
Beginning with the 2021-22 CAASPP Test Results, TOMS includes prior year 9th–11th grade Science (CAST) results for 12th grade students. These prior year records cannot be imported into Aeries — the student's ID will appear under "Records from previous years (not imported):" in the import summary email (see screenshot above). Prior year CAST test dates are also excluded from the Default Date and Testing Administration calculation; both values are derived from the oldest current-year date in the data file.
NOTE: The CAASPP 2018-19 Student Data File Layout (dated August 5, 2019) states that the California Science (CAST) test results and the California Spanish Assessment (CSA) test results will not be available until December 2019. The data files do contain records for these test results, but the score fields are blank and the Attemptedness and Include Indicator fields in the data file are set to 'N'. Test Scores (TST) and Content Standards Scores (CST) records will not be created for these tests until scores are provided. If any of these records happen to have Condition Codes, then that information will be added to Testing Exclusions (TEX).
NOTE: 2018-19 CAST, CAA and CSA scores are available from TOMS and can be imported into Aeries using the CAASPP Test Results - SY:2018-19 file layout. See the File Requirements section above for instructions on downloading the data file from TOMS.
Achievement Level Descriptors ↑
Beginning with the 2025-26 administration, CAASPP Achievement Level Descriptors for ELA, Math, and Science (CAST) have been updated to align with current California Department of Education (CDE) guidance. The updated descriptors display in Test Details and Test Scores > Performance Levels.
2025-26 and later:
- Level 4: Advanced
- Level 3: Proficient
- Level 2: Developing
- Level 1: Minimal
Prior to 2025-26:
- Level 4: Standard Exceeded
- Level 3: Standard Met
- Level 2: Standard Nearly Met
- Level 1: Standard Not Met
Results from prior administrations continue to display the original descriptors used at the time of testing. A student with records from multiple years will show each result with the correct wording for its administration year.