SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced the first-ever results for the California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA).

CAPA was administered as part of the state's Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program for the first time in spring 2003. Since all students in grades 2-11 are required to participate in the STAR program, CAPA was developed to assess students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to take the California Standards Tests (CSTs) even with accommodations or modifications. In 2002, 75 percent of the state's special education students were tested. In 2003, 93 percent were tested.

"We are seeing a dramatic increase in the participation of special education students in the STAR program thanks in large part to the new California Alternate Performance Assessment, a test that allows these students to be part of the process," O'Connell said. "Increased participation rates reflect our commitment and desire to provide a quality education for all students."

CAPA measures student understanding of a subset of the California content standards in English-language arts and mathematics that reflect important life skills. The student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) team determines how he/she will participate in STAR. Approximately 34,000 students took the CAPA in 2003, representing 0.7 percent of all students eligible for the STAR program and 7 percent of all special education students in California schools.

CAPA scores are reported with the same performance level labels (advanced, proficient, basic, below basic, far below basic) as the CSTs. About 56 percent of students who took the CAPA in 2003 achieved at the advanced or proficient level in English-language arts. In math, 45 percent achieved proficiency or above. California sets the level of proficient as the goal for all students.

For more information and to access the statewide data, go to California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA) - Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR).