The California Science Test (CAST) is an untimed computer-based assessment that consists of six test segments and a student survey. It is offered once each school year in the spring, typically at the same test session or sessions as the SBAC.  The test is proctored by our HSTs and takes an average of two hours to complete. It tests your child's competency in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

The test is divided into two sections, one with discrete (stand-alone) test items and the other with performance tasks (a group of test items developed for a single science concept or phenomenon). Segments within a section are presented in random order:

• Segments 1 and 2 contain discrete test items.

• Segment 3 contains either discrete test items or a performance task.

• Segments 4, 5, and 6 are performance tasks, with four to six test items included in each. Students will receive at least one performance task from each of the three science domains: Earth and Space Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences.