Smarter Balanced (CAASPP / SBAC) 5th Grade ELA Practice Test Workbook

Smarter Balanced (CAASPP / SBAC) 5th Grade ELA Practice Test Workbook

The Smarter Balanced (CAASPP / SBAC) 5th Grade ELA Practice Test Workbook gives 5th grade teachers everything they need for Smarter Balanced (CAASPP / SBAC) 5th grade ELA practice test prep: a pretest, a lesson and practice for every standard, mixed review and 2 full-length practice tests in the same question styles students see on the Smarter Balanced. Every question is original and aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy.

Use it as your SBAC 5th grade ELA test prep plan for the whole year: print the pages you need for whole-class lessons, small groups, centers or homework.

✔ Updated for the 2026–27 school year · last verified November 2026

Take a look inside the Smarter Balanced (CAASPP / SBAC) 5th Grade ELA Practice Test Workbook

Why teachers trust this workbook

• Built from the Smarter Balanced blueprint published by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy
• Practice weighted to match what’s actually on the test
• Built on research-backed strategies: practice testing, spiral review, and targeted practice
• Reviewed by a certified teacher
• Checked against the latest state updates — last verified November 2026

What’s included: Smarter Balanced practice tests, skill practice and answer key

• 298 full-color pages, ready to print
• Pretest (18 questions) with a scoring guide that shows which skills to teach first
• Skill practice for all 24 Smarter Balanced 5th grade ELA standards: a Learn It page with a worked example plus test-style practice (133 pages)
• Mixed Review: 15 pages, 18 questions
• Test-taking strategies (4 pages)
• 2 full-length Smarter Balanced practice tests, 39 questions each, with bubble answer sheets
• Answer key with all 279 answers (17 pages)
• Progress trackers, class data sheets and a certificate

About the Smarter Balanced 5th grade ELA test

Quick facts, as of November 6, 2026:

• Test: Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment (Smarter Balanced), 5th grade ELA
• Format: Online: computer-adaptive test (CAT) + performance task (PT); paper-pencil only as an accommodation
• When: once a year: spring Mar 15 – Jun 11, 2027 — spring end-of-year test; each state (in California each district) sets its own window, usually March–June
• Questions: CAT 20 (adjusted form: CA, WA, DE, HI, ID; DC from 2027) or about 36–39 (full form: CT, NV, SD) + Performance Task (1 research item + 1 full write; no ELA PT in Connecticut)
• Time: Two parts, untimed: Part 1 computer-adaptive (reading, writing, listening, research), Part 2 performance task (usually another day)
• Tools: Calculator: none · Dictionary: built into the online test for the Performance Task full write only (English dictionary and thesaurus); glossary words in the passages are explained · Scratch paper: provided; note-taking for listening
• Question types: Multiple choice, Multi-select (choose two), Two-part (Part A and Part B), Select a sentence (hot text), Table, Short written answer (Performance Task), Full write (Performance Task essay)
• Reporting categories: Reading (14-16 questions); Writing (6-7 questions); Listening (8-9 questions); Research (8-9 questions)
• Standards: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts/Literacy — the same grade 5 standards in all 9 Smarter Balanced states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, South Dakota and Washington

Sources: Smarter Balanced ELA Test Design Summary and Blueprint (Full form 'as of' the 2018–2019 test administration; adjusted form per the CAASPP 2024–25 Technical Report (Feb 27, 2026)) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium or any state department of education. States can change their tests at any time; check the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium or any state department of education for current information.

How to use it in your classroom

A simple test prep plan for the Smarter Balanced test:

• Start with the Pretest. It is half the length of a practice test, and its scoring guide shows which standards each student needs most.
• Teach and practice by standard. Each skill has a Learn It page with a worked example, then test-style practice in the same question formats as the Smarter Balanced — great for small groups, centers or homework.
• Keep skills fresh with Mixed Review. Short cumulative pages mix every reporting category, so earlier skills don’t fade.
• Give the practice tests before the big day. Practice Test 1 shows what to reteach; Practice Test 2 is a full dress rehearsal for the spring state test. Bubble answer sheets and the class data sheets make scoring quick.

Used in these states

• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Nevada
• South Dakota
• Washington

Free with a membership: a Have Fun Teaching membership includes the Printable PDF of every test prep workbook. The paperback is sold on Amazon and is not included.

Questions teachers ask

Are these real Smarter Balanced questions?
No. Every question, passage and picture is an original work of Have Fun Teaching, written to match the question styles, standards and blueprint of the Smarter Balanced. None are actual test items.

Can I make copies for my class?
Yes. A teacher who purchased this workbook may copy pages for the students in their own classroom.

Is it included in a membership?
Yes. A Have Fun Teaching membership includes the Printable PDF.

Related Resources

• Test Prep workbooks for every state
• Suffixes Word List Worksheet
• Main Idea Worksheet
• Poetry Response Worksheet

Independent supplemental practice resource. Smarter Balanced® is a trademark of The Regents of the University of California. Have Fun Teaching, LLC is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium or any state department of education. Not an official test. No score or result is guaranteed.