Smarter Balanced states · Grades 3 to 8 and 11 · From the consortium’s documents

Smarter Balanced math practice: the claims behind the score

Smarter Balanced, often written SBAC, is not one state’s test. It is a math and English assessment written by a consortium and given by several member states, each under its own name and on its own calendar. What every version shares is a design built on four “claims” about what a student can do. Only one of them is about getting procedures right. The others are about solving problems, modeling real situations and explaining reasoning, and the blueprint guarantees a share of questions for each. This page reads that blueprint and shows how to practise the reasoning part, which is where most families never look.

Book the free first class Book a priority demo See a Claim 3 answer Ask on WhatsApp

Live math since 2020 · 10,000+ students · lessons on your state’s time zone

In short

The Smarter Balanced math test (SBAC) is the consortium’s summative mathematics assessment for grades 3 to 8 and 11, given by member states such as California. It combines computer-adaptive items with a performance task and measures four claims: Concepts and Procedures, Problem Solving, Communicating Reasoning and Modeling and Data Analysis. Modern Age Coders teaches the math behind it live online, in a batch or 1-on-1, built on our Elementary Maths course and grade-level classes.

Courses for Smarter Balanced states

Three courses that cover all four claims

Procedures every week, and a reasoning or modeling question in every lesson.

Elementary Maths for Grades 1-5 course thumbnail

SBP / 01

Elementary math for grades 3 to 5

The no-calculator years: facts, fractions and explaining why.

Open the syllabus →
Middle School Mathematics Mastery course thumbnail

SBP / 02

Middle school math for grades 6 to 8

Ratios, expressions and functions, with the on-screen calculator.

Open the syllabus →
Algebra Foundations course thumbnail

SBP / 03

Algebra foundations toward grade 11

Linear and quadratic models for the high school test.

Open the syllabus →

The four claims

What are the four Smarter Balanced math claims?

They are four statements about what a student can do, written in the consortium’s Mathematics Content Specifications. Every question on the test is written to gather evidence for one of them.

Smarter Balanced mathematics claims and their weight in the overall score (Mathematics Content Specifications, portal.smarterbalanced.org, read 31 October 2026)
ClaimThe consortium’s statementWeight in the total
1. Concepts and Procedures“Students can explain and apply mathematical concepts and interpret and carry out mathematical procedures with precision and fluency.”Roughly 50%
2. Problem SolvingStudents can solve a range of complex well-posed problems, making productive use of knowledge and problem-solving strategies.About 25%, together with Claim 4
3. Communicating Reasoning“Students can clearly and precisely construct viable arguments to support their own reasoning and to critique the reasoning of others.”Roughly 25%
4. Modeling and Data AnalysisStudents can analyze complex, real-world scenarios and construct and use mathematical models to interpret and solve problems.About 25%, together with Claim 2

Four claims, three scores

The blueprint explains the odd arithmetic. Claims 2 and 4 “have been combined because of content similarity”, so a report shows three claim scores alongside the overall math score, even though four claims still guide the questions.

States can relabel the scores. California, for example, folds Claims 2, 3 and 4 into one Mathematical Practices composite on its family report. The underlying claims are the same.

What this means for preparation

Roughly half the score comes from Claim 1. The other half comes from problems that are not routine: multi-step situations, models, and arguments. A child who only drills procedures is preparing for about half the test.

That is the single most useful fact on this page, and it is why every one of our Smarter Balanced lessons ends with a reasoning or modeling question.

Source: Smarter Balanced Mathematics Content Specifications. The consortium’s main site, smarterbalanced.org, refused our request (HTTP 403) on 31 October 2026, so we quote only its public library documents. We are not connected with Smarter Balanced or any member state.

Blueprint

How many questions are on the Smarter Balanced math test?

The blueprint gives ranges rather than one number, because the adaptive section varies by student. These are the ranges per claim, in the consortium’s own figures.

Items by claim, Smarter Balanced Mathematics Summative Assessment Blueprint (as of the 2018 to 2019 administration, the current published edition), read 31 October 2026
Claim and where items come fromGrades 3 to 5Grades 6 to 8Grade 11
Claim 1, Priority Cluster (adaptive)13 to 1512 to 1514 to 16
Claim 1, Supporting Cluster (adaptive)4 to 54 to 55 to 6
Claim 1, total items17 to 2016 to 2019 to 22
Claims 2 and 4: adaptive / performance task6 / 2 to 46 / 2 to 46 / 2 to 4
Claims 2 and 4, total items8 to 108 to 108 to 10
Claim 3: adaptive / performance task8 / 0 to 28 / 0 to 28 / 0 to 2
Claim 3, total items8 to 108 to 108 to 10

Reading the footnotes

The ranges for Claims 2 and 4 and for Claim 3 each say 8 to 10, but the blueprint adds that “the total number of items across these two reporting categories for any individual test event is 18-20.”

Each performance task “contains 4-6 total items”. Up to four of them may need hand-scoring in grades 3 to 8, and up to six in grade 11, which is why written explanations count.

Depth of knowledge is guaranteed

The adaptive engine is configured so no student gets only easy questions. In grade 3, for example, each student receives at least 7 Claim 1 adaptive items at depth of knowledge (DOK) level 2 or higher.

For Claims 2 and 4 combined, and again for Claim 3, every student meets at least 2 adaptive items at DOK 3 or higher: questions that need strategic thinking, not recall.

Source: Mathematics Summative Assessment Blueprint, Smarter Balanced. The table is the consortium’s ranges, not our totals.

Targets

What math is tested at each grade on the SBAC?

Claim 1 is split into a priority cluster, the heart of each grade, and a supporting cluster. The blueprint lists the assessment targets for every grade and how many items each can draw.

The grade 3 target sampling page is a useful example of how the consortium thinks. Its priority cluster includes “Multiply and divide within 100.”, fractions as numbers, area, measurement of time, volume and mass, and the four operations with patterns. Its supporting cluster has place value arithmetic, perimeter, shapes and data. The heavier the target, the more items it can contribute.

Where the weight sits, by grade band (our summary of the blueprint’s priority clusters and the Common Core grade focus; not a consortium table)
Grade bandPriority cluster, broadlyWhat usually costs students points
3 to 5Multiplication and division, fractions, place value, area and volumeFraction comparisons explained with a model
6 to 8Ratios and proportional reasoning, the number system, expressions, equations and (grade 8) functionsSetting up an equation from words
11Algebra and functions across the high school standardsInterpreting what a model’s numbers mean in context

Claims 2, 3 and 4 are “drawn across content domains”, in the blueprint’s words. A Claim 3 question in grade 5 can sit on fractions one year and on volume the next. That is why reasoning practice must use whatever topic the class is studying, rather than wait for a special unit.

Tools and calculators

Can you use a calculator on the Smarter Balanced math test?

Only on calculator-allowed items in grades 6 to 8 and high school. The consortium’s June 2026 guidelines list the embedded calculator as a universal tool for those grades, and members agreed not to allow one in grades 3 to 5.

Selected universal tools for Smarter Balanced math (Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines, June 30, 2026, read 31 October 2026)
ToolWhat the guidelines say
Embedded calculatorFor calculator-allowed items only, grades 6 to 8 and high school
Calculator in grades 3 to 5Not included: members agreed to leave it out
Math tools (ruler, protractor)Embedded, only with items whose specifications call for them; external rulers and protractors are not part of the online test
Mark for reviewFlags an item, but markings are not saved after moving to the next segment or a break of more than 20 minutes
Scratch paperA non-embedded universal tool for notes and computations
BreaksNo limit on the number of breaks, which may add to overall time

A detail that catches children out

The guidelines put it bluntly: “Markings are not saved when the student moves on to the next segment or after a break of more than 20 minutes.” A child who flags five questions to revisit later may find the flags gone.

We teach students to treat each question as final when they leave it, and to use mark for review only within a short stretch of work.

States can change the list

The guidelines allow a member to omit a tool that conflicts with its own law or policy, or to add resources for its students. So check your state’s version before relying on a tool.

California, for instance, names the exact Desmos calculator for each grade on its own portal. Other states publish their own accessibility manuals.

Source: Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines, Smarter Balanced, June 30, 2026.

Claim 3 in practice

How do you answer a Smarter Balanced Communicating Reasoning question?

Test the statement with examples, look for the case that breaks it, and say clearly what you found. Two of the consortium’s Claim 3 targets name exactly those moves.

The grade 3 target list for Claim 3 begins with “Test propositions or conjectures with specific examples.” and includes “Use the technique of breaking an argument into cases.” Those two habits carry all the way to grade 11. Here is a grade 7 problem we wrote to practise them.

  1. Our problem (not a Smarter Balanced item). Jordan says: “When you multiply a number by a fraction, the answer is always smaller than the number you started with.” Is Jordan correct? Explain your reasoning.
  2. Case 1: a positive number and a fraction between 0 and 1. 12 x 1/3 = 4, and 4 is smaller than 12. This case agrees with Jordan, which is why the claim feels true.
  3. Case 2: a fraction greater than 1. 12 x 5/4 = 15, and 15 is larger than 12. One counterexample is enough to show the word “always” is false.
  4. Case 3: zero and negatives. 0 x 1/3 = 0, which is not smaller. And -12 x 1/3 = -4, which is larger than -12, because -4 is to the right of -12 on the number line.
  5. The written answer. “Jordan is not correct. It is only true for a positive number times a fraction between 0 and 1. For example, 12 x 5/4 = 15 is larger than 12, and -12 x 1/3 = -4 is larger than -12.”

Why this earns credit

It answers the question asked (correct or not), names the condition under which the claim does hold, and backs both with specific numbers. A grader can see the reasoning without guessing.

What loses credit

Writing “No, because sometimes it gets bigger” with no example. The claim is about evidence, and an argument without a case is only an opinion.

Your state

Which states use Smarter Balanced, and when is the test?

Membership and dates are set state by state, so the honest answer is to check your own department of education. Here is how to read your state’s version quickly.

  1. Find the state’s name for the test. California calls it CAASPP; other members use their own program names. Your child’s report or school letter will say.
  2. Find the window. Each member sets its own. In California, district coordinators set dates in the state system and most schools test between mid-March and mid-May; other states publish a statewide window.
  3. Find the state’s accessibility manual. It confirms which calculator and tools appear, since members may add or omit resources from the consortium list.
  4. Find the state’s score labels. The consortium sets four achievement levels, but states name them. California renamed its levels in 2025 to 2026, for example, without moving any threshold.
  5. Find the practice tests. Members link free practice and training tests from their portals. Use those for the real interface in the final weeks.

Families in California will find that state’s grade-by-grade calculator list, scale score ranges and the grade 11 Early Assessment Program on the CAASPP pages of caaspp-elpac.org. For any other state, the blueprint and claims on this page still apply word for word, because the test design is shared.

We have not printed a list of member states: the consortium’s membership page was unreachable on 31 October 2026, and we do not publish lists we cannot check.

Practice

Twelve Smarter Balanced style practice questions, sorted by claim

Our own questions, three for each claim, across grades 3 to 11. They train the kind of thinking each claim asks for; they are not consortium items.

Original practice by claim (ours), with answers
ClaimGradeQuestionAnswer
13Fill in the blank: 6 x __ = 42.7
16Divide 3/4 by 1/8.6
18Solve 4x - 7 = 2x + 9.x = 8
24A bus holds 36 students. How many buses for 150 students?5 buses (4 hold only 144)
27A map scale is 1 inch to 25 miles. Two towns are 3.5 inches apart. How far is that?87.5 miles
211Find two numbers whose sum is 20 and product is 96.8 and 12
35Is the product of two whole numbers ever smaller than both? Explain.Yes, when one is 0; otherwise no
37Ana says -3 is greater than -1 because 3 is greater than 1. Explain her error.-1 is to the right of -3, so -1 is greater
38Is every square a rectangle? Is every rectangle a square? Justify both.Yes; no, sides need not be equal
46A tap drips 2 ounces per hour. Write and use a model for a full day.w = 2h; 48 ounces
48Data: (1, 3), (2, 5), (3, 7). Write a line that fits and predict x = 10.y = 2x + 1; 21
411A phone loses 15% of its value each year. Model the value after t years from a start of 800.V = 800(0.85)^t

Member states link the consortium’s free practice and training tests from their own testing portals, and those show the real interface and question types. We bring them in during the last weeks, once the reasoning habits are in place.

A plan

An eight-week plan for the Smarter Balanced math test

Ours, built on the claim weights: half the time on procedures, half on the three reasoning claims.

  1. Week 1: one practice test from your state’s portal. We sort every miss by claim, which tells us more than a raw score.
  2. Weeks 2 and 3: Claim 1 gaps. The priority cluster for the grade first, because it carries the most items.
  3. Weeks 4 and 5: Claim 3. Conjectures, counterexamples and cases, like our Jordan problem, two a lesson.
  4. Week 6: Claims 2 and 4. Multi-step problems and simple models from data, with units on every number.
  5. Week 7: one full performance task. Four to six linked questions in one sitting, with written explanations.
  6. Week 8: tools and rules. The calculator for the grade, the 20-minute rule for marks, then rest.

By grade band

What Claim 3 reasoning looks like as children grow

Our reading of how the same claim deepens from grade 3 to grade 11.

Communicating Reasoning by grade band (ours)
Grade bandA typical argumentThe habit to build
3 to 5Is 3/4 bigger than 2/3? Show it.Draw a model and point to it in words
6 to 8Does a percent increase then the same percent decrease return to the start?Try a number, find the case that breaks it
11Is this function always increasing?Use the rule itself, not a few points, as evidence

For parents

At dinner, ask “is that always true?” about one thing your child says about numbers. It is Claim 3 practice without a worksheet.

Read the claim scores on the report, not only the overall level. They tell you which half of the test needs work.

For students

When a question says “always”, hunt for one example that breaks it. When it says “sometimes”, find one example each way.

Finish each question before leaving it. Marks for review can disappear after a long break.

The catalogue

Math courses for students in Smarter Balanced states

Grade-level classes, plus routes for students who want more than the state test.

I

Elementary

Grades 3 to 5

SBP / E / 01

Elementary math

Every grade 3 to 5 domain, with written reasons.

Open the syllabus

SBP / E / 02

Mental math

Speed and sense for calculator-free tests.

Open the syllabus
II

Middle school

Grades 6 to 8

SBP / M / 01

Middle school math

Ratios, equations, geometry, statistics.

Open the syllabus

SBP / M / 02

Math competitions

Contest problems that stretch reasoning.

Open the syllabus
III

High school

Grade 11

How lessons run

Lesson times set to your state’s clock

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

After school

Set to Pacific, Mountain, Central or Eastern Time.

Weekends

Performance-task sittings before the spring window.

1-on-1

Claim-by-claim work on the gaps a report shows.

Claim-sorted

Every mistake tagged to one of four claims.

Reasoning weekly

A conjecture or counterexample each lesson.

Models from data

Claim 4 with real tables and units.

Tool rules

Calculator only where the grade allows.

State practice last

Your portal’s own tests to finish.

Two formats

Batch of fifteen to twenty, or private.

Student work

Projects by our students

Older students often build small math tools in code. Browse student labs.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees

Billed monthly in US dollars with no long commitment; families in Smarter Balanced states often join for the term before testing and stop afterwards.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A free first class
  • Share the claim scores from the last report
  • No payment details
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Fifteen to twenty in a class
  • One teacher across the term
  • Choose your batch
  • Monthly billing
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Private lessons
  • Built around the weakest claim
  • Your choice of times
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Reviews parents left on Google, unchanged.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Families ask

Smarter Balanced math: common questions

What is the Smarter Balanced math test?

It is the summative mathematics assessment written by the Smarter Balanced consortium and given by member states in grades 3 to 8 and 11. It combines computer-adaptive questions with a performance task and reports an overall score plus three claim scores.

What does SBAC stand for?

SBAC is the common short form of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, the group of member states that develops the test. States usually give it under their own program name, such as California's CAASPP.

How many questions are on the Smarter Balanced math test?

It varies because the test adapts, so the consortium's blueprint gives ranges. For Claim 1 alone a grade 3 to 5 student meets 17 to 20 items, and each performance task contains 4 to 6 items.

What are the four claims on the SBAC math test?

Concepts and Procedures, Problem Solving, Communicating Reasoning, and Modeling and Data Analysis. Problem Solving and Modeling are reported together, so families see three claim scores.

Is a calculator allowed on the Smarter Balanced math test?

Only on calculator-allowed items in grades 6 to 8 and high school, where an embedded calculator appears. The consortium's members agreed not to include a calculator for grades 3 to 5.

Is the Smarter Balanced test the same in every state?

The design, claims and blueprint are shared, but each member sets its own window and score labels and may add or omit some accessibility tools. Check your own state's department of education.

When is the Smarter Balanced test in 2027?

Each member state sets its own spring window. In California, for example, districts set their dates and most schools test between mid-March and mid-May, so ask your school for its 2027 dates.

Where can I find a Smarter Balanced practice test?

Member states link the official practice and training tests from their testing portals, and they show the real interface. The twelve questions on this page are our own practice, sorted by claim.

How can my child improve their Claim 3 score?

Practise testing statements with examples and counterexamples, and write the conclusion in a full sentence with numbers as evidence. Our Jordan fraction problem on this page shows the method.

When are your classes?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. We set times in your state's time zone.

Are you connected with Smarter Balanced?

No. Modern Age Coders is an independent online school with no link to the Smarter Balanced consortium, any member state or any district. We quote the consortium's public documents and link to them.

Elsewhere on this site

Related pages

State pages and grade pages that sit beside this one.

Coding classes in California

For families in the largest member state.

Common Core math tutoring

The standards behind the claims.

Fifth grade math tutoring

The last calculator-free year.

Seventh grade math tutoring

Proportions, integers and equations.

Middle school math competitions

Reasoning beyond the state test.

Coding and AI classes in Oregon

One of our state pages.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: US state math tests by state

State tests, grades 3 to 8

High school end-of-course and graduation tests

Standards behind the tests

More guides: US gifted and selective school tests · US math placement and college readiness tests · Homeschool and school math curricula guide · US math and coding competitions guide

Start here

Book a free first class

Send the claim scores from your child’s last report. In the first class the teacher works one Communicating Reasoning problem with your child so you can hear how they argue.

See how we teach, or look through all our courses.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

Our teachers are based in India and teach at hours fixed to your US time zone, after school or at weekends. WhatsApp is the quickest way to ask a question.

There is no charge for the first class and no card is taken.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

Book a priority demo

Keep exploring Modern Age Coders

More maths tuition

Learn more

From the blog

Start here

Free classPriority demoCall us