CASAS study guide
CASAS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems) is not a single pass/fail credential but a family of standardized assessments used mainly in adult education, workforce development, and correctional and vocational programs. Schools and agencies use CASAS tests to place learners at an appropriate instructional level, to measure skill gain between pre- and post-instruction, and sometimes to document employability or program-entry readiness. The CASAS study guide has 8 sections and about 3,762 words.
01Basic Communication: Listening and Speaking (CASAS Competency 0)
The Basic Communication area tests listening and speaking for everyday purposes: understanding short conversations, public announcements, voicemail, directions and spoken instructions, and giving a clear, appropriate spoken response. Listening items are delivered by audio and answered by choosing the option that fits what was said, not the option that repeats the words that were used.
859 words, about 4 min02Consumer Economics: Money, Ads, Banking and Contracts (CASAS Competency 2)
The Consumer Economics area tests the money decisions adults make in the marketplace: reading ads and price tags, comparing value, using coupons, checking receipts and sales tax, returning merchandise, managing a bank account, budgeting, and understanding the terms of a contract or loan before signing. Unit price = price divided by quantity.
408 words, about 2 min03Health: Appointments, Insurance and Medication Labels (CASAS Competency 3)
The Health area tests health literacy: making and keeping appointments, using an insurance card, following prescription and over-the-counter label instructions, describing symptoms, reading nutrition and warning labels, completing patient forms, and deciding where to go for care. Appointments: arriving early, the 24-hour cancellation rule, bringing the insurance card and medication list, and asking for an interpreter, which is a right rather than a favor.
425 words, about 2 min04Employment: Job Ads, Pay Stubs and Workplace Forms (CASAS Competency 4)
The Employment area covers the documents and conversations of working life: reading a job ad, completing an application or resume, understanding a schedule, reading a pay stub, filling out a W-4, following workplace policy, and requesting time off or reporting a problem. Job ads separate requirements (must have a valid license) from preferences (bilingual a plus).
383 words, about 2 min05Government and Law: Civic Duties, Taxes and Legal Notices (CASAS Competency 5)
The Government and Law area tests how government works and what the law requires of residents: voting, jury duty, taxes, identification and immigration documents, public benefits, interactions with police and the courts, and the rights attached to a lease, a job or a purchase. Levels of government: federal (Social Security, income tax, immigration, mail), state (driver's license and ID, state tax, state courts), local (schools, trash pickup, zoning, local police).
432 words, about 2 min06Computation: Applied Math with Money, Time and Measurement (CASAS Competency 6)
The Computation area tests math as adults meet it: money, percentages, measurement, time, averages, and information drawn from tables and graphs. Items are word problems and document-based tasks, so the arithmetic is rarely the hard part.
407 words, about 2 min07Learning to Learn: Reference Tools, Study Habits and Test Strategy (CASAS Competency 7)
The Learning to Learn area is the study-skills domain: setting a goal, choosing the right reference tool, taking notes, checking your own understanding, and using test-taking strategies deliberately. Items ask what a learner should do next, which resource fits a need, or which study method suits a situation.
421 words, about 2 min08Independent Living: Housing, Food, Safety and Daily Paperwork (CASAS Competency 8)
The Independent Living area covers managing a household and personal life: renting and maintaining a home, cooking and storing food, keeping the home safe, arranging child care, handling transportation and appointments, and organizing the paperwork these tasks produce. A lease states the rent, the due date, the grace period and late fee, whether utilities are included, the deposit, the written notice required to move out (often 30 days), and how to request repairs.
427 words, about 2 min