april newsletter
April 24, 2015
Dear Parents,
This spring, our students will take the state-required Smarter Balanced Assessment, a series
of online tests that cover the new Washington State Learning Standards for
English language arts (ELA) and math. These tests replace those (including the
Measurement of Student Progress, or MSP, and High School Proficiency Exam, or
HSPE) that the state previously used to measure student progress in reading,
writing and math. The Smarter Balanced Assessment will be given to students in
grades 3-8, 10 (ELA only) and 11.
The Smarter Balanced Assessment comprises four tests. Both math
and English language arts are divided into two parts: a computer adaptive test (CAT) and a performance task (PT) test. Each of these four tests typically
takes two hours to complete, and students will take them on separate days. Our
goal is to seamlessly include the tests in a regular school day. We anticipate
that the flexibility of online testing will let us meet the individual needs of
students and have less overall disruption to our school. Our school will take
the tests within these dates:
|
Grade
|
Date
|
Test
|
Type
|
|
5
|
May 26-June 1
|
ELA, Math, Science
|
CAT & PT
|
|
6
|
May 4-8
|
ELA, Math
|
CAT & PT
|
|
7
|
May 11-15
|
ELA, Math
|
CAT & PT
|
|
8
|
May 26-June 1
|
ELA, Math, Science
|
CAT & PT
|
These assessments show students' understanding of the new
learning standards that teachers have been using in the classroom. As with
anything new, it has been necessary to familiarize students and staff with the
new tests and format. Students have become familiar with the new interface by
taking practice tests and have gained practical skills that transfer to careers
and college by using the technology necessary to take the tests online.
As with any educational activity, we thank you for working
together with us to help our kids be successful. The Smarter Balanced
Assessment will give us important information about how our students are
learning so we can adapt education to make sure it delivers the skills students
need for life beyond high school. Please encourage your children to do their
best and get the rest they need to be ready on testing days.
If you have any questions, please contact us at (360)
885-5500
Tamarah Grigg & Steve Hoskins
