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Research: Testing
The district administers a broad array of assessments during the course of the academic year. Some of these tests are statewide and mandatory, such as the Stanford 9 achievement tests, some are statewide and optional, like the Golden State Examinations, and others are assessments developed and administered within the district. The links below are presented in three sections: State-Wide Tests, District-Wide Tests and College Prep/Placement Tests.
The District has developed a series of Basic Math Facts tests administered to students in Grades 2-8, to ensure that students do not "slip through the cracks" without developing proficiency in the fundamental mathematical operations. Each test consists of 70 items. Students are judged as proficient on a test if they accurately complete at least 93% of the items during the time allotted.
Students in Grade 2 are required to be proficient in addition and subtraction. In grades 3-8, students are tested in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers. In Grades 7 and 8 the tests involve operations on signed numbers. Students who are not proficient have opportunities to retake and to pass these tests until the operations are mastered.
The Benchmarks are a series of tests which have been linked to reading levels ranging from Pre-Kindergarten through the End of Grade 8. Students read these texts aloud to the teacher, and then respond to several questions testing their comprehension of the passages. Students are given scores on both their facility in reading the text (correctness of pronunciation, fluidity, etc.) and comprehension. Students who have met the criteria for success are judged as reading at the level linked to that Benchmark.
Teachers in Grade 5 and Middle School Reading Development Teachers are required to administer Benchmarks to their students at least three times per year, and the results of these assessments are collected and reported by the Research Office.
