From the Mind of McGregor

 

​This spring, South Dakota will begin using a new state assessment, called Smarter Balanced, that is based on the state’s standards in English language arts and math. This test is administered to students in grades 3-8 and 11. It will replace the Dakota STEP test in English and math. The test was developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, a group of 22 states, including South Dakota. More than 100 South Dakota educators served on Smarter Balanced work groups as the test was being developed.

The Smarter Balanced assessment was field tested in spring 2014. That practice run gave our district’s teachers and schools a chance to practice test administration procedures, and students the opportunity to experience what will be expected of them on the new assessment. Since the field test, a number of South Dakota educators have served on panels to help set achievement levels for the new test.

Delivered entirely online, the Smarter Balanced assessment offers significant improvements over multiple choice, paper-and-pencil tests of the past. Students now have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways. Writing is required at every grade level, and performance tasks ask students to demonstrate an array of research, writing and problem solving skills. This variety in test items means test results will provide a more meaningful picture of what students know and can do. The new test also offers expanded accessibility features to better meet the needs of all students.

Because the new assessment measures student mastery of new, more rigorous standards, student performance on Smarter Balanced should not be compared to performance on Dakota STEP. Any time a new test is introduced, there will be a period of adjustment as students become familiar with the new concepts being assessed. If you must compare results of the two tests, expect to see a drop in the number of students demonstrating proficiency (Levels 3 and 4). This should not be cause for alarm; it means we are challenging students and preparing them for the rigors of postsecondary education and careers in today’s world.

It is also important to remember that your child’s score on the state assessment only reflects their performance at one moment in time. Throughout the school year, your student’s teachers continually measure his or her progress through a variety of methods.

If you have questions or concerns about the new test, please contact your child’s principal or teacher. You can also try a practice test by visiting http://commoncore.sd.gov/assessment.aspx.​