| 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. |