Between February and May 2018, students in the Westerville City School District were scheduled to take a variety of important tests. Below is a breakdown of the specific tests by grade level. Also included is a brief summary about each test, and when and how parents will receive results.
Grades 2 and 5 – TerraNova/InView/NNAT
The TerraNova is a norm-referenced assessment, which means it ranks students based on scale scores and assigns students a national percentile. This assessment is a standardized way to compare our students’ performance to students from across the nation. The TerraNova is also used for gifted identification.
The InView is a test of cognitive skills and provides a Cognitive Skills Index (CSI). This score is also used for gifted identification and fulfills the State requirement to give students an ability assessment. The InView Assessment measures a student’s ability to work with words and visual concepts.
Students with English as a Second Language are usually given the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) in lieu of the InView. Both the InView and NNAT are group-administered, and the results of both help teachers and parents evaluate a child’s progress according to his or her ability.
The Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) was new this year, and was only administered to students in grade 2. This non-verbal, creative thinking 30-minute assessment is entitled the “Figural TTCT.” Required by Ohio's Operating Standards, this assessment is used for identification of a student being creatively gifted. Students draw and give a title to their drawings (pictures) or write questions, reasons, consequences and different uses for objects (words).
Printed score reports were mailed home in March 2018.
Grades K-12 – Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA)
The OELPA fulfills the state and federal requirement to annually assess K-12 students who are Limited English Proficient (LEP) and measures their English language proficiency. The test measures four areas: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.
Printed score reports should arrive in the district mid-June 2018, and will be immediately mailed home.
Grades 3-8 – Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)
The AASCD is given to students who, per their IEP, are to take an alternate assessment of the required state testing. The assessment measures a student’s mastery of the Ohio Academic Content Standards – Extended. Based on their performance, students are placed into one of five performance levels: advanced, accelerated, proficient, basic, or limited.
Printed score reports should arrive in the district mid-June 2018, and will be immediately mailed home.
Grades 3-11 – Ohio’s State Tests (OST)
All districts and schools with eligible students are required to administer State tests in English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Each test is divided into specific units. Tests are aligned to Ohio’s academic content standards.
Printed score reports should arrive in the district late July 2018, and will be immediately mailed home.
Grades 9-12 – Advanced Placement (AP)
AP Assessments are given during the first two full weeks of May and are used to measure a student’s mastery of the AP course content. Based on the students’ scores, 1 to 5, they could earn college credit.
Through the College Board at apscore.collegeboard.org/scores, it is anticipated that students can access their scores online beginning July 8, 2018.
Grade 11 (Graduation Cohort 2018) – American College Testing (ACT)
The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in: English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science.
Printed score reports from the March 20 administrations are being mailed directly from ACT any time between May 14 and mid-June 2018. Within one week after receiving the mailed report, parents/students can access their scores online through ACT at www.actstudent.org . There will be an identifier in the mailed letter that families can then go online, if necessary, and match this test administration to another established student account.
Grades 11-12 – International Baccalaureate (IB)
These summative assessments, combined with projects, interviews, and lab reports, determine a student’s final IB grade, which could earn college credit.
Through the IB website at https://candidates.ibo.org, students can access their scores online beginning July 5, 2018.