The Westerville City School District is pleased to announce its 2014-2015 student assessment calendar. The release of this information had been slightly delayed until the Ohio Department of Education finalized its test dates for Next Generation Assessments in the areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
The assessment calendar is available on the district website (www.wcsoh.org) in two formats. One format provides a comprehensive view of all tests that kindergarten through grade 12 students will be taking this school year, while the second format allows the review of testing by grade level. Each format includes a legend to assist users with various acronyms they will encounter (e.g., KRA - Kindergarten Readiness Assessment).
Students in grades 3-11 this year will be taking the new, state-mandated Performance-Based Assessments (PBA) and End-of-Year (EOY) Course Assessments. The Performance-Based Assessments (PBAs) focus on a student’s application of the content and include the following characteristics:
- PBAs are administered after completion of approximately 75 percent of the school year.
- The Mathematics PBAs are comprised primarily of short-answer questions to solve real-world, multi-step problems that focus on conceptual knowledge, skills, and understandings.
- The English Language Arts (ELA)/Literacy PBAs at each grade level include three tasks: research simulation, literary analysis and narrative task. Each task asks students to read one or more texts, answer several short comprehension and vocabulary questions, and write an essay that requires them to draw evidence from what they’ve read. There is an emphasis on using and analyzing sources, as well as communicating knowledge by integrating, comparing and synthesizing ideas.
- Science and Social Studies PBAs, which consist of graphic-response and short-answer items, include a combination of items and tasks that require students to recall content aligned to the model curriculum. Students may encounter a set of data tables, charts, or a simulation linked around a central theme. The sequence of items requires students to analyze and interpret source materials more thoroughly than may be possible with only a single item.
End-of-Year Assessments (EOYs) focus on assessing overall content knowledge and include the following characteristics:
- EOYs are administered after approximately 90 percent of the school year.
- Results are combined with the PBAs to produce a student’s summative assessment score.
- The mathematics EOYs require students to show further conceptual understanding of content and demonstrate appropriate grade level fluency.
- The ELA/Literacy EOYs at each grade level include four to five texts, both literary and informational. This includes social science/historical, scientific, and technical texts at grades 6-11. Short-answer comprehension and vocabulary questions are associated with each text.
- Students will be asked to respond to a variety of questions on Science and Social Studies EOYs, such as graphic-response and short-answer questions. However, approximately 50 percent of the available points will come from multiple-choice items.
For additional information:
PARCC ELA and Math Sample Items:
PARCC’s Blueprints and Test Specifications:
Ohio’s Social Studies and Science Test Information and Specifications:
Contact Dr. Scott Ebbrecht, Director of Alternative Education and Assessment at 614/797-7750.