Testing 1, 2, 3
Who is being tested this year?
As always, everyone in the high school is taking some form of standardized test this year. However, only 9th and 10th graders are being given a new, full set of tests in order to fulfill graduation requirements – they must pass all of the tests given in order to graduate, in addition to completing Shaker’s credit requirements.
I’m in 11th or 12th grade and I didn’t pass the OGTs last year. What am I supposed to do?
OGTs are being given this year to students in the classes of 2016 and 2017 who did not take or did not pass them last year. There will be two different sessions as seen in the chart above.
Didn’t we take PARCC tests last year? What happened to those?
The state of Ohio decided that, due to the issues with administering and gathering the data from PARCC tests, the state would no longer be a member of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) Consortium. This year, the tests will be administered by the American Institutes for Research (AIR).
Will my scores on these tests be used to assess my teachers?
Not at the moment. Due to the new legislation, the state of Ohio has established a policy called “Safe Harbor,” which means that standardized tests taken in the 2014-2015 school year and the 2015-2016 school year cannot be used to assess teachers, administration or schools.
Is end-of-course the same thing as finals?
No. Students will also take final exams in January and May.
How long will End-Of-Course tests take?
The tests are given in two parts, and each part is 90 minutes. In total, students are looking at about 9 hours of end-of-course testing.
What is the PSAT 10?
The PSAT 10 is the same thing as the PSAT/NMSQT, which is the test taken by 10th and 11th graders. However, the PSAT 10 is only taken by 10th graders and will not be taken into consideration by the National Merit Scholarship Program when looking for eligible students.
Will sophomores have to take ASPIRE tests like they did last year?
No. A practice ACT was held on Nov. 14 at the high school, which replaced the ASPIRE testing.
Are any study materials available from the testing companies for the EOC exams?
Yes. There are rubrics, requirements and preparation materials available through AIR, and there is an website for AIR practice .
So the class of 2017 is the last grade taking the OGT?
Yes. The EOC tests are replacing the OGT as graduation testing requirements.
Will there be any more testing changes for next year?
It all depends on how the testing this year goes. PARCC was replaced because the tests did not get the results the Ohio Department of Education wanted. If AIR fails at their job, we may be looking at a third, new set of tests for next year.
How is AIR different from PARCC?
The questions are different, and the tests are in a slightly different format. However, very little information has been released comparing the two tests.
How will the EOC tests be scored?
In order to graduate, students need a total of at least 18 points spread out over seven tests as follows:
English I – after student takes any level of 9 English
English II – after student takes any level of 10 English
Algebra I – 2 points, after student takes Algebra I or equivalent
Geometry – 2 points, after student takes Geometry or 9 Honors Math
Integrated Math I and II – 2 points each, after student takes Life 9 Math and Life 10 Math, respectively
American History – 4 points, after student takes any level of American History
American Government – 1 point, after student takes any American Government course
Science – 2 points – after student takes any Biology course
These tests are scored on a scale of 2-5 (2-Basic, 3-Proficient, 4-Accelerated, 5-Advanced), with the idea that a strong score on one test would make up for a weak score on another.
So, for example, if you score a 1 on your science test but a 5 on a math test, you now have a cumulative score of 6. In this way, the scores on each of the tests will be added up, and students are required to gain a total of at least 18 points in order to graduate.
I still have questions!
Great! Comment on this story with your question and I will answer it to the best of my ability.
