SCHOOLS: San Mateo Students Begin Statewide Assessments

School officials say that students will no longer be taking multiple-choice, paper-based tests. Rather, testing will be computer based going forward. Image via Shutterstock.

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The following was submitted for publication by the San Mateo County Office of Education:

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced last week the start of a new era of public testing in California, and San Mateo County schools have already begun.

The Smarter Balanced tests, which are being given to 3rd- through 8th-graders and 11th-graders across the state, are part of a broader program that is replacing the STAR tests that many have seen in the past. These new end-of-year exams were designed around Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics and are intended to measure real-world skills and readiness for college and career. Instead of multiple-choice, paper-based tests, Smarter Balanced is computer based and will better assess students’ analytical writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Schools in San Mateo County will have until May 29, 2015 to complete their Smarter Balanced testing, and individual score reports will be available soon after. These reports, known as the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, or CAASPP, will include a student’s overall scores in both English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics; information on average scores from last year’s field test; and whether the student exceeded, met, nearly met, or did not meet achievement standards.

Because the Smarter Balanced assessments are fundamentally different from the previous STAR tests, there will be no comparison to past STAR test results. This year’s Smarter Balanced student scores will establish the baseline for student growth and improvement going forward.

(Image via Shutterstock)