As parents prepare to send their children back to school, there are a few changes in store for the upcoming school year.
Test scores
With the use of a new statewide assessment — AzMERIT — test scores for reading, writing and math will be released later than usual — in October — and will likely be much different than AIMS results, as it uses more rigorous standards.
Neither is cause for concern, according to Expect More Arizona, an organization that champions a world-class education for all students.
“The scores will provide a truer view of how our students are performing,” the organization said, adding that in time, the new test will also allow for faster score reporting with results being made available before the end of the school year, which was not the case with AIMS.
When scores arrive, students will no longer be classified as exceeding, meeting, approaching or falling far below standards. Instead, performance levels of highly proficient, proficient, partially proficient and minimally proficient will be used.
The use of the new assessment has resulted in the Arizona Department of Education’s annual letter grades being frozen this year and next. The state, however, is still required to identify struggling schools.
Unlike AIMS, a student’s performance on AzMERIT will not determine graduation eligibility.
Civics Test
Even though passing AzMERIT is not a graduation requirement, this year’s high school juniors will be the first batch to take a civics test that could prevent them from donning a cap and gown in May 2017 if they get fewer than 60 out of 100 questions correct.
Third-Grade Reading
By law, third-graders who fall far below on the statewide reading assessment cannot be promoted to the fourth grade, although there have been exceptions for some English-language learners and some special education students. Given that AzMERIT scores have not yet been reported, no one was held back after taking the test last spring and it is unclear whether the law will be used this upcoming year to make retention decisions. Once scores are in, struggling students will be identified and targeted for intervention.
Legislation signed into law earlier this month also amended the third-grade reading law to include exemptions for students being evaluated or referred for placement in special education, and students with severe reading disabilities, including dyslexia.
