Arp ISD Assessments
Assessment Policy & Procedures
Arp ISD believes that assessment provides the information necessary to improve student performance through instructional decision-making, setting priorities, allocating resources, and for accountability to student's parents, the community, and the mandated state and federal education authorities.
 
TYPES OF TESTS ADMINISTERED IN ARP ISD
Arp ISD is committed to the use of a variety of assessment techniques to capture both the breadth and depth of student learning over time. The school district employs two major forms of assessments which schools are using concurrently. They are objective tests and performance assessments. 

Arp ISD utilizes curriculum calendars to associate TEKS instruction with levels of thinking, depth of content, complexity, questioning and technology skills to build knowledge / skills benchmark assessments for each six-weeks grading period. 

Because instruction and assessment are highly interdependent,  Arp ISD  requires formative and summative evaluations at all grade levels for all core subject areas reflecting content from the curriculum calendar.  These benchmark tests are required each six weeks in each core class K-12.

Formative evaluations are reported to the Superintendent & Curriculum Director at the end of each six weeks for each grade level and each core subject area.  Formative evaluations (ALIs--Arp Learning Index Tests, pre-released TAKS and STAR tests) are reported by the principal to the board at the semester.  Formative evaluations are analyzed by the department chairs and administration and drive the improvement decisions for each campus.  The resulting analysis assists the vertical curriculum teams in developing departmental needs assessments and provides important information for evolving instructional needs,  staff development issues, policies, and procedures.  

 

The following tests are administered by the Arp ISD:
 
Arp Learning Index (ALI -- benchmark assessments)-- Localized 6 Weeks Grade-Level Assessments for Grades K-12-- ALIs are formative TEKS-driven achievement tests for the core subject areas (math, language arts/reading, social studies, and science.)  Incremental tests are given to each child every six weeks in grades K-2.  These tests give a general picture of student progress for the current curriculum calendar content (mastery level of TEKS).  These tests assist the faculty, department chairs, and administration, in building effective vertical alignment of curriculum, in identifying student needs, and  facilitate instructional programs, accountability, and acceleration issues.

Each K-12 teacher is responsible for assisting the curriculum director in the development of the curriculum calendar and associated six-weeks ALI.  Each K-12 teacher using the same curriculum calendar will administer the same ALI test to determine strengths and weaknesses of instruction.  A summative version of the ALI will be given to grades K-2 to determine student progress for the year.  This summative test will be given during the regularly scheduled TAKS tests for grades 3-5.   The campus principal is responsible for reporting the results of each six weeks ALI to the superintendent and curriculum director.  The results of the summative ALI test given at the end of the year will be reported to the board of trustees. 

Each core subject area teacher will also develop a Yearly Expectation Assessment (Also known as End-of-Course or EOC Assessment*) for each course and grade level.  This assessment will help the district determine Adequate Yearly Progress and will be used to determine a child's level of skills acquisition (including Home Schooled Children) for promotion, acceleration,  and placement procedures.
  Accelerated Reading (AR) Tests & STAR Test- These tests give students the opportunity to demonstrate reading comprehension.  These tests are also used to initially determine the student's reading level and to identify students who might need acceleration instruction, individualized instruction, and/or special services.
   
Norm-referenced tests: MAT & Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) - These tests give a broad, general picture of student achievement, gauged by the achievement of other students in the nation. The tests measure basic concepts and procedures rather than in-depth understanding or student production of knowledge. They provide a “snapshot” of student achievement at a certain point in time and allow for confirmation or dis-confirmation by assessments made in other ways. The ITBS is administered to students in grades 5 and 7.
 
Structure of Intelligence Test (SOI) - The SOI is a norm-referenced test of developed academic reasoning skills. The SOI test is administered to students in grades 3, 5, 7 and 9.  The SOI is given to students who are nominated for the Gifted and Talented Program as one measurement for the G/T Matrix.
 
TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge &  Skills)  The TAKS test is a state-mandated assessment used to determine how well students have mastered the essential elements of the Texas state curriculum in reading, math and writing. It is administered to students in grades 3 through 8 and Exit Level.  Each of these tests also attempts to evaluate higher-level thinking skills and students’ ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Arp ISD students consistently perform significantly above the state average on the TAKS tests.

The TAKS test scores will compose 1/3 of the final exam score for each core subject area using the following chart.

Reading-LA, Math, Science, Social Studies Writing
100% = Commended Performance or above

90% = Between Standard Scale Score & Commended Performance

80% = Standard Scale Score

70% = 100 points Below Standard Scale Score

F = More than 100 points below Standard Scale Score

 

 100% = Score of 4

90% = Score of 3

80% = Score of 2

70% = Score of 1

F= Score of 0


*EOC Tests - An End of Course Tests over core TEKS will administered for each core subject to students who fail to take TAKS tests and/or who are home-schooled, or who are missing semester or yearly grade averages due to unforeseen circumstances.  The  EOC test grade will be accepted as the yearly average grade in the core area for that student.  EOCs are created by the core teachers and department chairs and approved by the curriculum director as satisfying benchmarks for the course.
 
Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT /SAT) - Arp ISD students are encouraged to participate in the PSAT test through their junior year of high school.  It is recommended that college-bound students take multiple administrations of the SAT test during their senior year. 
 

Other tests administered Through TEA

Reading Proficiency Tests in English (RPTE)  The Reading Proficiency Tests in English are designed to measure annual growth in second language learners, and are used along with English and Spanish TAKS to provide a comprehensive assessment system for limited English proficient (LEP) students.  LEP students in Grades 3-12 are required to take the RPTE until they achieve a rating of “advanced.”

RPTE is given in March to all ESL students starting in the third grade until they score an Advanced Level.

Texas Primary Reading Inventory The Texas Primary Reading Inventory is given at the end of the first semester for Kindergarten students, and three times a year for 1-3rd grade students.  This assessments assists teachers in identifying pre-reading and reading skills levels of all primary students.  This inventory allows teachers and parents to identify areas of need and improvement and influences instruction in the classroom.  Parents may obtain a copy of this evaluation from their child's teacher.  Arp Elementary School has implemented a new online evaluation tool (MClass) to assist teachers in providing the precise instruction for each child's specific skill level and need.

OPT – Oral Proficiency Test – given to all ESL students at the beginning and end of the year until they exit ESL program

State-Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA) The SDAA assesses special education students in Grades 3-8 who are receiving instruction in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) but for whom TAKS is an inappropriate measure of their academic progress.

Note:  SDAA will include high school in Field Tests in 2004.

 Other tests not administered by TEA

Advanced Placement Program

The Advanced Placement Program is a cooperative educational endeavor between secondary schools and colleges and universities.  It provides motivated high school students an opportunity to take college-level courses in a high school setting.

Participating students gain college-level skills and in many cases college credit while still in high school.  Courses and examinations are taken by 11th and 12th graders.

 ACT Assessment

The ACT is designed to assess high school students’ general educational development and their ability to do college work. Participation is voluntary.  The test is generally administered six times a year.  Some students choose to take the test multiple times.  The examination covers four academic skills areas:  English, Mathematics, Reading and Science Reasoning.  The scores range from 1 to 36.

ASVAB Career Exploration Program

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Career Exploration Program allows students to gain insight into information and resources using an interest inventory based on the OccuFind chart.  This program will assist students in considering over 400 occupations.  This test is given to seniors to assist them in making real-world career decisions. 

Credit by Examination (via Texas Tech University)

Credit by examination is an alternative exam for acceleration purchased by parents and on which a student must score 90%+ if he/she has no prior applicable course instruction.  There are six dates (3 fall dates, 3 spring dates) annually when the Credit by Exams are given in the district.  Please contact the campus counselor for those dates.
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