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Formative testing
While annual state testing is already required to measure student progress, we believe formative or interim testing would allow schools to track progress more effectively. Formative testing, conducted every six to eight weeks, has been adopted by several schools across the state, enabling teachers to evaluate student progress earlier and customize curriculum to ensure top performance on annual exams. Helping every school district across the state understand that value is an ongoing focus.
Longitudinal tracking
Think of longitudinal tracking as a ladder, with each rung representing a year of a child’s education. By tracking student gains and skill mastery it can be determined whether a student is progressing at the same level as his/her peers, or if an entire classroom is in line with the national average for achievement. Each student’s scores would be measured against his/her own scores from the previous year, rather than comparing fourth graders as a whole from one year to the next. Each individual student’s gain that year can be compared to other student gains in the class, district, state and nation.
National normed test
The only way for Arkansans to know if their children are up to par academically is to compare them with children in other states. National normed tests provide a yardstick by which all children in the United States can be measured. Arkansas now provides assessments with both a norm reference component and a criterion referenced component in order to measure both the student’s progress in learning what they should know and be able to do, by grade level, as well as providing a comparison with children across the country.
End of course exams
End of course exams measure whether a student has or has not mastered the material taught in a particular course. Students who do not pass End of Course exams are provided remediation opportunities to learn important skills. Annual testing results will determine if student interventions are needed, thus allowing for opportunities to effectively cater to the student before he/she falls further behind.
High school high stakes exit exam
Requiring students to pass exit exams before graduating from high school guarantees that they are equipped with the knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce or in higher education programs. Although exit exams are in place already in many of Arkansas' public high schools, students who do not pass these exams graduate from the school even if they earn a failing grade. If students are not held accountable to the exit exams, they will enter the workforce or higher education programs without the tools needed to succeed. Students can take the exit exam multiple times. Requiring this for graduation will reduce the cost of college remediation. As a result of Act 35 and the Omnibus Education Act, Arkansas will begin the implementation of a High Stakes Exit Exam in Algebra for the 2010-2011 school year and plan on a High Stakes Exit Exam in English II slated for the 2013-2014 school year.
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