ASSESSMENTS
State & District

Assessments, an integral part of education, are strong indicators of student learning. They provide valuable feedback that can guide instructional modification and improvement. Therefore, a sound testing program and its proper administration is crucial to gather valuable information on student learning and their understanding of the content.

The Plainfield Public School’s assessment program caters to different student populations such as General Education students, Bilingual students and Special Education students. Although most of the Bilingual and Special Education students participate in the regular assessment programs, there are a few assessments that are specially designed for these special populations. Also, accommodations and modifications are incorporated throughout the assessment process to meet the specific needs of English Language Learners and students with disabilities. The New Jersey State Department of Education mandates the establishment and administration of statewide assessments in grades 3 through 8 and 11. The district also has its own assessment in the other grade levels.

The following discussion briefly addresses the different assessments that are currently in place for students of Plainfield Public Schools and the test administration procedures, including the test accommodations and modifications that are required for the special populations.

STATE ASSESSMENTS:

New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge ( NJ ASK 3 - 8)

The testing program for grades three through eight ( NJ ASK 3 - 8), as required by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This act requires all states to provide a system of assessments for every student in grades 3 through 8. Beginning in March 2006, all students in third grade through eighth grade were tested in Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics, while students in fourth and eighth grade were also tested in Science. NJ ASK assesses student achievement in the knowledge and critical thinking skills, as defined by the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. The language arts literacy section includes reading passages, open-ended items, and writing tasks where students respond to a picture prompt, a poem or a persuasive writing task. The mathematics section involves calculator use and open-ended items that focus on areas such as numerical operations, geometry and measurement, data analysis, and ability to work with patterns and algebra, estimation and problem solving strategies. The Science section is composed of Life, Physical and Earth Sciences that measures student knowledge and process skills abilities.

High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA)

For the first time, in March 2002, eleventh grade students were given HSPA as the new graduation test. This is the third component of the state's assessment program, which encompasses both NJ ASK and GEPA skills. In 2002, the test was given in two areas only, Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics. Beginning in 2007, Science is also another content area that is being tested at this grade level. Effective the 2007-08 school year, the HSPA Science test is being replaced by an End of Course Biology Test, to be administered on May 19, 2008 with a make-up testing date of May 22, 2008.

Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA)

The Alternate Proficiency Assessment (APA) is a portfolio assessment designed to measure progress toward achieving the Core Curriculum Content Standards for Students with Severe Disabilities (CCCSSSD) who are unable to participate in the NJ ASK, or HSPA. The APA process was developed in order to meet the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA 97) and the No Child Left Behind Act. The APA assesses the content areas of Language Arts Literacy and Mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and 11. It also assesses Science in grades 4 & 8. Evidence of student performance is collected during instructional activities over the school year. Work samples exemplify each student's abilities as they relate to the standards and to the student's individual education program goals and objectives. Portfolios are scored by New Jersey teachers using a rubric designed to measure student performance and program components in areas identified as important in the education of students with significant disabilities.

Bilingual Testing Program

Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs)

In the spring of 2006 the state adopted a new assessment for Bilingual and ESL students called Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners (ACCESS for ELLs). This test assess students’ English language proficiency in five areas: Social and Instructional Language, which incorporates proficiencies needed to deal with the general language of the classroom and the school; English / Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. It is a state mandated assessment for all Bilingual and ESL students in grades K through 12. ACCESS for ELLs has replaced the Idea Proficiency Test (IPT) which was used to identify and measure the progress of Limited English Proficient students in mastering the English language. The other English language test currently used for twelfth grade bilingual students who did not pass the HSPA and is involved with the SRA process required for graduation is MAC II. MAC II is an updated version of the Maculaitis Assessment of Competencies, originally published in 1982. This also assesses English proficiency in four major strands of literacy: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. On the elementary and middle school levels the IPT is also used to exit students from the bilingual program and to mainstream them.

DISTRICT ASSESSMENTS:

TerraNova

In April of 2007, students in grades K through 2 participated for the first time in the TerraNova Test. TerraNova is a test designed to measure achievement in the basic skills taught in the elementary schools. The subject areas measured were Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics for Kindergarten and grade two. First grade students were administered the Reading/Language Arts, Mathematics, as well as Word Analysis, Vocabulary, and Mathematics Computation. The TerraNova Test is a norm-referenced, standardized achievement test. Norm-referenced means that each child's achievement in a broad area, such as language or mathematics, can be compared with other students' achievement in the country. Achievement means just that--the test provides a "snapshot" of how much learning the student has achieved so far. The test measures the basic content and skills that are most common to curricula throughout the country.