On Wednesday of this week Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 484 (AB484) which brings the California Standardized Test, also known as the STAR, to an end. We began the school year with the notion that our students would take the STAR in the Spring, while at the same time we have been shifting our teaching towards the Common Core Standards- which will be fully implemented in the 2014-15 school year. Now, without the STAR test to give, we can fully focus our attention on to the Common Core Standards- Standards that emphasize critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity over the rote memorization that the STAR test seemed to reward. Say goodbye to the "bubble test"!
This doesn't mean our students will be "test free" in the Spring. Part of AB484 includes provisions for California's public education students to pilot what is known as the Smarter Balanced Assessments. While details of the testing are still being worked out, we do know that our students will take either the English/Language Arts or Mathematics section of the tests. As of now, only our 3rd through 6th graders will be taking the Smarter Balanced assessments. These tests are given online and, eventually, will include analytics that modify the type of question based on how a student answered the previous question. However, during this pilot year, we will receive no student results. Instead, the state is giving itself, and schools, a year to "test the test". You can learn more about the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium by visiting: www.smarterbalanced.org. Or, if you up for a challenge, use this link to take a practice test that will give you an idea of the types of assessments our students will be taking.
I'm excited about this major development as it puts even more relevancy in, not so much WHAT we teach our students, but HOW we teach. But, it also means we have to expedite our work towards the Common Core Standards a bit more quickly than we thought. There are challenges ahead but I have no doubt that this shift is good for kids.
Enjoy your weekend!
Wade Spenader
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