State Testing Info

OHIO TEST

Federal and state laws require all districts and schools to test all students in specific grades and courses. There is no law that allows a parent or student to opt out of state testing, and there is no state test opt-out procedure or form. If a parent withdraws a child from participation in certain state tests, there may be consequences for the student, the student’s teacher, and the school and district.

WHY ARE STATE TESTS IMPORTANT?

State tests are critical for measuring student learning and ensuring that every Ohio student receives a high quality education. The results from state tests are how we hold districts, schools and teachers accountable.

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY DO NOT TAKE STATE TESTS Schools must administer state tests and students are expected to take them. If a student does not participate in state testing, there may be consequences for the student, the student’s teacher, and the school and district.

1. Third Grade Reading Guarantee

a. A student who does not take the state’s grade 3 English language arts test will not have a score on that test and may not be promoted to the fourth grade as part of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, unless an exemption applies. For more information on exemptions, visit the Department’s website.

2. High School Graduation Requirements

 a. A student who entered ninth grade for the first time before July 1, 2014, must meet curriculum requirements and take and pass the Ohio Graduation Tests or meet one of the three graduation options for the Class of 2018 and beyond to earn a high school diploma.

 b. A student who entered ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2014, must meet curriculum requirements and take and reach the needed score on the tests for at least one graduation option to earn a high school diploma. More information on the graduation requirements are on www.education.ohio.gov

These options include:

i. Cumulative performance earned on the state end-of-course tests or their approved    substitutes;

 ii. A remediation-free score on the ACT or SAT college admissions test; or

 iii. A workforce ready score on the WorkKeys test, in combination with an approved industry-recognized credential.

 3. English learners a. A student who does not take the Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment cannot exit the English as a Second Language program

POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES FOR DISTRICTS, SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS WHEN STUDENTS DO NOT TAKE STATE TESTS

1. Districts and schools receive no credit when a student doesn’t participate in state testing. This can negatively impact a district’s state A-F report card grades.

 a. Families and businesses often consult A-F grades in choosing where to live, locate a business and how to vote on tax levies.

b. These grades also may impact school choice programs, flexibility on how funding is spent and which schools receive extra help from the state.

c. If student participation in a district drops below 95 percent overall or for specific subgroups of students, the district could face new restrictions on how it spends its money pursuant to federal law. Additionally, the district or school will receive demotions on their Gap Closing report card measure.

 d. Students who do not participate in the required state tests will earn no points towards the school’s performance index score. e. In the future, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) will require schools and districts that do not meet the 95 percent participation requirement to develop a corrective action plan. They must use stakeholder input to develop a plan that will improve their participation rate.

2. Districts and schools cannot count students who do not take all required state tests in their average daily membership (ADM) for state funding, unless they obtain a waiver from the Department.

3. Teachers may be evaluated based, in part, on student test scores from the 2016-2017 school year. If a student does not take a state test, that student’s growth will not be included in the teacher’s evaluation.

4. Teachers will not have access to advanced diagnostic information from state tests, such as student growth projections, to help inform instruction.

What state tests measure

Ohio's State Tests measure each child's progress according to Ohio's Learning Standards. These standards tell teachers what their students should know and be able to do at the end of each grade or course. The standards also call for students to apply critical thinking, problem-solving and  writing skills to what they are learning.

Test your child will take if in:

3rd grade, Reading (fall and spring), Math (spring)

4th grade, Reading and Math (spring)

5th grade, Reading, Math and Science (spring)

6th grade, Reading, Math (spring)

7th  grade, Reading and Math (spring)

8th  grade, Reading, Math and Science (spring)

What parents can expect

Because Ohio’s state tests have only recently begun measuring these "higher order" skills, your child’s scores may be lower than you expected. This does not mean your child is losing ground. Instead, Ohio has raised expectations for its students so that by the time they graduate they are truly ready for college or a career. Your student’s skills should improve as educators continue to teach these concepts.

Test your child will test in the following areas:

English Language Arts I and II

Algebra I

Geometry

Integrated Math I and II

American Government

Biology

 

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