New York: The Grades 3-8 Testing Program in English Language Arts and Mathematics

Achieving Excellence in Education

The New York State Board of Regents has set high learning standards for all students. In classrooms across the State, teachers are providing instruction aligned to these standards. Teachers are also routinely assessing student progress toward meeting these standards. To provide schools, teachers, and parents with an assessment of student achievement, New York State has developed the New York State Testing Program. These standardized tests will be given each year at the same time and will challenge Grades 3 through 8 students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in English language arts and mathematics. This guide contains information that answers the questions parents frequently ask about the New York State Testing Program. It explains the standards set for English language arts and mathematics and describes the tests that will measure student achievement. This guide also has suggestions for how you can help your children meet the New York State Learning Standards and prepare to take these tests (see pages 8 and 9). Working together, parents and teachers can help students learn more and perform well on these important tests. The information in this booklet will help you become a more informed and active participant in your child’s education. Of course, you may have questions that are not answered in this guide. If so, please contact your child’s teacher or school principal with specific questions about your child’s education.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why is my child being tested

A: The New York State tests are designed to measure how well students have mastered necessary skills and to monitor the effectiveness of instructional programs. Although testing is not the only measure of a student’s knowledge and abilities, it is a vital part of our educational process. The testing helps assess both student achievement and the progress of our schools.

The purpose of the tests is to:

• Measure a student’s knowledge and overall achievement

• Measure a student’s mastery of specific skills

• Provide information to schools that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs

• Monitor the performance of schools and school districts for the purpose of accountability to the public These tests reflect the high standards set for elementary and intermediate grades and help ensure that students are prepared for high school. The tests are not meant to be used as the basis for promoting a student to the next grade. Students must still take and pass their courses and fulfill local school requirements.

Q: What is the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act?

A; NCLB is a federal law that requires all students in every public school and district to meet the State English Language Arts and Mathematics Learning Standards. NCLB was enacted in 2001. The goal of the act is to improve the quality of education nationally by increasing accountability for states, school districts, and schools. Under this legislation, all states that receive federal funding are required to test students in Grades 3 through 8—including students with disabilities—in English language arts and mathematics in order to measure yearly progress. These tests must be aligned with the New York State Learning Standards. The information gathered from the results of the tests will be used to determine whether schools and districts are making adequate yearly progress in achieving State standards.

Q: What kinds of responses are students asked to provide?

A: The tests require students to show basic skills in English language arts and mathematics and to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned. Students show their knowledge and skills in both English language arts and mathematics by answering a broad range of questions that are aligned with the New York State Learning Standards. In some cases, students select the correct response from among four choices. At other times, students are required to write out an answer. For the English Language Arts Test, students are tested on their reading, listening, and writing abilities by reading and listening to passages and answering questions based on those passages.

For the Mathematics Test, students solve problems and demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and procedures. They must often support their answers by showing the steps they used to solve problems and by explaining the mathematics processes and concepts involved.

Q: When are the tests given and how long do they take?

A: All New York State students in Grade 3 through Grade 8 take the English Language Arts Test in January and the Mathematics Test in March. Approximate testing periods are from one and a half to three hours over the course of two to three days, depending on the grade. The tests are given in January and in March.

Q: How do I know these tests are good measures of the New York State Learning Standards?

A: The tests your children take were developed and evaluated carefully. Many New York State educators and researchers conducted extensive reviews of each test question, approving only those test questions judged to be of the highest quality and in alignment with the New York State Learning Standards. The test questions have been field-tested on students, including students with disabilities, in New York State classrooms to ensure that the directions are clear and easy to follow, the material is interesting to students, and the tests are reliable indicators of student achievement. Although the tests are challenging for students, the real-world graphics and charts, advertisements, articles, and magazine
stories engage the students and reflect the reading they do on a daily basis.

Q: Who will score the tests?

A: New York State teachers are trained to score the tests. Teacher-scorers receive thorough training and are monitored for consistency in their scoring and understanding of the scoring guides. This training not only ensures the accuracy of student scores, but also gives New York State teachers the opportunity to become more familiar with the high standards of performance expected of the students.

Q: What will be included in the score reports?

A: The English Language Arts and Mathematics score reports are returned to schools and contain information about how well your child performed on the tests. This information is shown in two graphs. The first graph shows your child’s overall performance on the tests based on a performance-level range between 1 and 4. Each level is clearly described in the score report. The second graph shows the Standards Performance Index (SPI) score. This score indicates your child’s relative strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas tested compared to the New York State Learning Standards.