Mohonasen students take a number of tests and exams every year – including local exams and assessments, New York State tests, Regents exams and AP exams.
Throughout the school year, students are given opportunities to become familiar with the format of most of these tests. However, the school year is not spent drilling for these exams. Instead, the primary focus is on expanding children’s knowledge in many subject areas and disciplines such as listening, reading, writing and math — encouraging them to reason better and become critical thinkers.
In recent years, there has been considerable controversy surrounding state tests and testing in general. Parents have questioned whether the length of state tests and the questions themselves were developmentally appropriate.
Local skill reviews (Bradt): Students in grades K-2 participate in “skill reviews” throughout the school year. These are a careful look at where a child is with regard to learning content in a particular subject area. These skill reviews are not state mandated nor are they connected to teacher evaluations. They are developed by Mohonasen administrators and teachers for the purpose of continually improving and tailoring our instruction so that every child will learn and be challenged at a developmentally appropriate level.
The information gathered from such a review helps a classroom teacher understand what a child has or has not learned of the material presented up to that point. By gauging where students are, a teacher is able to tweak instruction for the entire class and/or for individual students. A teacher also learns valuable insight on how to best present instruction to ensure that children are being supported and challenged at the level at which they are learning.
New York State Tests (grades 3-8): Each year, districts are required to administer tests – also called assessments – in English language arts (ELA) and math to students in grades 3-8. Fourth- and eighth-graders also take state exams in science and social studies.
Testing in English language arts — which includes reading, writing and listening skills — and math for each of the elementary grades is designed to show whether children have a firm grasp on the skills they will need to succeed as they move toward middle school, high school and beyond. These tests also help teachers identify where the curriculum might need to be fine-tuned to better meet students’ needs.
3-8 Testing:
https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/state-assessment/ei-test-schedule-2024
New York State Science Performance Test and Science Written section: Students in grades 4 and 8 take state science tests to determine student progress toward New York State standards in science.
New York State Regents Exams (high school): Regents exams are standardized examinations in core high school subjects given to students in New York state. Students are required to pass a minimum of five New York State Regents Exams to graduate (in addition to class credit requirements). There are additional courses and exam requirements for an Advanced Regents Diploma. For more information, please visit High School Graduation Requirements.
Regents Testing:
https://www.nysed.gov/state-assessment/june-2024-regents-examination-schedule
Advanced Placement exams (high school): Advanced Placement (AP) exams are administered as the culmination of a year-long Advanced Placement Course. AP exams are taken in May of the year students take the course. They are graded on a scale of 1–5, and most colleges require a minimum of a 3 on the exam to award college credit. The exams cost approximately $94.
Classroom tests: Students take tests at various times from grade 3 through high school to assess where a student is with regard to learning content in a particular subject area. Like the Bradt assessments, the information gathered from such a review helps a classroom teacher understand what a student has or has not learned of the material presented up to that point. Results can be used to provide extra support to a student or to tweak lessons.
Helping your child with testing: It’s normal for students to feel a certain level of anxiety around any exams. Leading up to the tests, parents should do what they have always done: Encourage your children to stay calm, take their time, review their work carefully, and do their best. Just as with anything students do in school, these exams are important and everyone at Mohonasen wants students to take pride in their performance.
Additional resources
The following video created by Capital Region BOCES explains the role of assessments in education:
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