A Quick Key to Testing for Grades PK-5 |
Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS)
In accordance with Act 282 (passed by the State Legislature in June 2008), the South Carolina Department of Education is developing a new statewide assessment program for students in grades three through eight. The new program, known as the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS), will be aligned to the state academic standards and will include tests in writing, English language arts (reading and research), mathematics, science, and social studies. The PASS test results will be used for school and school district accountability purposes beginning with the 2008-09 school year. The assessment results will also be used for federal accountability purposes (No Child Left Behind).
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
MAP is given in grades 2 - 10 for reading, language, and math. Students take the test on a computer. The test adjusts to the student, based on how well the student performs. If the student is having difficulty, the test will become easier. If the student is answering all the questions correctly, the test will become more difficult. The tests are electronically scored and measure performance on an individual, classroom, school, and district level. The tests provide accurate and immediate scores to help teachers plan instructional programs, place students in appropriate classes, and screen students for special programs.
English Language Development Assessment (ELDA)
ELDA is used to determine how well students, who are identified as Limited English Proficient (LEP), can read, write, comprehend, and communicate in their first year in a United States school.
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy (DIBELS)
Given in kindergarten, The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy development. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of pre-reading and early reading skills.
Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA)
The DRA is given at kindergarten and first grade to measure reading level.
SC Readiness Assessment
The Education Accountability Act of 1998 requires that the Department of Education develop or select readiness assessment to determine students' readiness for first and second grade. SCRA is an unobtrusive measure that relies on teacher observation and documentation. It is an adaptation of the Work Sampling System, and was field-tested statewide in 2000-01. The EAA provides that the results of the assessment are not to be used for either the retention of students or accountability. All children in kindergarten and grade one participate in SC Readiness Assessment.
STAR
Test that is used for identifying students for the gifted and talented program at grades 2-5. Gifted services begin at grade 3.
Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
CogAT measures students’ general abstract reasoning abilities and capacity to apply these abilities to cognitive tasks in three batteries--verbal, quantitative and nonverbal.
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