2023-2024
ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
ACCESS for ELLs
January 10-11, 2024
About 2 hours, 30 minutes
CMAS: Science
April 8-12, 2024
About 3 hours
SAT
April 15-19, 2024
2 hours, 26 minutes
PSAT 10
PSAT 9
2 hours, 26 minutes
ASSESSMENT PORTFOLIO
GOAL High School uses a variety of assessments that allows teachers to tailor and customize instruction for each student. Different types of assessment serve different goals in the educational process. With these differing assessments, it might seem like an abundance of testing. In reality, students are assessed less than 2% of the time they are in school in GOAL High School.
State and federal law require students to take standardized assessments in the instructional areas of English language arts, math and science. The school administers standardized assessments in accordance to these state and federal requirements.
GOAL High School uses these assessments and others to determine the level of achievement and growth of our students, ensure appropriate instruction and resources for students, evaluate the effectiveness of curriculum, instruction and leadership, and determine the performance level of students, schools, and the district.
HOW WE ASSESS
STUDENT PERFORMANCE
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS
State assessments are an example of summative assessments. Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) is the state assessment system required of students in public schools. Students take state assessments based on grade level. Eleventh- graders will take the CMAS Science test and the SAT in April. Ninth-graders and tenth-graders take the PSAT 9 and PSAT 10 exams which, along with the 11th grade SAT exam, are aligned to the Colorado Academic Standards. These assessments are used as part of college entrance criteria and indicate career readiness.
ACCESS: English Language Proficiency
ACCESS annually measures the attainment of English proficiency by English language learners (ELL) in the areas of listening, reading, speaking and writing. English language learners will take the ACCESS test in January. This is a federal requirement and the law does not give parents of English Language Learners the option to opt-out of ACCESS testing.
OPT-OUT PROCEDURE
FOR STATE ASSESSMENTS
GOAL High School uses state assessments to guide instruction, to place students in classes for the following school year, to determine programing effectiveness and other purposes as well.
A parent/guardian who wishes to exempt his or her child from a particular state assessment or assessments shall make this request in accordance with D49 district policy. In accordance with state law, the school shall not impose a negative consequence upon a student whose parent/guardian has requested an exemption from a state assessment.
Opt-Out forms will be available in March for exempting a student from State Assessments. (CMAS science, SAT, PSAT 9, and PSAT 10)