Too Late to Test?
Is it too late to test? A related question is, “Is there a reason to test at this time of year?”
The deadline for getting testing done here in Oregon was November 1. Does this mean that testing after the 1st doesn’t count? No, this isn’t the presidential election :)! The deadline set by the Oregon Department of Education , while firm and clear, isn’t without flexibility. My experience with ESD’s over the years has been to accept tests past the deadline, just not too far past the deadline.
While group testing opportunities are over until next year, Basic Skills tests students in private and semi-private settings year-round. We offer both remote and in-person testing.
So, besides testing to comply with state law, why else would you choose to test now? Here are three reasons:
- To play sports: For your student to participate in sports, he/she must complete testing at the end of each year to qualify to participate in fall, winter or spring sports of the following school year.
- To establish a baseline of performance: It’s not uncommon to test students at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year. Testing at the beginning of the year answers the question, “What does my student know as we begin school?” Testing at the end of the year allows you to see what kind of progress has been made.
- To help you with curriculum decisions. If you are finding your student’s curriculum to be too easy or too hard, an achievement test will provide a comparison of your student’s performance with other students nationwide. Maybe you need to advance them a grade level. Maybe you’re expecting too much and you need to go back to re-teach content typically mastered by students at your child’s grade level.
It’s now possible for you to test your own student. You can read about this opportunity here. This option is used by parents who wish to test for their own information only. The results of a test administered by a parent do not satisfy Oregon state requirements.
To schedule a private or semi-private test that does satisfy Oregon State requirements, text Jenny at 503-557-2223. She will schedule you in her book and walk you through the sign up process.
Thanks for reading!
Curt Bumcrot, MRE
