State Testing Windows

Will be posted in January

 

Who takes state tests?
Students in public district and charter schools in 3rd grade through 8th grade take the state test each spring.

When will I receive the results of my student's previous AzM2 testing?
Students tested for AzM2 in the spring. The district receives individual Student Reports in the summer. For the 8th grade students who will not be returning to the district, these reports are mailed home, usually in early July. For all other students, the reports will be sent home with the first Midterm Report Card. If you need the records earlier, you can contact your school's registrar after school begins.

Why do we test?
The purpose of the state test is to check on your child’s academic progress. The information from these tests will provide a constant benchmark that you can track over the course of your child’s education. 

What does my child’s test score mean? 
The state test measures how well your child is performing in English Language Arts (Reading and Writing) and Math. Test scores are just one of several measures, including report card grades, classroom performance, and feedback from teachers, that can be used to measure your child’s academic progress.

How will my child’s score be used?
Scores will be used to better tailor instruction to individual student needs and as a tool to see how students and schools across the state are doing.

What types of questions are on the test?
The test includes a number of different types of questions, including performance tasks that are multi-step assignments that ask students to apply their knowledge and skills to address real-world problems. In English, students have to apply their research and writing skills, and in math, they solve complex problems and then describe and defend their reasoning. The test also includes traditional multiple choice questions.
The Computer-based test has interactive questions that require students to drag and drop their answers into a box. There are questions requiring students to create equations, and fill in the answer.

What if my child did well on his or her report card, but not as well on this test?
Report card grades include multiple sources of information, including participation, work habits, group projects, and homework, all of which are important in determining a child’s academic achievement. These sources are not reflected on the test, so there may be some differences. To further explore your child’s academic achievement, talk with his or her teachers.

How can I use these test results to help my child improve?
You can use the test results to guide a discussion with your child’s teachers about additional supports or challenges that may be needed in class, as well as ways to support your child at home. Your child’s performance is broken down into categories in each subject. Therefore, you can also use this information to locate activities online that were designed specifically for each category at every grade level.

When are the test results provided?  How will I receive my child’s score report?
Districts and charters will receive copies of each student’s score report in June. In the Litchfield Elementary School District, reports for 8th graders who have been promoted and will not be returning to the district are mailed to the parents. All other students will take home their AzM2 scoring reports with their first midterm Progress Report, which is in early September.

What is AzSci?
AzSci is the new state test for Science. This year the test is a field test. This will be used to determine what kinds of questions to use for future tests. There will be no results reported for individual students this year. Individual student reports will begin for AzSci in the Spring of 2022.

Additional Resources:

Arizona Department of Education website
Arizona Department of Education Assessment Home Page
Parent Brochure