SAT Taking place of New Standardized Testing

As we usher in spring this week, it is once again time to be thinking about standardized testing. A new test was chosen by who and will be given when?  

The SAT School Day is the general summative assessment for West Virginia high school students. The paper-and-pencil test given to all grade 11 students and grade 12 students who choose to take it achieve college-readiness levels. This test is optional to grade 12 students, which is not the case for students in grade 11. Many juniors and seniors have had previous experience with the ACT, fewer have had prior experience with the SAT. The SAT School Day is a nationally recognized college- and career-readiness assessment administered by the College Board and is accepted at colleges and universities throughout West Virginia and the nation for both college admissions and placement.

Janet Murray, Director of Federal Programs, also serves as Jackson County’s Testing Coordinator. “The SAT is typically considered a superior test in other parts of the United States, no so here in West Virginia. Most of those involved, including many high school principals and superintendents, felt the ACT would be the chosen assessment,” said Murray. She further stated, “Students will have a little more skin in the game this year. They will be able to take the test at no charge and it can help them qualify for college entrance and financial benefits like the Promise Scholarship. This test is accepted at all of the prestigious schools including Yale, Harvard, Stanford and many more.”

 “I am taking it because it’s free, and it’s another opportunity to receive a scholarship I haven’t gotten yet,” said senior Karle Hesson.

All students slated to participate in testing this year will complete the pre-administration activities next Tuesday, March 27^th at 8:30. Students will also participate in a Linking Studies test that will be used to assist in the development of cut scores to determine student proficiency levels. The proficiency levels are then used to determine accountability levels for schools in West Virginia. When asked what happens to schools if students do not score at the

required level of mastery, Janet Murray was quick to outline the following protocol.

“Since this is the first year for this test in West Virginia, schools will be required to develop an improvement plan to address areas of deficiency in test scores. Generally, in West Virginia, this plan would become part of the school’s Strategic Plan. The plan would include the present levels of proficiency, goals to address areas of concern, and how the school plans to measure the progress of plan,” Murray stated.

The actual test will be administered on Tuesday, April 10^th, beginning at 7:56 am. Grade 11 students will be tested in homerooms. Seniors will be tested in one location due to the fact that there are only 18 of them testing. All testing will take place in the annex building. Teachers and students normally in the annex will be moved to other locations during test administration