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STAR Testing: Importance of 100% Student Participation
Adapted from a article byEileen Dunn, PAUSD Testing Coordinator, and Bill Garrison, PAUSD Director of Assessment, Barron Park Buzz, February 13, 2004
STAR testing takes place in the Spring for all students in grades 2-11. Each school selects dates to schedule both the CAT/6 (nationally normed tests) and the California Standards Tests (CSTs). Students in grades 4 and 7 also participate in the Writing Standards Test.
We strongly encourage full student participation because students, schools, and PAUSD stand to gain in several ways. STAR results provide teachers with a means of monitoring growth in student achievement from year to year. For students, experience in taking this type of test can lead to improved outcomes on future tests such as the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE), which California students who expect to receive a high school diploma must pass.
Current state and federal accountability legislation requires a minimum 95% student participation rate for state mandated tests. Any school failing to achieve the required 95% participation rate or the student achievement targets for two consecutive years will be publicly labeled as “not meeting adequate yearly progress.” Schools that are receiving federal funds to enhance programs also may be penalized financially if they do not meet participation and student achievement growth requirements.
Please encourage your child to participate and to do their best.
