Dive Brief:
- Score reports for the Common Core-aligned Smarter Balanced tests confused some California parents last year, and state officials hope a new streamlined overhsaul is more informative about student progress.
- EdSource reports the redesign features simplified text and easy-to-read graphics that show whether students are meeting standards and how they are progressing year-over-year in various areas within English language arts and math.
- Parents and districts will get student scores sooner than last year, expanding the opportunity to use the results to impact instruction plans, and additional outreach includes guides for parents about how to interpret the score reports.
Dive Insight:
Common Core testing has represented a complete break in the standardized tests parents may have gotten used to in years past. The scoring system is different, as is the reporting system, providing a challenge for schools hoping to facilitate deeper understanding about where the controversial tests fit into instruction and interpretations of student progress. California held off on the Common Core-aligned exams longer than other states, like Kentucky, which debuted a new reading test in 2012. There have been pros and cons to waiting, with some teachers and administrators preferring to dive into an education reform effort that is generally expected to be here to stay, despite continued opposition.