Smarter Balanced Assessment
This assessment typically takes place in the spring, after Spring Break for grades 3-8.
Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) is public education where some or all instruction is delivered outside of a regular classroom schedule. ALE follows all public education requirements as well as Chapter 392-121-182 WAC.
Students participating in Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) programs are full-time public school students and are therefore subject to the same state requirements, including participation in state testing.
Students in grades 3-8: Test results help families know if their student's learning is on track, or if extra help is needed. Some school districts use state test results to determine a student's eligibility for special programs, like accelerated learning opportunities. Please contact your local district for more information.
Students in high school: Assessment results are necessary in order to have a complete High School and Beyond Plan, which is a graduation requirement. In addition, the results from the 10th grade ELA and math tests are used to inform course-taking for the next two years of high school. When a 10th grade student demonstrates they have met standard on the test, they will have greater course-taking flexibility.
Schools and districts: Test refusals penalize schools and districts. Students who do not test are counted among the number of students who do not meet standard. This is reflected in the Accountability Index. Schools and districts that fall below a 95 percent participation rate on state tests jeopardize eligibility for any state or federal awards or recognitions.
There are a lot of regulations involved in SBA. All proctors must be “trained” every year prior to the assessment. All proctors must sign a form testifying that they will follow the regulations and then again when it is completed.
Only officially trained proctors are allowed in the room with students who are testing.
Anything electronic that could record or take pictures or provide information must be out of the reach of the students. This goes for the proctors too. (Watches, phones, etc must be put away.)
Student devices are set up so that once they are in the assessment, it will not allow them to get out unless they officially pause or quit.
Students and proctors are not allowed to discuss the assessment. Proctors are not supposed to read anything on the screen or anything written by the students. All scratch paper notes must be collected and destroyed.
Any and all testing irregularities must be reported to the assessment coordinator.
The Smarter Balanced ELA and mathematics Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) items and Performance Tasks (PTs) are presented as separate tests. Within each ELA and mathematics test, there may be segments. As an example, the ELA PT is segmented into two parts (PT1 and PT2). Once the student moves from one segment to the next the student will not be permitted to go back to the previous Segment.
The Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) is presented as a single test that includes locking items. Once the student completes a locking question and selects the button to move on, the student will not be permitted to modify that question or other previously completed locking questions.