As part of our goal to ensure that our students receive the best instruction, we use an assessment and reporting system called aimswebPlus for all of our students.
This system provides data that helps us adjust the level and intensity of instruction to the needs of each student. The math and reading assessments are used for two main purposes:
Universal Screening, to identify students likely to struggle so that these students can receive extra instruction in a timely manner; and
Progress Monitoring, to track the progress of students receiving extra instruction and ensure that they are on schedule to meet their year-end reading and math goals.
Who will be tested?
Each fall, winter, and spring, all students will take the aimswebPlus tests. For students identified as needing additional instruction, we will monitor their progress frequently, testing at least once a month and as often as once a week. If a student is not showing sufficient progress, we can adjust classroom instruction.
How much time will all this testing take?
This sounds like a lot of testing time, but these tests are very brief-most take only 1 to 3 minutes to complete. These tests can be this brief because, unlike tests that measure in detail how a student performs in a variety of skill areas, aimswebPlus assesses the basic reading or math skills that are good indicators of overall performance.
What kind of information does the test provide?
Each aimswebPlus test results in a single score, usually the number of correct responses within a brief time limit. This score can be compared to a national average or to the average performance for the local school or district, and can indicate the likelihood of passing the end-of-year state test. These tests are like an eye chart exam: if you miss more than a certain number of letters, you likely have vision problems. To determine whether various corrections work, you return to the eye chart until you find the right lenses. This system’s screening and progress monitoring measures are similar-simple but powerful indicators of risk that are sensitive to small improvements.
If my child is identified as ‘at risk’ and receives extra instruction, what happens next?
We want to get students extra help early, before qualifying for special services-and especially before they have a chance to fail. However, if progress monitoring shows that a student is not improving as expected, despite changes to instruction, these findings can suggest that further evaluations could be helpful and may result in an evaluation for Special Education or a 504 Plan.
What do I need to do to prepare my child for testing?
No special preparation for aimswebPlus testing is required, other than preparing for school as on any other day. The testing takes a short amount of time and will not be a big event for your child.