Assessment is a part of what our teachers do everyday in the classroom from informal observations and exit tickets to summative assessments, we are constantly looking at how are students are progressing in the curriculum to best meet their academic needs. There are many ways to assess student knowledge. This resources can help you understand the different types of assessments: click here. Take some time to review the information below to familiarize yourself with our state testing requirements. All words that are underlined are hyperlinked to additional information and resources.
Ohio’s State Tests are summative tests, which means students take tests at the end of the year for grades 3-8. The tests measure how students statewide are developing the knowledge and skills described in Ohio's Learning Standards for each subject area. The test results also help measure each public school and district’s performance, which is reflected on its annual Ohio School Report Card.
Based on the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, districts/schools must administer a reading diagnostic assessment (LCS uses Acadience) to all students in kindergarten through grade three. Districts must administer a reading diagnostic assessment to students in grades 1 through grade 3 by Sept. 30 and to students in kindergarten by Nov. 1 of each school year to meet the requirements of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
The IOWA Assessment gives you information about your childs achievement level in core subject areas (Reading and Math for 2nd grade and Reading, Math, Science and Social Studies for 5th graders.
The CogAT measures the development of verbal, mathematical and spatial reasoning abilities.
Since our students have access to their chromebooks at home, we ask that you sit down with your child and take an online state test. We want you to see what the expectation is. You can log on to the practice site, by clicking here. There are multiple tests available.
There are also paper/pencil practice questions available:
The ELA assessment consists of both reading and writing. The writing is graded using a rubric. Please check out the rubrics here:
Informative Writing Opinion Writing
To view various examples of how writing is scored, please view question 8 on this 3rd grade released test. (sample 3rd grade writing - starting on page 50). You will be able to see a range from 10 points (earning all possible points to 0 points).
Based on the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, districts/schools must administer a reading diagnostic assessment to all students in kindergarten through grade three. If students are considered off track with this assessment they are placed on a Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plan (RIMP) in the fall. A RIMP allow teachers and parents to work together to understand the student’s reading deficiency and outline reading instruction and support. The instructional services selected for a student with a reading improvement and monitoring plan are based on the student’s needs and include identification of the student’s specific reading deficiency and proposed supplemental instruction services. We typically go over a student’s RIMP during our conference. If your child is on a RIMP one of the areas listed below may be an area of instructional focus. Check out the videos below released by the state to give you a better idea as to where your child may need additional support at home.
Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee is a program to identify students from kindergarten through grade 3 who are behind in reading. Mt. Pleasant will provide help and support through classroom interventions and small group interventions to make sure students are on track for reading success by the end of third grade.
2023-2024 THIRD GRADE READING GUARANTEE PROMOTION SCORE
State law requires the State Board of Education to annually increase the promotion score on Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts until it reaches proficient for the 2024-2025 school year. Accordingly, the State Board voted to raise the promotion score for grade 3 English language arts to 690 for the 2023-2024 school year. Any student who scores 690 or higher on the English language arts scaled score will be eligible for promotion to fourth grade at the end of the 2023-2024 school year.
In addition, the Ohio Department of Education has set the reading subscore alternative assessment score for Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts at 48 for the 2023-2024 school year. Any student who scores 48 or higher on the reading subscore will be eligible for promotion to fourth grade at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, even if the student scores below 690 on Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts.
CHANGES BEGINNING IN 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR
Parent Request Exemption
Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, a student’s parent or guardian, in consultation with the student’s reading teacher and principal, may request that a student be promoted to fourth grade regardless of the student’s score on Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts.
Students promoted to fourth grade through this exemption must continue to receive intensive reading instruction until the student is able to read at grade level.
A student whose parent or guardian, in consultation with the student’s reading teacher and principal, has requested that the student be promoted to grade 4 regardless of the student’s score on Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts.*
Third Grade students take the ELA state assessment two times per year. The first time is scheduled in the fall (October). Specific dates will be sent home in a parent letter. Spring testing occurs in grade 3-5 and will occur on an assigned date in the window below. We try to only test one grade level and subject per day to allow for enough testing proctors.
Spring Testing Window:
English language arts - March 24th - April 11th (paper)
Mathematics and science -March 31st - May 9 (online)
District Testing is also listed on our district testing calendar.
We want families talking to their students about testing - this helps students get comfortable with the idea of testing and feel less stress on testing day. Click here to get some general information about testing and how you can help.
We will make these testing periods as relaxed as possible. Students will test for just over an hour in their classroom and then continue with their typical school day. Our teachers have been focusing on Ohio’s Learning Standards, working on math exemplars and diving into great texts that ask our students to think critically!
While preparing for testing, your child has had the opportunity to try practice test questions (online for 4th and 5th grade and paper pencil for our 3rd graders for ELA only)! Our kids are so comfortable with technology and manipulating information on a computer screen. It is a unique and interesting platform and we encourage you to get on and check it out with your student using the links above.
Below some tips. Please make sure your child is at school on time, well rested and pumped for the day! Some testing reminders:
Get a good night’s sleep.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Arrive at school on time.
Answer every question.
Use your time wisely.
Do your best
Acadience Testing is done three times a year and these results are shared out at conference time. If you would like updates on testing (middle of year and end of the year), please just reach out to your teacher to request this information.
Fall 3rd Grade ELA results usually come back in December, but parent reports are mailed out in January.
2nd and 5th Grade Iowa/CogAt results are mailed to your home. You will typically receive these in about one month after testing.
Spring Testing results come in over the summer. These will be mailed to you in July.
Please contact your child's teacher. They can review the scores with you, help you interpret their meaning and give you advice on what skills you should be practicing at home with your child. We will be posting resources taking you through a sample score report for state testing and IOWA/CogAT testing - coming soon.
Score Report for IOWA: Video (please note this is created by a different district, but the information is helpful).
Score Reports for CogAT: Video review of CogAT parent report
Score Reports for OST (parent reports): Ohio State Test Interpretive Guide (example 3rd grade Reading)