Testing Programs

Students take common assessments several times throughout the school year to give teachers more information about what students have learned. Teachers use these assessments, along with other school work and what they see in class, to learn where students need more help. We do not use common assessment results to grade children or schools.  The RCSD designs and administers Common Assessments in Math and ELA K-12...

• Use of Data: Data will show grade level proficiency on priority standards and can be used to assist teachers with designing standards-based lesson plans and instructional activities.  

• Administration: Common assessments are administered using the Edulastic platform and administered 3-4 times a year

i-Ready is both an assessment and an online instruction program, i-Ready Personalized Instruction. i-Ready Personalized Instruction is a research-based program for students in kindergarten through eighth grade with an individualized plan for instruction based on each student’s performance on the i-Ready Diagnostic test. Once students complete the Diagnostic, i-Ready builds a unique lesson plan with a starting point for each learner based on their individual results. i-Ready gives teachers the flexibility to add lessons or adjust the lesson sequence based on their own knowledge of their students.

• Use of Data: Data can be used to assist teachers with designing Standards- Based Lesson Plans

• Administration: i-Ready is administered to students in grades K-8 in Math and Reading.

• Use of Data: LAS Links is a progress monitoring tool used to inform instruction and to measure language proficiency growth in English and Spanish in the four modalities (reading, writing, listening, and speaking).  

• Administration: Las LInks is administered to K-12 - ELL students and K-8 Never ELLs in Two-Way Dual Language programs in the Fall and Winter of each year.  

IStation is a Spanish-language reading assessment designed to supplement core instruction in Spanish.  Designed by and for Spanish speakers, Istation provides authentic Spanish screeners, progress monitoring, and biliteracy reporting. Computer-adaptive technology adjusts to each student’s ability level to support schools with accurate data that is predictive of reading success.  

• Use of Data: Daily student progress reports to inform instruction; standards mastery reports identify student proficiency on skills/standards district/school/class data can identify teacher/ student usage, growth and proficiency.  

• Administration: Istation is used Used in schools with bilingual programming and can be administered 3-5 days per week during the school year.  

The Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests are administered in the spring to students across New York State. These annual ELA and mathematics tests for students in grades 3-8 are required by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. Public and charter school students enrolled in Grades 3–8 are expected to take the ELA and mathematics tests administered for their grade level. The tests are designed to measure how well students are mastering the learning standards that guide classroom instruction and are a valuable tool used to help ensure students have the support needed to succeed. The tests can also help identify any learning needs a student may have.  For more detailed information visit the NYSED Elementary- and Intermediate-level Tests homepage.  

New York State Elementary-level Science Test

A comprehensive assessment of student proficiency with the K-5 New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS) will be administered to all fifth-grade students during the month of May.  The examination will assess proficiency levels in the three dimensions that comprise all K-5 science standards; Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts. Prior to taking, students must complete four elementary investigations: Circle of Life, Light it Up, What's in the Bag?, and Cloud in a Bottle. At least 15% of the computer-based, written examination questions will be based on the required investigations. 

New York State Intermediate-level Science Test

A comprehensive assessment of student proficiency with the 6-8 New York State Science Learning Standards (NYSSLS)will be administered to all eighth-grade students during the month of May.  The examination will assess proficiency levels in the three dimensions that comprise all 6-8 science standards; Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Crosscutting Concepts. Prior to taking, students must complete four intermediate investigations: It's Alive?, Cool It!, All Mixed Up, and How's the Weather Up There? At least 15% of the computer-based, written examination questions will be based on the required investigations. 

For more detailed information, visit the NYSED Elementary and Intermediate-level Tests homepage. 

Regents Examinations are achievement tests that are aligned with New York State’s learning standards.  Prepared by teacher examination committees and Department subject and testing specialists, Regents Examinations provide schools with a basis for evaluating the quality of instruction and learning that have taken place. They are used by school personnel to identify major learning goals, offering both teachers and students a guide to important understandings, skills, and concepts. The examinations also provide students, parents, counselors, administrators, college admissions officers, and employers with objective and easily understood achievement information for use in making sound educational and vocational decisions. Passing scores on the Regents Examinations in English, mathematics, science, and social studies satisfy the State testing requirements for a high school diploma.  For more detailed information visit the NYSED High School Regents Examinations homepage.  

The New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) is designed to annually assess the English language proficiency of all English Language Learners (ELLs) enrolled in Grades K–12 in New York State schools. The test provides the State and schools with important information about the English language development of ELLs and is part of the State’s compliance with federal laws that mandate the annual assessment and monitoring of the English language proficiency of all ELLs. The results of the NYSESLAT will determine the levels of service ELLs will receive in Bilingual Education and English as a New Language programs for the school year as prescribed in Commissioner’s Regulations Part 154-2 and 154-3.

The New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners (NYSITELL) serves as the State’s formal English language proficiency assessment in the process for initially identifying English Language Learners in New York State. All public and charter schools must follow the steps outlined in the initial and reentry processes prescribed by Commissioner’s Regulations (CR) Part 154-2.3 (d), which includes administering the Home Language Questionnaire (HLQ) and conducting an individual interview with students who have indicated on the HLQ that a language other than English is spoken at home. Information gathered from the HLQ and the individual interview should be assessed carefully to determine if the student is required to take the NYSITELL. Further guidance regarding the identification of ELLs can be found on NYSED's Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages (OBEWL) website.