From the LAUSD web site.
Standards-Aligned Assessments
In Core Subject Areas
The Los Angeles Unified School District has developed a
consistent process for periodically measuring students�
progress toward achieving the California State K-12
Content Standards. These measures evaluate students�
skill levels in the core subjects as shown below and
show student learning progress on a continuous basis:
English/Language Arts: Grades K-10; Grades K-5
use Open Court assessments
Mathematics: Grades K-7, Algebra Readiness and
Algebra 1
Science: Grades 4-8, Biology, Chemistry and Integrated
Coordinated Science
History/Social Science: Grade 8 U.S. History
Teachers can obtain performance data reports three or
four times a year following administration of Periodic
Assessments. These reports give teachers a
comprehensive and consistent way to identify areas of
student strength and need in a timely manner and guide
changes in the instructional program to support future
student learning.
If they're giving each core subject test separately 3 or 4 times a year, it looks like an eighth grader might have 9-12 assessments a year.
I helped with shuttling ESL students back & forth from their classrooms for the recent winter testing at DD's school. Each assessment had to be given individually because of language issues, and the teachers seemed pretty harried trying to get all the assessments done.
If the data isn't used as intended, that's a lot of wasted time and money. At least with DD6,
I'm using the data to help shape her afterschooling and to advocate for the appropriate level in class.
