2019: SMARTER BALANCED RELEASES FOCUSED INTERIM ASSESSMENT BLOCKS
Focused Interim Assessment Blocks measure smaller bundles of content to give teachers a better understanding of students’ knowledge and academic performance and provide teachers with precise next steps for instruction.
Read More2019: SMARTER BALANCED TESTS RELIABLE INDICATOR OF INITIAL COLLEGE SUCCESS
The Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) study “Predicting College Success: How Do Different High School Assessments Measure Up?” finds Smarter Balanced does as well as the SAT in predicting college outcomes, specifically first-year college GPA and second-year persistence rates for students enrolled in CSU and UC.
Read More2018: INTERIM COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENTS CUT SCORES UPDATED
Smarter Balanced updates cut scores, or achievement levels, for Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs) for grades 9 and 10 to help educators detect even earlier in high school where students might need additional instructional support in mastering specific concepts.
Read More2018: SMARTER BALANCED TESTS MEET FEDERAL PEER REVIEW FOR GRADES 3-8 AND HS
Smarter Balanced members South Dakota and Nevada meet federal peer review requirements in grades 3-8 and high school. This designation means Smarter Balanced is one of two tests in the nation to meet all of the statutory and regulatory United States Department of Education peer review requirements for the general assessments in English language arts/literacy…
Read More2017: TEACHERS OF THE YEAR REPORT CALL TESTS MORE RIGOROUS, BETTER ALIGNED
The National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) report “Still on the Right Trajectory” finds that Smarter Balanced assessments, when compared to former state assessments, are more rigorous and better aligned with classroom instruction.
Read More2016: ALIGNMENT STUDIES VALIDATE QUALITY OF SUMMATIVE TESTS
Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Human Resources Research Organization (HumRRO) conduct extensive alignment studies in grades 5 and 8 and high school, respectively, to evaluate Smarter Balanced end-of-year tests against the high-quality assessment criteria created by the Council for Chief State School Officers. The two studies affirm Smarter Balanced tests are high quality, and…
Read More2015: ENDORSED BY HIGHER EDUCATION
Nearly 200 institutions of higher education agree to use scores from the Smarter Balanced high school test for placement in credit-bearing courses. Students submit their scores to help determine if they are ready for college-level courses.
Read More2015: STATES ADMINISTER SMARTER BALANCED TESTS FOR FIRST TIME
More than 7 million students across the nation take Smarter Balanced summative assessments for the first time in spring 2015. The assessments provide data to member states to accurately describe both student achievement and student growth to inform program evaluation and school, district, and state accountability systems. The end-of-year test consists of two parts: a…
Read More2014-2015: INTERIM ASSESSMENTS RELEASED TO SCHOOLS
Smarter Balanced releases interim assessments that allow teachers and educators in member states to check student progress throughout the year and receive feedback they can use to tailor instruction.
Read More2014: 4 MILLION STUDENTS TAKE PART IN FIELD TEST
Smarter Balanced conducts a Field Test—a test of the test—of summative and interim assessment items and performance tasks. More than 4.2 million students participate, making it the largest online assessment to date.
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