By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Hillsborough school officials are trying to allay parents’ concerns about the upcoming second year of controversial assessment tests for students.
At Monday’s school board meeting, Lisa Antunes, the assistant superintendent for curriculum, described the process for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests — which start next week in the district and will be given through April.
A group of states are in the second year of working together to use PARCC to measure whether students are on track to be successful in college and their careers. For whatever reason — irritation with a government mandate, fear about how failure might affect a student’s placement, a protest over too much testing or something else — large numbers of Hillsborough students “opted out” last year.
The district is trying to give more information in order to increase the number of students who take PARCC.
Hillsborough is trying to reach at least 95 percent participation in each school as well as districtwide. Governor Chris Christie has said the rate won’t affect state aid, said Dr. Antunes, but there is uncertainty whether it may impact federal Title I aid (for economically disadvantaged students) that flows through the state government.
In the first year for PARCC Hillsborough saw less than the minimum of 95 percent taking the test at four schools and districtwide. In response, the district had to write five corrective action plans, said Dr. Antunes.
At the high school about 60 students who didn’t take the PARCC came into this year needing to complete some competency assessment to meet graduation requirements, said Superintendent Jorden Schiff. Some had to take an assessment multiple times, he said, and even by December some high school seniors were in jeopardy of not graduating. Putting students at that risk was disconcerting, said Dr. Schiff.
The district has pared the number down to three who have yet to pass, said Dr. Schiff.
PARCC tests students in mathematics and English language arts. Testing here begins next week and runs through April. Grade 3 and 4 will take the test April 4 to 12, with the high school next from April 11-15.
Grades 5 and 6 will be tested from April 18 to 26, and grades 7 and 8 from April 19–27.
Dr. Antunes said this year’s PARCC will be given on fewer days in just one testing period. Testing will take longer on those days, although it will be fewer hours overall. There’ll be a total of 8 and ¼ hours in grades 3 and 4, and 11 hours at the high school. In general, that’s about 90 minutes less than last year.
For the next few years, students either need to take the PARCC or meet alternate proficiency criteria in order to graduate.
Beginning in 2020, high school students will need to sit for PARCC in order to graduate. If a passing score isn’t made, he or she could show proficiency in some option, like college-preparatory or military tests.
PARCC replaces the K-8 level Assessment of Skills and Knowledge and High School Proficiency Assessments and are sometimes called the “next generation of testing.” It also replaces state tests for high schoolers in math and English, but they must also a biology competency test in their careers.
This year, middle schoolers must take the test in the math course they are now taking. The Class of 2020 must take, but not necessarily pass, Algebra I, Geometry and Algebra II at some point in their school careers. There are options for students who do not make a passing grade.
The Class of 2021 will have to take and pass the PARCC Algebra I test, and take PARCC Geometry and PARCC Algebra II. If a passing score is not met on PARCC Algebra I, the only option for a student is a state appeal.
Students will be given numerical scores that correlate to five levels, from not meeting expectations up to exceeding them.
These K–12 assessments are intended to give teachers, schools, students and parents better information whether students are on track educationally for success after high school. They are intended to give teachers feedback on how curriculum and methods may need tweaking.
The school district will use PARCC data to identify strengths and gaps that exist in curriculum and instruction, said Dr. Antunes. Schools have been promised they will more quickly — by the end of June or early July — receive the feedback from the tests so that districts can use them to adapt and apply resources.
Schools didn’t receive data from the first PARCC tests in 2015 until the end of December and the beginning of January, said Dr. Antunes. The tests were given in March and May 2015.
One parents asked if PARCC results will be used in decisions on placement in select courses, like honors or higher-level courses at earlier age. Dr. Antunes said yes, but PARCC will be one of four or five criteria used in making those judgments. Results could also be used to determine if a student should receive academic support, she said.
Another parents asked if pupils would be held back if they don’t reach PARCC pass the PARCC. Dr. Antunes said no that question. The only time the state is concerned about advancement is for graduation, she said.
