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The preferred method of educational assessment is currently the standardized test. By now, your child has probably taken several rounds of standardized tests, but it is common for parents to still feel some confusion regarding what these test scores mean for their child’s education. Test results are used as a dominant measure of school performance and also can direct curriculum changes, funding and school accreditation. On the individual level, test scores can determine if a student advances to the next grade level, is placed in special programs or graduates from grade school and high school. In order to help your child succeed, you first need to understand how to interpret standardized test results. There are some widely used testing terms which will appear in your child’s scores. A standard score indicates a student’s place on an achievement scale. This allows you to compare your child’s score to the median score for a specific grade level. Another feature is percentile rank. This number represents the percentage of students in the nation that your child scored as high as or higher than. For instance, if your child is in the 43rd percentile, this means that your child scored as well as or better than 43 percent of the students who took the test. Lastly, the results may include stanines, which are derived from a nine-point scale of achievement. The scale is divided from one to nine, with one being the lowest achievement level. For example, if your child’s score is a six, this shows a high average level of achievement. Stanines are useful as a fast measure of your child’s achievement from year-to-year and across subjects. For a more specific breakdown of how to interpret test results, you should contact your child’s school. It would also be valuable to sit down with your child’s teacher to discuss specific strengths and weaknesses on standardized tests. At this point, you will have some test results which can be examined to determine if your child is adequately progressing. Ask the teacher how your child responds to testing overall and if his test performance is consistent with classroom performance. You will also want to learn what things you can do at home to help maximize your child’s skills and improve any weaknesses. How much do you know about the particular test your child is taking? Read on for a brief overview of several commonly used standardized tests. California Achievement Tests (CAT) This test series measures achievement in basic skills for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The test is administered nationwide and covers reading, language, spelling, mathematics, study skills, science and social studies. There is also a Writing Assessment System, which can be used in conjunction with the multiple-choice sequence. Stanford Achievement Test - 9th version (Stanford 9/SAT-9) This widely K-12 assessment offers both multiple-choice and open-ended components to provide depth to your child’s results. The test is formatted according to an “easy-hard-easy” structure that surrounds difficult questions with easier ones. Results can be compared with the U.S. student population. Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) The ITBS is specialized by grade level for students in grades K-8. For the middle grades, this test measures skill in vocabulary, reading comprehension, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, usage and expression, math concepts and estimation, math problem solving and data interpretation, math computation, social studies, science, maps and diagrams, reference materials, word analysis and listening. By Heidi K. Neuzil |
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