Students in the Holbrook Unified School District recently completed the end of year assessment AzMERIT (Arizona’s Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching). This new assessment, chosen by the Arizona State Board of Education to replace the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS), has some unique features, which were outlined by Superintendent Robbie Koerperich.
According to Dr. Koerperich, academic assessments begin as the student enters kindergarten and progress in difficulty until the student prepares for college and/or career readiness at the conclusion of high school. The State of Arizona has adopted the Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards (AZCCRS), which are being assessed in language arts (reading and writing) and math for students in third through eighth grades. Students in ninth, 10th and 11th grades are being assessed in English at their respective grade levels.
He explained that math assessments are given in Algebra, Algebra II or Geometry, depending on the course in which the student enrolled. In addition, fourth graders, eighth graders and biology students will continue to take the science assessment as they have in the past. At this time, kindergarten through second grades will not be assessed using a state assessment. School level assessments will continue to be used at the K-2 levels to measure student progress.
“It is important to remember that assessments are one of many methods that help school districts assess proficiencies, identify the need for interventions and prepare students for assessment skills they may need after high school,” said Koerperich.
He also noted the distinctions between AzMERIT and the traditional AIMS assessment.
The first change is the format used to assess students. The AzMERIT assessment is being given in both computer-based and pencil-paper forms. Elementary students in third through fifth grades are taking the AzMERIT online. Holbrook Junior High School and Holbrook High School students are taking the AzMERIT through a pencil-paper format this year as these schools prepare to transition to online testing for all students in the future.
The second emphasis pertains to what the new assessment is measuring. “Traditionally, most assessments measure what a student can recall from the knowledge learned throughout the school year. The new Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards require students to demonstrate their knowledge of information within the standards, as well as applying their knowledge through means such as justifying why they chose the answer, writing extended responses, and demonstrating they know more about the question than choosing A, B, C or D,” he explained.
This new assessment technique adds more problem solving and critical thinking skills to the assessment, and will ultimately make the assessment more complex than the traditional knowledge level tests such as AIMS.
“As a district we are aware of this challenge, and are integrating practices into our instruction to prepare students for the thinking skills and problems solving skills required not only on the AzMERIT, but also in college and careers,” he added.
Another aspect that comes with the new assessment is the feedback that will be provided by AzMERIT. Unlike AIMS, in which the outcome was meeting basic skills required for high school graduation, AzMERIT will provide ongoing information as to whether each student is on-track in meeting the standards for college level work or careers they may choose to be part of after high school. Koerperich noted, “With the data received from the AzMERIT results teachers, students and parents can work together to help each student prepare for college readiness, career readiness or any pathway the student may choose to go after graduation from high school.”
The final aspect of this new assessment pertains to the level of accountability accompanying AzMERIT.
“For this year and next year, there will be little to no impact of the test results for students or school systems. It is projected that, beginning with testing in 2017, the results of AzMERIT will have some impact on both students and schools. Unlike the AIMS assessment, passing the AzMERIT assessment itself will not be required for a student to graduate; however, the results of the AzMERIT may become part of students’ end of course grades,” he explained.
Grades three through eight will use these results to determine readiness to advance to the next grade level. At the high school level, it is anticipated that each student’s scores from AzMERIT will become part of the student’s end of course grade in English and math.
Koerperich noted that at present, high school students must achieve 22 credits to graduate, which includes four credits of English and four credits in math. In addition, schools and districts will have a two-year period in which individual schools and districts will not receive an A-F letter grade until statewide results of the tests can be analyzed to evaluate school and district effectiveness in helping students become proficient in the Arizona College and Career Readiness Standards.
Once the metrics of the new assessment are set at the state level, each school and overall district will be given a letter grade in 2017.
In conclusion, Koerperich explained that since this is the first year of the AzMERIT assessment, the scores will not be produced until, most likely, November of next school year; therefore, students, parents and school systems will not receive testing information during the summer as they have in past years. “We will notify parents when the test results arrive and will host meetings to help address the outcomes of the AzMERIT assessment,” Koerperich promised.
To learn more about the AzMERIT assessment, go online to the Arizona Department of Education website at www.azed.gov or contact any of the HUSD schools for more information.
