6146.2

Instruction

Statewide Proficiency/Mastery Examinations (Statewide Summative Assessments)

Annually, each student enrolled in grades three through eight inclusive shall take a mastery examination or examinations that measures essential and grade appropriate skills in reading, writing or mathematics during the time period specified by the State Department of Education. Students enrolled in grade eleven shall annually take a nationally recognized college readiness assessment approved by the State Board of Education that measures essential and grade appropriate skills in reading, writing and mathematics. (Connecticut SAT School Day in English language arts and math examination) Each student enrolled in grade five, eight, and eleven shall, annually, during the time period specified by the State Department of Education, take a state-wide mastery examination that measures essential and grade appropriate skills in science. (Next Generation Science Standards) The State Board of Education shall approve the provision and administration of all mastery examinations. All examinations shall take place during the regular school day.

Note:  Students in Connecticut participate in the Smarter Balanced Assessments in English, language arts, literacy and mathematics in grades three through eight inclusive. In science, students participate in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) assessment.

Student scores on each component of the statewide eleventh grade state assessment may/shall be included on the permanent record and transcripts for eleventh grade students.  For each eleventh grade student who meets or exceeds the statewide mastery goal level on any component of the mastery examination, shall have a certification of such mastery made on the permanent record and transcript and be provided a certificate of mastery for each such component. 

The school District (excludes endowed or incorporated high schools) may not require achievement of a satisfactory score on a mastery examination or any subsequent retest on a component of such examinations as the sole criterion of promotion or graduation.

Special education students shall participate in mastery testing except in the rare case when their Planning and Placement Team determines that participation would be inappropriate and recommends the use of an alternative assessment as specified by the State Board of Education.

All English learners (ELs) including recently arrived, defined as those students whose initial entry date in a U.S. school is less than two years (24 months) prior to test administration are required to participate in all content areas of the state summative assessment.

All students identified as English Learners (EL) school shall take the LAS Links Assessment. Scores on each component of the mastery examination for English learners who have been enrolled in school in this state or another state for fewer than twenty (20) school months shall not be used for the purposes of calculating the school accountability index as defined in C.G.S. 10-223e.

Scores from year 1 is ready to serve as a baseline for academic growth in Year 2. In year 3, the scores of recently arrived ELs will be included toward academic achievement and academic growth indicators in Connecticut's accountability system.

Any alternate assessment, including the Connecticut Alternate Assessment, of students enrolled in special education, shall be available only to those students with significant cognitive disabilities.  Students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades three through eight and eleven shall be assessed with the Connecticut Alternative Assessment in English/language arts and mathematics. In science, eligible students with significant cognitive disabilities shall be assessed with the Connecticut Alternate Science Assessment in Grades five, eight and eleven.

In compliance with federal law, out-of-level testing is not an option for students enrolled in special education.

The Board of Education recognizes that federal law requires full participation of all students on the state summative assessments, with a minimum standard for the participation rate of at least 95 percent of all students and all student groups for each subject. Further, the Board realizes there are consequences for districts and schools not meeting this participation role threshold on these state summative assessments.

(cf. 5121 - Examination/Grading/Rating)

(cf. 5125 - Student Records; Confidentiality)

(cf. 6146 - Graduation Requirements)

(cf. 6162.31 - Test Exclusion)

Legal Reference:  Connecticut General Statutes

10-14n Statewide mastery examination. Conditions for reexamination. Limitation on use of test results. (as amended by PA 03-174, PA 03-168, and PA 13-207, Section 115 of PA 14-217, PA 15-238 and PA 17-14 )

10-14o Compensatory education grant. Financial statement of expenditures.

10 14p Reports by local and regional boards re instructional improvement and student progress.

10-14q Exceptions (as amended by PA 01-205)

10-223e Statewide education accountability plan.

PA 15-238 An Act Concerning Students Assessments

PL 107-110 - Title I, 34 CFR Part 200

34 CFR, Part 200 Regulations appearing in Federal Register, 9/13/06.

Policy adopted: