Grades 5/8 Writing Tests & Middle School Math Double Testing Waiver

Grade 5/8 Writing Tests

Students will be taking the Grade 5 and Grade 8 Writing test on the statewide writing days of February 24-26, 2015.  The Writing field tests have been eliminated for this year. The 3-day window to administer the Writing test will remain in place even though students will only write to one prompt. Our goal is to provide maximum flexibility for districts to schedule and administer the state writing assessment.

It is imperative that the security of the field test prompts remains intact.  Please do NOT break the seals for the field test section on the writing booklets.

Students taking the Grade 5 and Grade 8 Writing tests will be asked to write in a Narrative mode.  Please be sure to reference the writing rubrics posted on the state department’s website at http://ok.gov/sde/documents/2013-09-05/blue-prints-plds-item-specs for details on how these papers are scored.

Measured Progress will work with District Test Coordinators to identify which prompts are the field tests so that the correct prompt will be properly administered to students.

Thank you for your assistance.  Please contact us if you have any questions.

Middle School Math Double Testing Waiver

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 10, 2015) — At the request of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Education today approved that middle school students testing in Algebra I, Algebra II or Geometry are no longer required to also take the grade-level math assessment for middle school.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister said this decision, which applies to the 2014-15 school year, eliminates double-testing for some students in the subject of mathematics.

“Until this request was granted today, Oklahoma students in seventh and eighth grade were required to take the state grade-level math assessment, as well as the end-of-instruction tests for those student enrolled in Algebra I, Algebra II or Geometry. This double-testing would have penalized those students enrolled in advanced math courses by subjecting them to increased and excessive testing this year,” said Hofmeister. “This decision is another step forward in our commitment to reduce excessive testing.”

Proficiency on the Algebra I end-of-instruction, or EOI, test is a graduation requirement of the Achieving Classroom Excellence law, enacted in 2005, and also satisfies a federal testing requirement.

Contact Information

Please contact the Office of Assessments if you have any questions regarding this communication.

Assessments@sde.ok.gov or 405-521-3341