Descriptions of Summative Assessments
Return to Topic C: Summative Assessments
PSSA: The PSSA examination is a standards-based assessment that evaluates the degree of proficiency to which students have met Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening and mathematics standards. These standards articulate the knowledge and skills that students must attain in these two subject areas. The PSSA not only determines if students have met the standards, but it also evaluates the effectiveness of the academic programs that enable students to meet standards. In Pennsylvania, students in grades 3 through 8 as well as 11 are given exams in mathematics and reading. In addition, students in grades 5, 8, and 11 are assessed in writing. Students in grades 4, 8, and 11 are tested in science.
PVAAS: The Value-added analysis is a statistically based assessment that judges how districts, classrooms, and other educational programs are promoting academic growth of individual students and groups. It accomplishes this by taking previous test scores to compare and estimate a more likely outcome if students had been placed in another group level or the average school.
http://www.psea.org/general.aspx?ID=1108
W-APT, WIDA Access Placement Test: This summative assessment serves as a screening. Teachers use this examination to determine aptitude of English language use of students who are new to the United States and have been placed into districts. It also provides teachers with guidance in determining if these students need additional English language instruction in school.
http://www.wida.us/assessment/w-apt/index.aspx
Access for ELLs: This assessment stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners. Using the WIDA Consortium’s model of instructing and assessing English Language Learners, it determines the proficiency of English language use of students who are learning it as a second language. It is used as a screening tool.
http://www.wida.us/assessment/ACCESS/index.aspx
Terranova: The Terranova assessment assists teachers in making decisions regarding their instruction. Subject areas that are tested are mathematics, science, and social studies.
http://doe.sd.gov/octa/assessment/stanford.asp
Stanford 10: The Stanford 10 assessment provides teachers with evidence-based information that articulates what students are able to do. Furthermore, this assessment allows educators to make future instructional decisions and modifications that are backed with solid student data.
End of Unit Test-An end of unit test is an assessment that evaluates students’ knowledge and skill levels after an instructional unit has been taught in a specific subject area. Questions can take on multiple forms ranging from multiple choice questions, written response, etc. These assessments also allow teacher to make future decisions based on if students have mastered material or need further instruction in a given area of focus.
Keystone Exams: Keystones are subject-specific examinations that will be administered to students at the high school level. Students will take the exams at the end of a course just as regular final exams would be given. However, students do have the ability to re-take the exams as a whole or in parts as necessary. The exams will approximately take 2 ½ hours to take.