The Smarter Balanced testing begins!
Posted on April 16, 2015 by Abril Chuvac in News
Maria Montiel
Abril Chuvac
Chronicle Reporters
The Smarter Balanced exam started Apr. 14 and will end Apr. 29. All 11th graders are expected to take a Math and English Smarter Balanced exam online within there selected class periods.
Unfortunately by the end of the first day of testing many were less than enthusiastic.
“horrible, it was very unnecessary, useless and disappointing” said SAS Junior Walter Carrero
“I thought it was dumb, it wasn’t as difficult as they said it would be” said PAM junior Karla Gutierrez
It is understandable that after a long day of testing in front of a computer for the first time may affect your judgment but i don’t think they fully understand the the benefits of the test.
The state test used to be the California Standardized Tests, CST’s, in which students (from grades 2 to 11) had to take an exam in the English and Math subjects. These tests were taken to show what level, corresponding to their grade level, students were in relation to the state content standards. These exams were taken on a manual scan-tron with a number 2 pencil.
The Smarter Balanced testing was a way to replace the CST’s and make the process easier. It is taken through computers instead of a manual scan-tron and only 11th graders take it.
Last year, was the trial run in where juniors took the exam but it would not count as it does this year.
Students typically prepared for the CSTs weeks in advance. Teachers gave practice tests and different ways to find the answers to a confusing problem. It used to be annoying for many students to have to take the exam every year but it would inform them if they were meeting the grade level standards. Having the Smarter Balanced be taken instead of the CSTs has its advantages and disadvantages. Not every grade level gets to take it. “Its pointless, if they wanted to test they should’ve tested everybody, not just the juniors” said PAM Junior Robert Ford.
Also, in they are not given any sample questions released like there was for the CST’s so, students did not have much material to practice with.
With the Smarter Balanced exams, students do not lose valuable class time as they did before, at least not in the majority of their classes. The test is also taken by computer so it minimizes the probability of cheating and keeps the tests modern.
According to the smarter balance website around 200 colleges and universities use smarter balance as a form of placement test. Having this opportunity gives us an advantage, and gets us thinking about college.
