Why do we need new tests?
Teachers and parents need information about whether students are meeting the expectations set by our new standards. We adopted Smarter Balanced assessments in English and math because they are aligned to the Common Core College and Career Ready State Standards and designed to measure students’ progress toward and attainment of the knowledge and skills required to be successful when they graduate.
 
How were these tests developed?
VI educators are among the more than 4, 700 educators across Smarter Balanced member states that have developed a new assessment system based on the Common Core College and Career Ready State Standards. As a member of SBAC, the Virgin Islands has worked closely with experienced educators, researchers, state and local policymakers, and community groups to design a valid, reliable, and fair assessment system.
 
How are these new tests different from the previous state tests?
The previous state tests were primarily multiple-choice; Smarter Balanced tests were designed to go beyond simple memorization and regurgitation of facts.  Educators looked at the best existing tests, as well as emerging, innovative testing practices in order to create Smarter Balanced assessments. Taking from the “best of the best” assessments, Smarter Balanced asks students to complete performance tasks to show how they can solve problems, not just get the right answer. The assessments are computer adaptive, online, and easy to navigate.
 
To assist states in supporting their at-risk students, the assessments include Braille, video accommodations for American Sign Language, and embedded supports such as glossaries translated into 10 languages and several dialects, as well as translated test directions in 19 languages.
 
What can my child and I expect from these new assessments?
Because the new standards set higher expectations for students—and the new tests are designed to assess college- and career-readiness using the standards as a benchmark—expectations for student achievement are higher than they used to be. For the first few years, it is likely that fewer students will score at the higher achievement levels on the assessments. This does not mean that our students are doing worse than previous years, but rather the scores represent a new baseline that provides a more accurate indicator for educators, students, and parents. As such, student performance will not look the same as it did on prior state tests and should not be compared to results from previous years. It is important to prepare your child for this change and keep in mind that your child’s test scores on the state assessments are just one measure of their academic performance at a single point in time. Our teachers use a variety of methods to assess your child’s progress throughout the school year.
 
Where can I go for more resources?
Please visit the Virgin Islands Assessment portal at http://vide.portal.airast.org/students-and-families/ to take a practice test and http://www.corestandards.org/ to learn more about the standards.