Parent Resource Toolkit
Assessment Toolkit for Parents
Assessment is a term educators use when describing many of the ways they learn about your child’s educational progress. Assessments that school districts give include state tests and a variety of other types of tests, along with classroom activities that help teachers determine when each student needs additional help or practice, and when they are ready to move ahead in the learning process.
There are
several types of tests, including summative, interim, formative and diagnostic (such as readiness tests and screeners). Some tests, such as formative tests, are teaching tools, designed to help teachers see how well your child is learning as the lessons are being taught. Some tests are diagnostic, designed to see how much a student knows at the beginning of an instructional period. Summative tests are given at the end of an instructional period to measure whether your child has learned the information he or she was to have been taught. If a student has not, it identifies areas in which the student may need support.
State achievement tests tell us how well students are growing in the knowledge and skills outlined in
Ohio's Learning Standards. These tests help guide and determine instruction so we can be sure that educators are preparing students for long-term success. Test results also allow you to know how well your local school is performing compared to others around the state.
Ultimately, state tests give schools and districts information that helps them improve how students are taught, coach teachers, and provides additional supports in their efforts to help students succeed.
Ohio’s State Tests (OST)
Ohio’s State Tests are summative tests, which means students take tests at the end of the year for grades 3-8 and they take end-of-course tests for high school. The tests measure how students statewide are developing the knowledge and skills described in
Ohio's Learning Standards for each subject area. The test results also help measure each public school and district’s performance, which is reflected on its annual Ohio School Report Card.
Students in grades 3 - 8 and high school take Ohio’s State Tests in English language arts and mathematics. At certain points in middle and high school, these students also take state tests in science and social studies.
Ohio’s Learning Standards
Ohio’s Learning Standards are the foundation of the Ohio’s State Tests and explain the knowledge and skills Ohio students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 need to gain.
Ohio’s Learning Standards stress skills like critical thinking and problem solving — qualities today’s employers value. By teaching our students to apply these skills to what they are learning in school, we can make sure they are on track to graduate from high school and enjoy success in college, careers and life.
Ohio measures the performance of its schools based on how well students are progressing in gaining the knowledge and skills. We do this by measuring student performance on annual state tests based on the standards. Ohio’s Learning Standards are the foundation for Ohio’s State Tests.
Model curriculum
Ohio is a local control state in education. This means that educators in local districts choose their own curriculum that is approved by their local boards of education. Based on the district’s curriculum, educator teams plan their instruction and select the teaching techniques, textbooks and other materials for their students that will help them learn.
Teams of teachers across the state helped develop
model curricula and other related tools. State law does not mandate that school districts use these guides. But, by doing so, educators will find in-depth descriptions explaining what the standards mean that will help them develop local curricula and instructional plans.
If you have questions about
Ohio’s Learning Standards or curriculum and instruction, please email
LearningandInstructionalStrategies@education.ohio.gov at the Ohio Department of Education.
Accessibility for Ohio’s State Tests
Ohio’s Accessibility Manual provides information about the accessibility features of
Ohio’s State Tests for grades 3-8 and high school in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Accessibility means how students access the test—in other words, how students use tools to engage in the test. The manual helps to define the specific accessibility features available for all students, students with disabilities, students who are English learners and students who are English learners with disabilities.
Ohio’s State Tests Portal
The
Ohio’s State Tests Portal is the gateway to all systems and resources for the administration of the Ohio’s State Tests. It includes FAQs and resources for students and families, teachers/test administrators, test coordinators and technology coordinators. Although the test portal is available to the public, several features require users to log in using their account information. The following resources are available for students and families.
- The Student Practice Site is located in the Students and Families section of the test portal. Students and parents can sign in as a “Guest User”, select a specific grade level and find an online practice test and released test items organized by subject area and year. Students will see the item types for online tests. Additionally, the online practice tests give students the opportunity to experience navigating through the online testing system, use the available tools and features and familiarize themselves with the online testing experience.
- Student Testing Site Tutorials - These tutorials provide information about the online Student Testing Site. Part 1 walks through the student sign-in process and navigation. Part 2 covers the variety of tools available to students for online testing.
- Online Practice Test and Item Release Scoring Guides - These documents provide the answer keys and scoring guides for the Practice Tests and various released items available on the Student Practice Site. They include the item type, the content strand and content statement assessed, an answer key and the number of points associated with each item. They also include the guidelines for scoring (i.e., scoring rubrics), sample responses and notes on scoring and rationales that describe why response options are correct or incorrect. The scoring guides also contain information about Depth of Knowledge (DOK) for ELA, math and social studies and Cognitive Demand (CD) for science.
All of these resources give educators, students and families insight into the kinds of questions and online tools students experience, and they are useful to help inform classroom instruction and assessment. Teachers and families may use these resources to help students know what to expect during online testing.
- Practice Test Scoring Guides
- Item Release Scoring Guides
- Test Specifications describe the assessment parts and item types, assessment blueprints, and item specifications to help educators and the general public better understand the design of Ohio's State Tests. Test specification documents are used to guide the development of the Ohio's State Tests.
- Test Blueprints serve as a guide for test construction and provide an outline of the content and skills to be measured on the test. They contain information about individual tests, including the number of test items, the number of points on the test, and show how the learning standards are grouped in order to report the test results. All learning standards identified on the blueprint are eligible to appear on a test form and should be taught during instruction.
- Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) are the link between Ohio’s Learning Standards and performance standards. They were developed by Ohio educators and other content experts to illustrate the typical demonstration of the learning for each of the five performance levels: Limited, Basic, Proficient, Accomplished (previously Accelerated) and Advanced. Parents can review the PLDs for each grade level/course to see what students are expected to know and be able to do at each performance level for a specific test. Teachers often use the PLDs to help with their review of local curriculum materials to see if opportunities are being given to students to demonstrate deeper understanding of subject/grade level content at the different performance levels.
- Family Score Reports Interpretive Guides are designed to help families understand the content of the score reports and what the results mean for their student. The English version of the interpretive guides are located on the test portal. Translated Family Interpretive Guides are located on the Department’s website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ohio’s State Tests can be found
here.
Parent Involvement
- Assessment Committees - The Department created assessment development committees to review test questions and to help set scoring parameters. Ohio stakeholders serve on these committees. To allow as many stakeholders as possible an opportunity to serve, the Department will periodically rotate current members off the committee so that new members can join. The Assessment Committees page presents information on test development, assessment committees and how to get involved with developing state tests. If you would like to nominate yourself for membership on an assessment committee, please click here to complete the nomination form and submit it online.
- Student Readiness Toolkits are standards-based guides designed to help educators determine students are in their learning when starting the new school year. The toolkits include curriculum and assessment materials, which may help identify instructional gaps and determine instructional priorities. These toolkits may also help parents become familiar with some of the curriculum, instruction and assessment resources that may be used in the classroom to help support students.
- Additional Resources for Each Subject Area
- Active, involved parents are an essential resource for Ohio’s schools in making the most of every child’s educational experience, from pre-kindergarten all the way through high school. The Department’s Parents web page has information you can use to help guide your child’s education.
For questions related to Ohio’s State Tests, please email
statetests@education.ohio.gov.
Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)
Ohio’s Alternate for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD) is a test designed to allow students with the most significant cognitive disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in an appropriately rigorous assessment. It is the federally required statewide assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who are unable to participate in the state’s general assessment even with allowable accommodations. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) limits the total number of students who are assessed statewide with an alternate assessment to 1% of the total number of students in the state who are assessed (or approximately 9% of all students with disabilities).
The AASCD, or Alternate Assessment as it is sometimes called, measures
Ohio’s Learning Standards–Extended (OLS-E). These learning standards are also commonly known as the extended standards. The extended standards help to ensure that students with the most significant cognitive disabilities are provided with multiple ways to learn and demonstrate their knowledge while maintaining the rigor and high expectations of Ohio’s Learning Standards.
The
Alternate Assessment Participation Decision-Making Tool is a
required document used to guide and support individualized education program (IEP) teams in determining whether a student is most appropriately assessed with an alternate assessment.
IEP teams must use the tool each time the team is considering a student’s participation in the alternate assessment. The decision-making tool should be used along with the
Alternate Assessment Decision-Making Framework (Flowchart) since it helps to clarify and set specific criteria that students must meet for point in flowchart.
The
Decision-Making Tool Frequently Asked Questions document was created as a supplement to the decision-making tool to address questions and concerns.
Ohio’s Accessibility Manual is a comprehensive policy document providing information about the accessibility features of
Ohio’s State Tests for grades 3-8 and high school in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The manual helps to define the specific accessibility features available for all students, students with disabilities, students who are English learners and students who are English learners with disabilities.
The
Ohio Alternate Assessment Portal is the gateway to all systems and resources for the administration of the Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities. It includes FAQs and resources for students and families, teachers/test administrators, test coordinators, and technology coordinators. Although this test portal is available to the public, several features require users to log in using their account information.
- The Student Practice Site is in the Students and Families section of the test portal. Students and parents can sign in as a “Guest User”, select a specific grade level and find an online practice test and released test items organized by subject area and year. Students will see the item types for online tests. Additionally, the online practice tests give students the opportunity to experience navigating through the online testing system, use the available tools and features and familiarize themselves with the online testing experience.
- Practice Tests Scoring Guides – These documents provide the extended standard, item target level, access limitations, answer key, reporting category and notes on scoring information for each item on the AASCD Practice Tests available on the Student Practice Site.
- AASCD Item Specifications provide an overview of the structure and content for each grade and subject area of the AASCD, a description of the test design, information on the items that will appear on the tests, and a test blueprint that identifies the range and distribution of items grouped into various reporting categories. These test specifications also provide specific guidelines for the development of all items used for the AASCD.
- AASCD Test Blueprints serve as a guide for test construction and provide an outline of the content and skills to be measured on the test. They contain information about individual tests, including the reporting category, the learning standards included for each reporting category, the item range for each reporting category and total test items for each test.
- Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) outline the knowledge, skills, and practices that students performing at any given level who take Ohio’s alternate assessment should be able to demonstrate in each subject area at each grade level.
- The Score Reports Interpretive Guide is designed to help families understand the content of the score reports and what the results mean for their student.
Alternate Assessment Family Resources were developed as
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resources to describe the Alternate Assessment for Students with the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities.
For questions related to Alternate Assessment, please email
statetests@education.ohio.gov.
Ohio's English Language Proficiency Assessments
English learners (Els) are a growing part of Ohio’s Pre-K-12 student population. Over the last ten years, Ohio’s population of EL students has doubled to approximately 60,000 students. Spanish is the home language of almost 40% of Ohio’s English learners along with 90 other home languages. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Ohio must identify English learners, annually assess their English language proficiency, provide reasonable accommodations for them on state assessments and implement accountability systems that include long-term goals and measures of progress.
Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS)
Districts must assess all newly enrolled students for English language proficiency. The assessment process begins with the
Language Usage Survey. The next step in the identification process is the
Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS). The OELPS is an online screener (paper/pencil version is available for accommodations only) aligned to the K-12
English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards and is designed to identify Ohio students in grades K-12 who are English learners. More information about the identification process and the Language Usage Survey, including translated versions of the survey and the
Ohio English Language Proficiency Screener (OELPS) FAQ can be found on the
Guidelines for Identifying English Learners page of the Department’s website.
Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA)
The
Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessment (OELPA) is the state summative test given to all English learners annually. It is used to determine an English learner’s proficiency level at the end of each year and provides the evidence needed to meet the exit criteria of the English language program. The OELPA is aligned to the K-12
English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards and is used to meet the federal requirement of an annual assessment of English proficiency measuring listening, reading and writing. Parents will receive a
Family Report each year with their student’s OELPA scores. Parents and districts can download the
Translated OELPA Family Reports from the Department’s website. The reports are available in in the most common home languages reported by Ohio’s schools. More information about the OELPA including FAQs and English language program exit criteria can be found on the
OELPA page of the Department’s website. Students, families, teachers, test administrators, test coordinators and technology coordinators can find practice tests and other resources on the
Ohio English Language Proficiency Assessments Portal.
Assessment Accommodations for English Learners
Please see the
Revised Assessment Accommodations for English Learners page of the Department’s website for information about accommodations for English learners on state tests and translated versions of this information.
Ohio’s Accessibility Manual is a comprehensive policy document providing information about the accessibility features for all of
Ohio’s State Tests for grades 3-8 and high school in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The manual helps to define the specific accessibility features available for all students, students with disabilities, students who are English learners and students who are English learners with disabilities.
Ohio's Accessibility Manual for Ohio’s English Language Proficiency Assessments is a manual that specifically applies to EL students. It emphasizes an individualized approach to the implementation of assessment practices for students who have diverse needs and participate in the English language proficiency program. At the same time, this manual supports important instructional decisions about accessibility for EL students. Ohio recognizes the critical connection between accessibility in instruction and accessibility during assessment.
For questions related to English Language Assessments, please contact
statetests@education.ohio.gov.
Third Grade Reading Guarantee
The ability to read is the foundation of learning. Research shows that children who are not reading at a third-grade level by the end of grade three are more likely to have trouble learning in all classroom subjects in higher grades.
Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee is a program to identify students from kindergarten through grade three who are struggling in reading. Schools must provide help and support to make sure all students are on track for reading success by the end of third grade.
This video explains Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee. Struggling readers also greatly benefit from their families’ involvement and help at home. The Department’s
Family Resource page will give you the information you need about family and home support. The
Third Grade Reading Guarantee FAQs provide answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) received by the Department regarding this program.
Translated Third Grade Reading Guarantee documents are also provided on the Department’s website. The documents are translated into the state’s most commonly reported home languages, as reported by Ohio schools.
For any questions about the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, please email
thirdgradeguarantee@education.ohio.gov.
Ohio's High School Graduation Requirements
Because there is no one-size-fits-all way to graduate, Ohio gives students several ways to qualify for a high school diploma. Students and their families can choose the way that works best for them.
To earn a high school diploma in Ohio, students must
complete the courses and requirements and then choose a pathway to show that they are ready for college or a job.
State law introduced new, permanent graduation requirements that are available for the classes of 2021 and beyond.
- Students entering ninth grade between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2019, have the option to meet the new requirements outlined for the classes of 2021 and 2022 or complete one of the original three pathways to graduation.
- Students entering ninth grade after July 1, 2019, must meet the new requirements outlined for the classes of 2023 and beyond.
Long-term Grad Requirements 2023 and Beyond - This guidance document provides a preliminary outline of the changes to testing and graduation requirements.
Graduation Questions and Answers provides answers to the most frequently asked questions.
For any questions about graduation requirements, please email
gradrequirements@education.ohio.gov.
Early Learning Assessments
Pre-Kindergarten
Ohio’s Early Learning Assessment is a tool for teachers of preschool age children to learn about the current level of each child’s skills, knowledge and behaviors in the areas of social foundations, language and literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, physical well-being and motor development, and fine arts.
The
Early Learning Assessment FAQ - For Families provides answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Early Learning Assessment.
Kindergarten
At the beginning of each school year, children in public and community school kindergarten programs are assessed using
Ohio’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Revised (KRA-R). This assessment includes ways for teachers to measure a child’s readiness for engaging with instruction aligned to the kindergarten standards. The KRA-R is a tool that teachers use to get to each child. It is not designed to rank children by ability, nor is it a tool for identifying students with disabilities or gifted students.
This tool is designed to help teachers get to know their students in a way that does not interrupt learning. The tool requires the teacher to watch the student during the natural course of the school day’s activities so children are unaware of the assessment taking place.
Ohio’s Early Learning and Development Standards (birth to kindergarten entry) are the basis for the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Revised. Ohio’s Early Learning and Development Standards in all domains of school readiness reflect the comprehensive development of children beginning at
birth to kindergarten entry. Their purpose is to support the development and well-being of young children and to foster their learning. The standards promote the understanding of early learning and development, provide a comprehensive and coherent set of early childhood educational expectations for children’s development and learning, and guide the design and implementation of curriculum, assessment and instructional practices with young children.
The
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment FAQs – For Families provides answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) receive by the Ohio Department of Education regarding the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment.
For more information visit the Department’s
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment for Families web page. Included on the web page are KRA-R postcards in English and translated versions that provide ways that families can support their children’s learning in kindergarten, a sample
Individual Student Report,
Kindergarten Readiness Checklist, Early Learning Family Resources and other resources to support early learning.
Last Modified: 10/30/2023 2:35:56 PM