San Carlos School District

The San Carlos School District uses a variety of assessment measures to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction as well as to analyze the progress of individual students.  Some of the assessments we administer are mandated by state or federal law, while others are programs that have been instituted by the District to maximize the effectiveness of our overall academic programs.

Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) – Each spring, students in grades two through eleven take a STAR test.  The STAR Program looks at how well schools and students are performing.  Students take tests in math, reading, writing, science and history*.  All pupils, including English Language Learners and students enrolled in Special Education programs must participate in the STAR Program.  Student results are reported in five performance levels – advanced, proficient, basic, below basic and far below basic.  Individual student reports are sent to parents once the district has received results (August/September).

*Areas Assessed:

Grades 2, 3 – Reading, Math

Grade 4 – Reading, Math, Writing

Grade 5 – Reading, Math, Science

Grade 6 – Reading, Math

Grade 7 – Reading Math, Writing

Grade 8 – Reading, Math, Science, History

California English Language Development Test (CELDT) – Federal law requires a statewide English language proficiency test that local education agencies (districts) must administer to students in kindergarten through grade twelve whose primary language is not English and to students who have previously been identified as English learners (ELs) who have not been reclassified as fluent English proficient (R-FEP).

The CELDT was developed to:

•Identify students with limited English proficiency

•Determine the level of English language proficiency of these students

•Assess the progress of limited English proficient students in acquiring the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in English

Physical Fitness Test (PFT) – Students in grades five, seven and nine are required to take the PFT annually.  The PFT provides information that can be used by (1) students to assess and plan personal fitness programs; (2) teachers to design the curriculum for physical education programs; and (3) parents and guardians to understand their children’s fitness levels.   The PFT is composed of six fitness areas:  Aerobic Capacity, Abdominal Strength and Endurance, Upper Body Strength and Endurance, Trunk Extensor Strength and Flexibility, Body Composition and Flexibility.

Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) – Administered by K-4 teachers three times per year to all students to determine each child’s instructional reading level.  These levels are reported on the K-4 report card each trimester.

District Writing Assessment – Currently under revision by K-4 teachers, this test is given twice per year in the elementary grades.  Students write to a prompt and teachers score their writing based on a standards-based rubric to determine proficiency.  Teachers also assess additional writing samples, both formally and informally throughout the school year.

Mathematics Assessment Resource Service (MARS) –  In addition to a variety of classroom computational skill assessments, students in grades 2-8 are assessed once a year with the MARS to measure how they are performing on a variety of complex problem solving tasks.