TO:                  All Staff

FROM:            Mary Chorewycz, Executive Director, Research and Development

                        Tom Watkins, Director, Research, Evaluation and Assessment

                        Steve Schellenberg, Assistant Director, Research, Evaluation and Assessment

RE:                   District-wide Testing in October

There will be several district-wide testing activities taking place during the month of October. The table below indicates grades and students involved.

Test	Grades/Schools	Additional comments
MCA Science field test	Grades 5/8/10 in selected sites	This is a field test of the MCA Science on-line test which will be administered to all students in Grade 5/8/10 in spring of 2007.
TEAELS field test	ELL students in selected sites	This is a field test of the State’s on-line selected sites assessment of listening for ELL students.  Sites have been notified of their inclusion in the sample. Information regarding the specific students to include in the sample will be distributed shortly.
MTELL field test	ELL students in selected sites	This is a field test of the State’s on-line adapted Mathematics test for ELL students. Details of the sample are the same as for the TEAELS.
Practice test for MCA/GRAD Writing test	All Grade 8 students	This is a locally administered and scored practice test for the MCA/GRAD test.  Papers are returned to teachers to help them to adapt instruction to students’ needs.
PLAN EXPLORE	Grade 10 Grade 8	These are preparatory tests for the ACT.  They are part of the State’s Get Ready/Get Credit program and provide both achievement and career guidance information.

Testing windows for the above tests can be found on the District Testing Calendar – http://rea.spps.org/Testing_Calendars.html.