Assessment & Accountability
Students participate each spring in the state-required achievement assessments for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. These assessments help verify that district curriculum and instruction align with the Arizona Academic Standards and offer important insights into students’ learning needs. All tests are administered online using a computer-based platform. Score reports are mailed home to families and students over the summer.
ACT® Testing & Information
Created by ACT® Inc., the ACT® is a standardized college readiness exam accepted and valued by all colleges and universities in the United States to assist in making admission decisions. The ACT® is based on what students learn in high school in English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science.
GPS Offers one free test in the spring for 11th graders. The ACT is taken by high school students and college-bound individuals. The score results are used by colleges for admission, course placement.
Civics Test
In the spring of 2015, the Arizona legislature passed the American Civics Act (House Bill 2064). This bill will require students, beginning with the graduating class of 2017 (currently Juniors), to pass a civics test based on the United States Immigration and Naturalization civics questions. Students will be required to score 60% or higher to graduate from high school or obtain a high school equivalency certificate. As a courtesy, the Arizona Department of Education, with help from the Maricopa County Education Service Agency and Arizona educators, has developed a mostly multiple-choice version of the required test.
The official list of 100 civics questions included on the naturalization test and free study materials are posted on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website.
PSAT/NMSQT Information
The PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitute Test) is a great primer for the SAT, but it is so much more than a trial run! PSAT scores are used to identify National Merit Scholars and award merit scholarships. More than 3.4 million high school students take this nationwide, multiple-choice test every year.
The best way to study for the SAT is by using your PSAT results from October to focus specifically on the particular areas you need to improve. Link your PSAT results with Khan Academy – the official test prep site for College Board for a personalized study plan. In addition, you can read about and take practice SAT tests on the CollegeBoard website.
SAT® Testing & Information
The SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities as part on their admissions decisions. The SAT is a product of the College Board.
AASA
Grades 3-8 Testing:
AASA is the statewide achievement test for Arizona students in Grades 3-8. All Arizona public school students in Grades 3-8 will take the grade-level AASA assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics.
AzSCI
All Achievement testing (AzSCI, AASA, ACT Aspire, and ACT) is, by default, administered to students by computer. Requests for schools to administer paper tests must be submitted by Achievement District Test Coordinators in ADEConnect during the window provided above. Requests must explain special circumstances for which paper testing is needed.