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The Test Development staff produce quarterly Benchmark
tests to determine student achievement in the areas tested by The Maryland State
Department of Education for the Federal mandate of “No Child Left Behind” and
the State mandate for high school graduation.
Maryland School Assessment [MSA] – The Test Development
staff determine the Indicators most likely to be assessed in reading and
mathematics for grades 3 – 8 on the Maryland School Assessment tests
administered in early spring of each school year. The next step is to
determine, in conjunction with Curriculum and Instruction, the quarters these
Indicators are contained in the Prince George’s County Public School’s
curriculum; hence, the quarters in which students are taught the Indicators.
Benchmark tests are then created for Quarter One, Quarter Two, and Quarter Four
based on the Indicators contained in the PGCPS Curriculum. There is no Quarter
Three MSA Benchmark because that is the quarter in which the MSA developed by
the Maryland State Department of Education is administered.
High School Assessment [HSA] - Four areas[courses] are
tested by the Maryland State Department of Education as part of graduation
requirements for obtaining a Maryland High School diploma. The four courses are;
English II, algebra, biology, and government. The Test Development staff use a
similar process to develop the HSA Benchmark tests as they used to develop the
MSA Benchmarks described above. HSA tests are given to students enrolled in
courses that have High School Assessment tests as part of the State of Maryland
graduation requirements. The HSA Benchmark tests are developed for Quarter One,
Quarter Two, and Quarter Three. Quarter Four is the quarter in which the High
School Assessment tests developed by the Maryland State Department of Education
are administered.
The staff in Test Development obtain items for the MSA and
HSA Benchmark tests from contracted vendors, the Maryland State Department of
Education , and local sources. Item review workshops are conducted at specified
times throughout the year to obtain input from Curriculum and Instruction,
Regional Offices, and teachers. At these workshops test items are reviewed and
edited to be sure the items assess the Indicators at the correct assessment
limits in accordance with the Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum. Readability
levels are also checked to be sure the passages are appropriate for the grade
levels for which the tests are developed.
Scanning, Scoring, Reporting - The
Edusoft platform was selected as the system
to use for scanning, scoring, and reporting Benchmark test results. The School
Test Coordinator in each school in PGCPS was given a laptop computer and scanner
that are used to scan, score, and produce results for Benchmark Assessments.
High Schools were provided with four scanners – one for each department that has
a HSA test required for graduation. Consequently, teachers can scan their
students’ answer sheets right after the Benchmark test is given and receive
results almost immediately. Once the tests are scanned and scored for students
results can be compiled at the student level, teacher level, school level,
region level, and system level.
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