Wv Parents To Learn About 4th-, 7th-Grade Tests

Parents of West Valley School District fourth- and seventh-graders are invited to a meeting next week to learn about new tests their children will take this spring.

The tests are part of Washington’s education reform. They spring from an effort to test students’ knowledge more effectively than traditional multiple-choice standardized tests.

The meeting is to be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the West Valley High School auditorium. Speakers will include Pasadena Park Elementary principal Larry Bush and Centennial Middle School principal Amy Bragdon.

Other residents of the Spokane Valley also are welcome to attend the meeting. Topics will include the formats of the new tests and how test results will be used.

In addition to some multiple-choice questions, the new tests will require students to complete short-answer questions, provide extended-writing responses and complete tables or charts. The new tests will be able to measure some knowledge and skills that the old format didn’t, such as writing and communication.

Fourth-graders in more than 250 of the state’s 296 school districts will take the tests this spring. These districts are giving the tests voluntarily as part of the start-up of the state education reform. Test results will be available to parents next fall.

Seventh-graders who take their tests this spring will not receive any results. They will participate in a trial run of the test, essentially testing the test.

West Valley students will be tested in the third week of April.

, DataTimes