Update on PSAT requirement for Fall 2014

UPDATE:  Following is helpful information in planning assessment timelines for 2014.2015

Last fall, Ohio schools were informed that they would be required to give PSAT assessments to high school sophomores beginning in October 2014. The Ohio Department of Education will not require that the PSAT be given in October 2014.

Currently House Bill 193 is pending in the Ohio legislature. This legislation may affect Ohio graduation and testing requirements. As a result, the department has chosen to postpone the PSAT to avoid any potential graduation or testing conflicts. When we have a clear picture of what graduation and testing requirements will be, we will share that with you.

We realize that this is a significant change for districts and appreciate your continued patience as we work through a changing system. Our goal is to ensure that we develop an assessment program that gives us a full and accurate picture of our students’ knowledge and skills, while avoiding unnecessary or duplicate testing.

2014-2015 Testing Schedule Released

Here is what we have been waiting for:   Testing dates for 2014-2015.  Now, if we only knew for sure what we would be taking:)

2014-2015 Testing Dates

The 2014-2015 testing dates are below. The Next Generation Assessments are in the spring. The Ohio Graduation Tests are in the fall and the spring, with an optional administration in the summer. The Ohio Achievement Assessment grade 3, reading only, is in the fall and spring. The Next Generation Assessments replace grade 3 math and grades 4-8 Ohio Achievement Assessments. The Ohio Test of English Language Acquisition and the Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities are in the spring.

Next Generation Assessments

MATH AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS FOR GRADES 3-8 AND HIGH SCHOOL

• Performance–Based Assessment: Feb. 16 through March 20, 2015
• End of Course Exam: April 13 through May 15, 2015

*Districts will only have 20 consecutive school days for testing within the five-week testing period provided. Districts can decide when, during their 20 consecutive school day window, testing will take place.

SCIENCE (GRADES 5, 8 AND HIGH SCHOOL), SOCIAL STUDIES (GRADES 4, 6 AND HIGH SCHOOL)

• Performance–Based Assessment: March 2 through March 13, 2015
• End of Course Exam: May 4 through May 15, 2015

Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT)

• Fall Administration: Monday, Oct. 27 through Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014
  (Data file ready for download on Dec. 15, 2014; reports due Jan. 8, 2015)

• Spring Administration: Monday, March 16 through Sunday, March 29, 2015
  (Data file ready for download on May, 18, 2015; reports due May 28, 2015)

• Summer Administration (Optional): Monday, June 15 through Sunday, June 28, 2015
  (Data file ready for download on Aug. 3, 2015; reports due Aug. 25, 2015)

*Current law requires students to take the OGT for an Ohio high school diploma.

Ohio Achievement Assessments (OAA)

• Fall Administration: Grade 3 Reading – Monday, Oct. 6 through Friday, Oct. 10, 2014
  (Data file ready for download on Nov. 21, 2014; reports due Dec. 5, 2014)

• Spring Administration: Grade 3 Reading – Monday, April 20 through Friday, May 1, 2015
  (Data file ready for download on June 15, 2015; reports due July 1, 2015)

Ohio Test of English Language Acquisition (OTELA)

• Spring Administration: Monday, Jan. 12 through Friday, March 6, 2015
  (Data file ready for download on May 6, 2015; reports due May 14, 2015)

​Alternate Assessment for Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities (AASCD)

• Spring Administration: Monday, Feb. 23 through Friday, April 17, 2015
  (Printed family report and label reports due May 29, 2015)

3rd Grade Reading Guarantee Presentation

Mechanicsburg was fortunate enough to have an audience with the State Board of Education on February 10, 2014.  The district shared best practices in reading instruction and intervention.  The state board was complimentary of the work that we do in Mechanicsburg on the behalf of our students.  We are proud of our successes but more pleased with the attitude the "good is never good enough".  Check out our presentation below.  

Mechanicsburg Presentation to the State Board of Education

The age old cursive debate!

Do you teach cursive writing?  Do you expose students to cursive but save critical instruction time for the core content areas?  Is cursive still a priority when you consider instruction in your district?

The Office of Curriculum and Assessment is preparing for the next State Board meeting in February, and they need your assistance. Below is a screenshot of the cursive writing statement that has been placed in the grades three and four Model Curriculum; please review the statement and the resources and provide feedback via the link by responding to the stance ODE has taken on cursive writing. Please feel free to share this poll with teachers and curriculum directors as appropriate. If responses could be sent no later than Friday, February 7^th, that would be a huge help.  Thank you for your support regardless of where you fall on this subject matter!

Please review the statement and the resources and provide feedback via the link by responding to the stance ODE has taken on cursive writing. Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T7XNTQM