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How many times a year should we test?
We are able to test our students in the fall, winter and spring. But is it necessary to test in all three sessions? Teachers in my school complain about how long the testing takes away from their time in the computer lab, and how students feel pressured to test three time a year. What are the pros and cons? What can I tell the teachers in my school? Thanks for your input!
A true "screener" is administered 3 times a year. Therefore, when looking at RtI guidelines and potential special education referrals, having the appropriate frequency for screening data would be beneficial.
We test three times a year and find the December data to be the most helpful. It is measuring the progress of a teacher's current students while also providing information that teacher can use to guide instructional decisions for second semester. We enjoy the opportunity to see if program and instructional decisions made throughout the fall are working. We cut our December testing down to reading and math only in an effort to balance the need for the data with the need to keep testing to a minimum. If I had to the ability to cut out a testing window in our school, it would be the fall testing. I'd use the spring results for returning students and then only test new students in the fall.
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