There’s a new hype about test-taking around Falls High School this spring.
“Everyone’s talking about it and really raising awareness,” said Tim Everson, FHS principal. “We’re really promoting the tests this year, just so students are aware of the importance of it to them and to their school.”
Everson and other local teachers and administrators are starting conversations with students about the importance of taking steps to perform well on standardized tests, and offering tips. At the Falls, the schedule and structure of the tests has shifted from previous years. The new approach, in addition to preparing for the tests year-round in classrooms, is intended to help students do their best on the standardized reading, writing, math and science tests.
The annual Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment standardized tests in reading, writing and math kicked off this week; science tests will be administered in May.
Students in grades 3 -6, 7 and 8 are tested in math, reading and science. Ninth-graders take a writing test. Students in 10th grade take reading and science, and those in 11th grade are tested in math.
At a time when the International Falls School District and the South Koochiching-Rainy River School District — home to the Indus and Northome Schools — are not meeting federal No Child Left Behind guidelines for “adequate yearly progress” due to low testing scores, teachers and administrators hope this extra initiative makes a difference.
At the Falls, a test-day breakfast was offered to seventh and eighth grade students this week before tackling the math state standardized test.
“We’re really focusing on math because we did not make (adequate yearly progress in) math as a district,” Everson said.
Everson visited classrooms last week, discussing the significance of the upcoming tests for each particular grade, he said. He talked to every student in the school, he said.
“Teachers have been hyping it up for a long time,” Everson said. “Not just English and math teachers, but every subject. All teachers have been really working on it.”
Social studies teachers, for example, have been grading students’ grammar and writing as well as content on their assignments, to prepare them for the English and writing subject tests. A special paper called a “graphic organizer” is used by students as they practice outlining main points to improve reading retention, he said.
“The awareness has been raised all across the board,” Everson said. “It’s high stakes for all students.”
Everson added that he spoke with students about how many “chances” the state gives for each subject test for the student to pass, or be able to graduate, he said. Remedial classes after failing a test are “not a punishment, but to work on deficiencies to help them pass,” said Everson about his message to students.
Even small changes — like giving students mints before heading to their testing rooms, are part of the testing hype this year.
“At one point, we had read or heard that mint is supposed to boost achievement,” Everson said.
Another change this year at the Falls district is scheduling the tests first thing in the morning, instead of in the afternoons. Indus School principal Brian Brown said students at his school have always taken the tests in the morning, and he believes it makes a difference.
“I guess I’m a believer that kids are more energetic in the morning — their minds are free,” Brown said. “After you eat lunch, you have a full belly and you kind of get lazy in the afternoon. We’re trying to beat that.”
From reminding students to skip the late-night movie in favor of getting a good night’s sleep, to eating a nutritious breakfast, Brown said he hopes these small reminders help students do their best on tests. At Indus, the elementary students went straight to their tests after snack time in the morning — with the philosophy of fruits and vegetables as a snack will help their minds stay energetic, Brown said.
Everson said in the past, the Falls tests were administered in a day or two for each subject. Now, the district has chosen to spread sections of each test across four days, for most tests. The hopes of doing this is to split the test into more manageable chunks, Everson said.
Everson and Brown say the new method of taking math tests on the computer — offering instant results, is helpful in making class placements. All other results, as well as school and district ratings are released in August.
“It’s kind of like Christmas — getting the results,” Everson said. “You look forward to seeing that, it’s exciting to see where we’re at.”
School administrators and teachers at area school districts are hoping these changes go a long way, and although they say it would be nice to see improvements in the school and district adequate yearly progress rankings come the results this summer, Everson’s message to students is “do your very best; that’s all we can ask.”
“And if you do your best and you still don’t pass, we’ll be here to work with you to help you succeed,” Everson said.
Everson added that letting students know the meaning behind the test scores — like their effect on graduation — is important.
“Years ago, when state tests would come up, students didn’t realize the meaning of them,” Everson said. “And when they understand the meaning or significance of them, it becomes more important to them.”
