Testing

• School testing – What you need to know
• Tips for testing success
• Testing Dates (2007-08)
• ACT Results
• SAT Results
• District SAT Results
• State-Mandated Test Results (2006-07)
• Highlights and Charts for the 2005-06 Tests
• ACT, SAT study guides available to APS students
• Graduation alternative now available

(Visit Testing, Research and Evaluation for further information. Also, see the ODE Web site for district and school report cards/demographics.)

The following chart shows what grades and subjects are tested:

Grade	Subject
K	English/Language Arts
1	English/Language Arts
2	English/Language Arts
3	Reading, Math, English/Language Arts
4	Reading, Math, Writing, English/Language Arts
5	Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, English/Language Arts
6	Reading, Math, English/Language Arts
7	Reading, Math, Writing, English/Language Arts
8	Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies, English/Language Arts
9	Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science, English/Language Arts
10	Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science, English/Language Arts
11	Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science, English/Language Arts
12	Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science, English/Language Arts

School testing – What you need to know (Back to Top)
Q. What subjects are included on the tests?
A. Depending on the grade and the test being taken, students in grades K-12 must take tests in writing, reading, mathematics, science and/or social studies, and English/language arts.

Q. Do all students take these tests?
A. Yes, all students must take the tests.

Q. What if a student is absent for all or part of the proficiency tests?
A. Makeup tests are offered the week after regularly scheduled tests.

Q. Who determines the standards for achievement tests?
A. The Ohio State Board of Education is in the process of developing standards for achievement tests.

Q. What must Akron Public Schools students do to graduate?
A. In order to graduate, students must pass the Ohio Graduation Test. Also, they must meet district curriculum requirements in order to receive a diploma.

• One of the most important forms of test preparation is the completion and review of practice tests (when available). When taking practice tests, relax and read each question carefully, eliminate answers you know are incorrect, and answer the questions you know first.
• Practice tests will prepare you for the types of questions contained on an actual test. These questions may include multiple choice, short answer and extended response. You should know how to approach each type of question. An extended-response question requires a few moments of deciding how to compose the answer. Before beginning your answer, underline key words such as "usually," "never" or "less than"; and jot down a few ideas. For tests containing multiple-choice or short-answer questions, glance swiftly over the entire test. Put a question mark by those questions that are more difficult for you. This will remind you to go back to them when you have finished the "easy" questions. If you have time remaining at the end of the test, proofread and recheck all of your answers.
• Share the results of practice tests with your parents or teachers, and ask them to help you with the areas that need extra work.

What else can you do to prepare for a successful test-taking experience?

• Arrive at school on time.
• Get a good night's sleep.
• Eat breakfast.
• Do your homework
• Participate in classroom activities.
• Keep your family actively involved in your education.

Testing Dates (2007-08) (Back to Top)

October 1-5, 2007	Terra Nova (Grades 2 and 5)
October 1-5, 2007	Achievement Test (Reading) (Grade 3)
October 8-11, 2007	Terra Nova Makeup (Grades 2 and 5)
October 15-25, 2007	Ninth-Grade OPT (Proficient Students*)
October 22– November 2, 2007	OGT Grades 11-12, Proficient Students*)
February 4– April 3, 2008	OTELA (Grades K-2)
February 25– April 3, 2008	OTELA (Grades 3-12)
March 3-14, 2008	Ninth-Grade OPT (Proficient Students*)
March 10-20, 2008	OGT (Grades 10-12, Proficient Students*)
April 28–May 9, 2008	Achievement Test (Reading/Math) (Grades 3-8)
April 28–May 9, 2008	Achievement Test (Writing) (Grades 4 and 7)
April 28–May 9, 2008	Achievement Test (Science/Social Studies) (Grades 5 and 8)
May 1-9, 2008	Ninth-Grade OPT (Proficient Students*)
July 7-25, 2008	OGT (Grades 10-12, Proficient Students*)
July 7-25, 2008	OPT (Proficient Students*)

*Proficient Students: Students who have completed all curriculum requirements but still need to pass one or more parts of the OPT and/or OGT.

ACT Results (Back to Top)

	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Number of Students Taking the ACT	687	769	749	751	813	751	761	742	776
Average ACT Composite Score	19.6	19.3	19.0	19.1	19.3	19.2	19.3	19.2	19.2
State Average ACT Composite Score	21.4	21.4	21.4	21.4	21.4	21.4	21.4	21.5	21.5
National Average ACT Composite Score	21.0	21.0	21.0	20.8	20.8	20.9	20.9	21.1	21.1

SAT Results (Back to Top)

	District	State	Total Group
Number of Students Taking SAT	115	N/A	N/A
Critical Reading Mean Score	555	536	502
Math Mean Score	526	542	515
Writing Mean Score	525	522	494

District SAT Results (Back to Top)

	2000	2001	2002	2000	2004	2005	2006	2007
Number of Students Taking SAT	202	192	145	202	154	123	127	115
Verbal Mean Score	538	522	529	538	531	564	N/A	N/A
Math Math Score	518	496	514	518	522	540	530	526
Critical Reading Mean Score	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	533	555
Writing Mean Score	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	522	525

State-Mandated Test Results (206-07) (Back to Top)

Grade	Reading % Proficient	Math % Proficient	Writing % Proficient	Science % Proficient	Social Studies % Proficient
3 (A)	73.1%	75.6%
4 (A)	71.9%	65.9%	73.2%
5 (A)	70.4%	42.8%		52.0%	41.9%
6 (A)	60.9%	52.0%
7 (A)	61.9%	55.4%	66.5%
8 (A)	68.7%	57.9%		42.7%	37.2%
10 (G)	80.7%	70.4%	84.9%	58.1%	65.3%
11 (G)	92.1%	85.6%	93.3%	76.9%	86.4%

A=Achievement
G=Ohio Graduation Test

Report card results can be found on the Ohio Department of Education's Web site.

Highlights and Charts for the 2005-06 Tests

Performance Index Score 2003-06	Click on the thumbnails to the left and right to see the full-sized charts.	Proficient Testing Comparison 2003-06
(printer-friendly version)		(printer-friendly version)
Building Ratings 2003-06	Click on the thumbnails to the left and right to see the full-sized charts.	Average Graduation Rate 1999-2006
(printer-friendly version)		(printer-friendly version)

The district achieved the Continuous Improvement status in two different ways:

• Earned a Performance Index score above 80, up 25 percent over the past three years; and,
• Increased the PI score by 10 points over two years.

Other highlights of this year's report card include:

• APS met 7 of 25 indicators, up from three last year.
• More students are testing at higher levels. Since 2003-04, the number of students testing at accelerated and above increased 165 percent, while 25 percent fewer students are testing below proficient.
• Over the past year, test score rates of improvement have risen dramatically including:
  • Reading:
    • District – up 31%
    • Grade 6 – up 45%
  • Math: Test scores are up across the district and in every grade tested.
    • District – up 76%
    • Grade 3 – up 10%
    • Grade 4 – up 23%
    • Grade 6 – up 13%
    • Grade 7 – up 2%
    • Grade 8 – up 23%
    • Grade 10 – up 3%
  • Writing: 
    • District – up 22%
    • Grade 4 – up 15%
    • Grade 10 – up 7%
• The graduation rate increased to 80.3 percent.
• Attendance is at 93.4 percent.
• Three schools received a rating of Excellent (Ellet, Firestone, Miller South).
• Sixteen schools received a rating of Effective, up from nine the year before.
• Twenty-seven schools received a rating of Continuous Improvement.
• 81% of Akron's schools rated Continuous Improvement or higher.
• No Akron public school has an Academic Emergency rating.

ACT, SAT study guides available to APS students (Back to Top)
ACT and SAT online study guides are now available to all Akron Public Schools high school students! Each high school has a Testprep link on its Web site. After registering with the high school guidance office, students can access the study guide from home. Students can take practice tests, including written essays on selected topics, which can be scored and analyzed online. Testprep identifies weak skills and helps raise scores with targeted lessons and quizzes. By following the plan for as little as 20 hours, Testprep may significantly boost scores.

Graduation alternative now available (Back to Top)
A change in state law now allows potential graduates who finished high school having completed all required coursework and passing all but one section of the Ohio Graduation Test to receive their high school diploma! To qualify, students must:

• Pass all required high school curriculum
• Pass four sections of the Ohio Graduation Test
• Receive a score of 390 or higher on the section of the OGT not passed
• Have a 97% attendance rate, excluding excused absences
• Have no expulsions
• Have a 2.5 GPA in the test area not passed
• Have a 97% attendance rate in intervention programs
• Have a letter of recommendation for graduation from high school teacher specific to test area not passed
• Have a letter recommending graduation from principal

↓ Click on "Other APS Links" below for the complete links list.