As we close in on the end of the school year many students are receiving standardized test results. Many parents might ask what do these results mean and how do they affect my child.
First let's start with the types of results you might see. One type of test result you might see comes in the form of a percentile. This score comes from what is known as a norm-referenced test. On this test students are scored based on comparisons to other students. A child who scores in the 60th percentile scored better than 60% of the students who took the test. The other type of test is a criterian-referenced test. On this type test students are scored based on the mastery of specific standards. These scores might be reported in points, levels or possibly a scale score. How these scores are reported vary by state.
These scores are used in a variety of ways. In some states these scores can affect promotion criteria. Your child's teacher will advise you if this is a concern. Schools use these scores as a guide to help determine what skills need to have a greater instructional focus. These scores are also used in some states to determine school grades. The federal government uses these scores to determine if a school is making adequate yearly progress under "No Child Left Behind."
It is important to remember that a test score derived from one week of testing out of an entire school year should not be the judge of how successful your child's school year was. I would advise parents to use these scores as a tool to find weak areas that may need extra support.
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