About Student Assessment
Understanding Student Assessment in ACS
Past Assessment Measures: ACT Aspire
From 2014-2017, Athens City Schools, under the direction of the Alabama State Department of Education, measured student proficiency using a test called the ACT Aspire. In June 2017, the Alabama State Board of Education voted to end the use of the ACT Aspire as Alabama's annual standardized test for math and English language arts. The district and school report cards released in February 2018 reflect the scores and growth of our schools and district as determined by these former measurement methods. To learn more about the ACT Aspire, please use the navigation to the left to explore the particulars of this measurement tool.
Current Assesment Measures: Performance Series®, ACT & ACT WorkKeys
Beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, Athens City School adopted the Scantron Performance Series® assessment for students in grades 3-8. Performance Series® is a computer-adaptive diagnostic testing solution that provides educators with instant test results, personalized to each student, to ensure correct overall student placement. Administered over time, these tests provide a longitudinal view of student growth in core curriculum areas. ACS students in grades 3-8 took the Performance Series® assessment in the fall of 2017. They will test again in the spring of 2018. The spring results will be used to measure proficiency and growth from fall 2017 to spring 2018.
The performance of 11th grade students is measured with the ACT. The ACT is the capstone of ACT College and Career Readiness Solutions, and it is aligned to Alabama's College and Career Readiness Standards. The ACT with Writing is administered to all Grade 11 students enrolled in Alabama public high schools.
Senior performance and proficiency is determined using the ACT WorkKeys assessment. All Grade 12 students in Alabama public schools were assessed with ACT WorkKeys for the first time in Spring 2015. ACT WorkKeys assessments are research-based measures of foundational work skills required for success across industries and occupations. They have been used for more than two decades by job seekers, employees, employers, students, educators, administrators, and workforce and economic developers.
ACT WorkKeys assessments measure the cognitive and non-cognitive skills needed for success in the workforce. Students take the Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information tests. Based on the scores attained on the three assessments, students may be eligible to earn a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Certificate.