1. Santa Ana Unified School District Dept. of Research and Evaluation
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Preparing Your Child for Testing
Santa Ana Unified School District Dept. of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019

2. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Presentation Goals
By the end of this presentation… You will know how to help your child prepare for testing
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3. Think back to when you were a young student. . .
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Think back to when you were a young student. . .
What do you remember about the tests you took?
What kinds of tests did you take?
How did you feel?
What was learned from the tests you took?
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4. Q: What tests do we administer in Santa Ana Unified School District?
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Q: What tests do we administer in Santa Ana Unified School District?
Standardized Testing And Reporting
California Standards Test (CST) (our focus today)
California Modified Assessment (CMA)
 California Alternate Performance Assessment (CAPA)
Standards Based Test in Spanish (STS)
(Your child may have taken one or more tests)
Early Assessment Program (EAP)
CST-series of achievement tests developed for CA public schools to assess state content standards.
CMA-assessment for students who have an IEP, are receiving grade level instruction, & even w/interventions aren’t likely to achieve grade-level proficiency. The purpose is to allow students to demonstrate their achievement of the content standards.
CAPA-individually administered performance assessment for students who have significant cognitive disabilities & are unable to take the CSTs w/accommodations or modifications or the CMA w/accommodations.
STS-multiple choice tests that are required for Spanish-speaking English Learners who receive instruction in Spanish or have been enrolled in a school in the U.S. for less than 12 months cumulative (not consecutive). Assesses students’ achievement of CA content standards in the primary language.
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5. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
When and Where?
Q: When Does My Child Take the Tests? A: STAR is every Spring Q: Where Does My Child Take the Tests? A: STAR tests are administered at your child’s home school
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6. Q: How Are STAR Results Used to Help Students?
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Q: How Are STAR Results Used to Help Students?
Answer:
STAR
-Identify Academic Strengths and Needs
-Meetings with Teachers
-Alignment to Standards
-California Reading List
-A More Complete Picture
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7. Q: What might the test look like?
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Q: What might the test look like?
Let’s see what it looks like . . .
And let’s try a few
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8. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
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Let’s try an example. . . What do our children need to know? How are they tested?
In 5th grade students must be able to:
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9. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
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From the 5th Grade CST in Mathematics. . .
What is the correct answer? A. B. C. D.
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10. Now, something a little harder. . .
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Now, something a little harder. . .
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11. Standardized tests look different from regular classroom tests
Students will be asked to read questions in a test book and, then, mark their answer in the same book or on an answer document
Students must follow directions for making allowable marks
Neatness is important

12. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
The STAR Student Report
You should receive your STAR Student Report in the mail in September. A guide in multiple languages also comes with the Student Report.
Your student’s current teacher also has your child’s STAR results so that he/she can assist your student better.
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13. STAR Student Report (Sample)
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
STAR Student Report (Sample)
Source: California Department of Education (CDE)
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14. STAR Student Report (Sample)
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
STAR Student Report (Sample)
Grade
Accommodation Field Reference Table:
Use the following text for the <Accom> field above; leave blank if no accommodation was received on the test.
Text Reference
Priority
Braille Test
Modifications Used
Accommodations Used
Print only one reference based on Multiple Choice answer document.
Only “Unique Modifications” from the Multiple Choice section will trigger the use of “Modifications” in this location.
Source: California Department of Education (CDE)
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15. STAR Student Report (Sample)
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
STAR Student Report (Sample)
Explain Report Cluster 6 – Writing Score (83 with writing test, 75 w/o writing test)
If no matching Writing Test then different raw score to scale score table used
Source: California Department of Education (CDE)
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16. What Does the Scale Score Tell Us?
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
What Does the Scale Score Tell Us?
A scale score is a number that tells you more information about how a student did on the CST.
Scale scores range between 150 (low) to a 600 (high).
Scale scores determine the performance level and tell us how close the student is to the next performance level
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17. What does the Performance Level Mean?
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
What does the Performance Level Mean?
The performance level tells you how your student is doing based on the California standards, which is what the state identified as expectations for each grade level.
Advanced: Approximately one or more grade levels ABOVE the grade level at the time of test.
Proficient: Approximately AT grade level at the time of the test
Basic: Approximately one grade level BELOW the grade level during the test
Below Basic: Approximately two grade levels BELOW the grade level during the test
Far Below Basic: Approximately three or more grade levels BELOW the grade level at the time of the test
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18. STAR Student Report (Sample)
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
STAR Student Report (Sample)
Range of percent correct scores on the reporting cluster for students who scored proficient on the total test
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19. STAR Student Report (Sample)
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
STAR Student Report (Sample)
Percent correct and # obtained by the student on the reporting cluster
For example, this tells us exactly which part(s) of math the student is the strongest in and which part(s) he/she needs more help in. This student is strongest in Estimation, Percents and Factoring (83% correct) and needs the most help with Measurement and Geometry (73% correct).
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20. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
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STAR: Student Report
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Source: California Department of Education (CDE)

21. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
STAR: Student Report
4/18/2019
Source: California Department of Education (CDE)

22. How can parents help their child/children prepare for testing??
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23. What can I do to help my student prepare for the STAR?
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
What can I do to help my student prepare for the STAR?
At the beginning of and throughout the year:
Review the California Content Standards (with your child’s teacher) for each subject area
Ask for the results of your child’s benchmark tests
Encourage your child to read everyday
Connect with your child’s teacher about his/her progress
Say, “Hi!” to your child’s teacher
Attend conferences
Attend parent meetings
Review your child’s STAR Student Report with your child
Review your child’s report card with your child
During testing:
Ensure Proper Diet and Adequate Rest Before Testing
Help Your Child Understand Teachers’ Behaviors During Testing
Help Your Child Understand Their Own Behaviors During and After Testing
Avoid Stressful or Emotional Situations in the Home, if possible
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24. 4/18/2019

25. How to Reduce Test Anxiety . . .
Before and/or during a test, students may:
Feel panic
Forget what they learned
Have shaky or sweaty palms
Need to go to the restroom
Have a stomach ache
What can parents do to help?
Keep practice times pleasant
Teach your child to ease an anxious mind and body
Silently count backward from 10
Take a deep breath
Tense and relax muscles
Imagine being in a peaceful place
Be positive!

26. Testing Tips and Questions
Listen carefully to spoken directions
Read through the written directions
Glance through the problems
Read all the questions or problems
Read the entire question or problem
Look at any pictures
Go back and check answers
Ask your child’s teacher for other tips. Write them down . . .
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27. Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to guess on a test?
Are the STAR tests timed?
Can parents take a look at the tests?

28.
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32. Benchmark Student Exam Report
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33. Benchmark Student Exam Report
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34. Name three things that you will do to help your child/children prepare for testing??
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35. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Review - Quiz
What is the name of one of the significant tests administered to your child in the spring every year?
Name two ways you can help prepare your child for testing.
CAHSEE; STAR-CSTs, CMA, CAPA, STS
At the beginning of and throughout the year:
Review the California Content Standards (with your child’s teacher) for each subject area
Ask for the results of your child’s benchmark tests
Encourage your child to read everyday
Connect with your child’s teacher about his/her progress
Say, “Hi!” to your child’s teacher
Attend conferences
Attend parent meetings
Review your child’s report card with your child
During testing:
Ensure Proper Diet and Adequate Rest Before Testing
Help Your Child Understand Teachers’ Behaviors During Testing
Help Your Child Understand Their Own Behaviors During and After Testing
Avoid Stressful or Emotional Situations in the Home, if possible
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36. Reference and On-line Resources
Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Reference and On-line Resources
(2010). A parent’s handbook: Your child and standardized tests, grades 3-5. Channing Bete Company. California Department of Education STAR website at:
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37. Santa Ana Unified School District Office of Research and Evaluation
4/18/2019
Contact Information
Dept. of Research and Evaluation Santa Ana Unified School District (714) Phone (714) FAX
4/18/2019