Assessments

Formal Assessments

NWEA Testing: NWEA is a wonderful assessment Saint Pius uses to assess both reading and mathematical skills. First graders take this test in the computer lab with headphones in the months of August, January, and May.  Once the scores are formulated, the children are given quality activities and games on Compass Learning Odyssey at his/her level. This engages the student in order to show the most growth throughout the year. Teachers also use this information as one of many tools to form classroom groups and to see individual progress. For more information, please visit the Parent Toolkit that is available at www.nwea.org

ISTEP+:  (often referred to simply as ISTEP) stands for Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus and is an annual testing regimen designed by the Indiana Department of Education to encourage students to master basic language and science skills, particularly reading, writing and mathematics. All students in grades 3 through 8 and high school sophomores take the ISTEP+ each spring, with language and math covered in each test.

IREAD 3: The purpose of the IREAD-3 assessment is to measure foundational reading standards through grade three. Based on the Indiana Academic Standards, IREAD-3 is a summative assessment that was developed in accordance with Public Law 109. Students demonstrate proficient understanding when reading and responding to grade-level literary and informational texts.

Informal Assessments

Reading Unit Tests: The Reading Street series culminates each unit by assessing basic first grade reading skills, fluency, and reading comprehension.  Teachers use this reading test to show mastery of the concepts taught.

Unit Tests: The Everyday Math  program is an essential part of the third grade curriculum. The program does a wonderful job spiraling the curriculum in order to revisit the more difficult concepts. In order to assess the comprehension of the unit taught, the end-of-the-unit tests are administered. These tests are a great way to keep communication open with parents on the mastery of these first grade standards. Unit tests are also administered in Science and Social Studies.