Hot Springs School District Assessment Information

The goal of the South Dakota Department of Education is that all high school students graduate college, career, and life ready. To this aim, the South Dakota assessment system is designed to provide districts, schools, and parents with the information they need to ensure that their students remain on track to reach this goal. South Dakota public school students participate in annual summative testing in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science; the results of these tests are included in the state accountability system.

South Dakota ELA, Math, and Science Assessment

Students in grades 3-8 are given the SD ELA and Math Assessments. Students in grades 5 and 8 take the SD Science Assessment. This year will be the first year that South Dakota will use the ACT test for 11th graders in Math, ELA, and Science.

South Dakota Assessments measure a student’s growth from year to year and how they compare to other students their age. The purpose of these assessments are to share strengths and weaknesses of individual students as well as subgroups of students (ie. economically disadvantaged, race, gender, disability). Teachers are able to gain a better understanding of where their students are at and how they may design their lessons best addressing areas of need. School leaders can make schoolwide program decisions based on the information from this assessment. These are typically administered in late April. Results tend to be back before school dismisses for the year. Ideally these results will be mailed with end of the year report cards, but depending on when results are provided to the district, this could become a separate mailing.

South Dakota Science Assessment:

The South Dakota Science tests measures students’ mastery of the South Dakota State Academic Standards in Science adopted in May, 2015 at grades 5 and 8. This test will cover the grade spans of 3- 8. Questions will come equally as possible from life, physical, and earth sciences at tested levels. This assessment will be completely online and has no time constraints. The administration of the three sections of this assessment takes most students approximately two hours.

ACT Test for all juniors is now required by the state of South Dakota: Providing the ACT to all juniors in South Dakota provides access and opportunity for ALL students. It raises expectations and meets the needs of students beyond accountability. Statewide testing provides students with the opportunity to assess their academic skills and level of college and career readiness in a familiar environment. Having all students participate in ACT offerings raises college and career pathway awareness s among all students, rather than only self-selected, college-bound students. For some students, this experience may help them realize they have the skills needed to realize their potential in college-level coursework and future careers.

South Dakota Math, ELA, and/or Science Alternate Assessment

The SD‐Alt is available for students who have a significant cognitive disability. These students are working with the Core Content Connectors and their IEP’s indicate alternate assessment for statewide testing.

ACCESS for ELLs

ACCESS for ELLs 2.0® stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State‐ to‐State for English Language Learners. This large‐scale test addresses the academic English language proficiency (ELP) standards at the core of the WIDA Consortium's approach to instructing and evaluating the progress of English learners. ACCESS for ELLs is taken annually by identified English learners to measure their English proficiency. The South Dakota Department of Education requires ELs in Grades 1‐12 be administered the online version except in cases where online testing is not allowed. 

WIDA Screener (English Language Learners/all grades):

The WIDA Screener is an English language proficiency assessment given to incoming students in Grades 1-12 to assist educators with the identification of students as English learners (EL). The WIDA screener is administered to students identified through the registration process. The purpose of this assessment is to help educators make decisions about whether a student is deemed eligible for EL services. The WIDA Screener Online is flexible and on-demand. Administration takes about two hours. This screener is completed with students with the first 30 days of school starting or within 10 days if a student enrolls after school has started.

NAEP

National Assessment of Educational Progress and assessed in the areas of language arts and mathematics. Districts are notified by the national organization if their 8th graders will participate in the testing for that academic year. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. Most students will take the assessment on tablets, while a small subset of students will take paper-and-pencil versions. Each student will take NAEP in one format and one subject only. Results will be released at the national, state, and TUDA levels for the mathematics and reading assessments at grade 8.