A new CAASPP testing schedule will give Burroughs juniors a weeklong break between testing phases this spring, a change administrators and teachers hope will reduce stress and improve focus.
Under the new schedule, testing will be divided into separate phases with a break in between to give students and teachers time to recharge.
“I think this schedule change will be beneficial to the well-being and stress levels of students,” said junior Khloe Olson. “It seems like a good policy change that will allow everyone to take a break and recharge for the next phase of testing.”
Administrators said the adjustment came after reviewing reactions to testing schedules from previous years. In the past, juniors completed multiple exams — including English, math, and science — within a condensed schedule that involved flipping a day’s classes.
Administration has also encouraged teachers to incorporate more CAASPP-style questions into their lessons and assessments to help students prepare for the exam format.
Math Dept. Chair Katie Wadley said CAASPP questions can be challenging because they often require students to evaluate multiple possible answers.
“It can be challenging to navigate the different answers, especially if they have to have perseverance or read through all the responses, and select all of the ones that might be correct,” said Wadley.
Many CAASPP questions ask students to “select all that apply,” rather than choosing a single answer. Because scoring is all-or-nothing, students only receive credit if they select every correct response.
Unlike traditional letter grades, CAASPP scores place students into one of four performance bands based on their results.
To recognize the importance of the exam and encourage this year’s test-takers to take it seriously, the school is raffling off prizes for last year’s juniors who either improved their performance band or sustained a “meets” or “exceeds expectations” performance level compared to their eighth-grade year. Prizes include a free yearbook or prom ticket.
Administrators hope the new testing schedule and additional preparation will help students approach the exams with greater confidence and less stress.
ELA testing begins April 14.
