Student Performance
All Archdiocesan schools administer the achievement tests designated by the Department of Catholic Schools in prescribed grades.
The school’s testing program is intended to assist teachers and administrators in a systematic evaluation of the academic and religion programs, to diagnose students’ strengths and weaknesses and to aid in revision of the curriculum and planning of instruction. Students participate in the following assessments per the AOB guidelines.
How We Measure Growth by Grade Level
Early Childhood Students
Pre-kindergarten 3, Pre-kindergarten 4, and Kindergarten students are administered the BRIGANCE developmental screening in the fall and/or spring.
Kindergarten students are administered the Acadience Reading assessment three times per year in the fall, winter, and spring. The Acadience is a universal screening and progress monitoring assessment that measures the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. The assessment is composed of six brief measures that function as indicators of the essential skills that every child must master to become a proficient reader. These measures are used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy skills in order to provide timely instructional support and prevent the occurrence of later reading difficulties.
Elementary Students
First and Second Grade students are administered the Acadience Reading assessment three times per year, in the fall. winter, and spring. The Acadience is a universal screening and progress monitoring assessment that measures the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. The assessment is composed of six brief measures that function as indicators of the essential skills that every child must master to become a proficient reader. These measures are used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy skills in order to provide timely instructional support and prevent the occurrence of later reading difficulties.
Elementary school students in grades 2 and 3 are administered the NWEA MAP Assessment three times per year to measure growth. Grade 3 also takes the Science Assessment each Spring. Parents are given feedback about their child’s performance at the end of each trimester.
Intermediate Students
Students in grades 4-5 are administered the NWEA MAP Assessment three times per year to measure growth. Grade 5 also takes the Science Assessment each Spring. Parents are given feedback as to how their child is scoring at the end of each trimester.
All students in grades 5 are given the ACRE (Assessment of Child/Youth Religious Education) in the spring of each school year. This assessment gives information for growth to each school as it assesses how well the religious education program is forming Christian disciples. This is a school assessment, and no individual student scores are given.
Middle School Students
Students in grades 6-8 are administered the NWEA MAP Assessment three times per year to measure growth. Grade 7 also takes the Science Assessment each Spring. Parents are given feedback as to how their child is scoring at the end of each trimester.
All students in grades 8 are given the ACRE (Assessment of Child/Youth Religious Education) in the spring of each school year. This assessment gives information for growth to each school as it assesses how well the religious education program is forming Christian disciples. This is a school assessment, and no individual student scores are given.
7th grade students have the opportunity to take the Pre-HSPT in the spring at school in preparation for the actual exam to be taken in 8th grade.
8th grade students applying to Catholic high schools have the opportunity to take the High School Placement Test (HSPT) during the regular school day, and students have an opportunity to register for an optional HSPT prep course that is offered through a private company for a fee.
