Teachers and students prepare for SBAC test

Juniors can expect to apply critical thinking skills as they take the SBAC this April.

The new SBAC test is a way to assess if students have met the Common Core standards. Forty three states, the District of Columbia, and the Territories have all adopted these standards according to the Common Core website. Students in these states will be taking the SBAC, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, or something similar this year.

“The SBAC is the best way to compare how we are doing with other states’, “Principal Bob Macauley said.

The tests are designed to focus on the Common Core State Standards and to measure a student’s ability to apply knowledge and skills rather than demonstrating reading comprehension Vice Principal Karen Shea said. The SBAC is different because it is not entirely multiple choice like the OAKS test. Students will respond to questions by writing short essays. The SBAC will be more extensive and will require students to apply knowledge and also demonstrate critical thinking skills.

Macauley said the questions on the SBAC have students take information and analyze it rather than picking the best option, which represents questions students will more likely see in college.

According to Shea, all students are required to take the SBAC, if someone fails, there are other ways for students to meet the Essential Skills requirement for graduation, such as passing work samples and AP tests. If a student has passed OAKS in 9th or 10th grade, it can count for the Essential Skills requirement, although they are still required to take the SBAC.

Shea also said that along with taking the SBAC, students will also be taking the OAKS science test.

Concerning scheduling, Macauley said the SBAC test does not interfere with AP testing. The SBAC was built around the AP testing schedule, and students would only be missing a few classes.

If someone is considering opting out, Macauley suggests that you should not. He also said that you should challenge yourself, it will be a good test to see where you are. Although opting out is an option, it will hurt the school participation rate.

“[This test will] build confidence for people who do well,” Macauley said.

According to Shea, the SBAC will provide another measure for students to gauge their academic growth and achievement.

“We have very talented, hard-working students at our school who take their academic achievement seriously,” Shea said. “I am confident that our students can and will do well.”

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