Academic Assessment
Students in Kindergarten-Grade 8 at St. Mary School are assessed academically using the i-Ready Diagnostic Test.
Additional i-Ready Info and Resources
Student scores are both criterion-referenced and norm-referenced.
- Criterion-referenced Scores: i-Ready provides criterion-referenced data in the form of grade-level placements, both at the overall and domain levels.
- Norm-referenced Scores: i-Ready norms describe how a student’s score compares to the performance of nationally representative samples of scores of students in the same grade level who took the i-Ready Diagnostic at the same time of year.
- I-Ready norms have been recently revised post-COVID to address unfinished learning. For more detailed information on the new i-Ready national norms, please visit the i-Ready National Norms page.
Other relevant information that may help explain your student’s percentile-
Students take an Assessment in the Fall, mid-year, and Spring of each school year. The Diagnostic at the middle of the year and again later in the year, combined with i-Ready’s growth model, is important in helping to determine exactly where each child should be.
- Typical Growth: the average annual growth of students at each grade and placement level. Typical Growth allows you to see how a student grows compared to average student growth at the same grade and baseline placement level.
- Stretch Growth: The recommended growth is to put students who are placed below grade level on a path toward proficiency and those placed on grade level on a path to advanced proficiency levels. Stretch Growth benchmarks are designed to be ambitious yet attainable for all students.
Throughout the year, the teacher uses the data from each Diagnostic to plan for the skills in which a student needs acceleration and areas in which a student needs support. Additionally, a student’s My Path or Personalized Instruction will allow them to work on their learning trajectory, matching their skills.
If your child has tested out of My Path, Standards Mastery checks may be used to reach a higher level- check in with your child’s teacher (grades 2-8 only).
A resource to learn more is the i-Ready Family Center
Students complete all i-Ready lessons and Diagnostics IN SCHOOL.
8th Grade Transcript Data
During the 2023-2024 school year, the AOC shifted to i-Ready Diagnostic as the required assessment
in elementary schools. High schools will see this reflected on the standardized test scores included in a prospective 8th grader’s transcript.
Religion
St. Mary School is committed to forming a Catholic Worldview in the hearts and minds of all students. Our students should not only come to know their faith through Scripture and the Catechism, but they also encounter Christ through the sacraments and in the community.
Students in Grades 2-8 will take the ARK Assessment annually. ARK is a comprehensive assessment tool designed to measure and enhance students’ religious knowledge and beliefs. The results provide the insight needed to ensure the highest-quality education in faith formation.