Samo moves from STAR to computer-based testing model

Camille De BeusStaff WriterLack of computers for student use remains a concern among staff and administration, as plans for Samo’s shift from physical to computer-based state testing next year unfold.The new test, called the Smarter Balanced Pilot Test, is formatted to better fit students’ skills by adapting the test questions based on the students’ responses, according to Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD) Director of Assessment, Research and Evaluation Maureen Bradford.“Smarter Balanced will only assess students in grades three through eight and grade eleven,” Bradford said. “Currently STAR assesses students in grades two through eleven. In terms of format, STAR relies strictly on multiple choice items, with the exception of a writing prompt in grades four and seven, while Smarter Balanced will have a variety of item types, including multiple choice, selected response, short answer and longer, performance-based items.”According to Bradford, the tests will adapt to student responses and deliver more or less difficult problems.Samo student Celeste Bleiberg (’15) thinks that implementing the Smarter Balanced tests will have a positive effect on the district.“I think that [computer-adaptive testing] is a good idea because everyone’s different and I feel like most tests ignore that,” Bleiberg said. “It would be nice to take tests that were more specific to the individual.”However, some are concerned about the shift toward computer-based testing, because according to Samo Information Technology (IT) Technician, Bill Gaidzik, there are only about 300 school computers accessible to students.Most schools in the state of California will have trouble with the new tests because of an unequal ratio of students to computers. According to H-House Principal Leslie Wells, Samo may need to extend the time allotted for testing and use both computer labs, the library and a number of classrooms with laptops for pilot testing in the spring of 2014.Math teacher Ari Marken thinks that the Smarter Balanced tests are an improvement over STAR testing.“I like the fact that students are going to have to explain their answers and show more understanding in written form, which is a useful skill anywhere,” Marken said. “Showing math skills and showing how they reason through an answer is more important than arriving at the correct answer.”The Smarter Balanced tests were already tested at a number of SMMUSD schools earlier in the year, including Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, Will Rogers Elementary School, John Adams Middle School (JAMS) and Santa Monica Alternative School House (SMASH).According to Juan Cabrillo Elementary School Principal Pamela Herkner, although the lack of technology was a challenge, the testing was a success.“We are fortunate to have the technology to allow us to implement the [Smarter Balanced] assessment to a whole grade level at one time,” Herkner said. “Preparation for the testing and implementation was definitely a team effort.”The results have not been released to the district, but the experience of testing online was valuable, according to Bradford.“The results of pilot tests will be used to determine the validity and reliability of test items as well as take stock of how well schools can manage testing large groups of students with limited resources for technology,” Bradford said. “That might be the greatest challenge of all.”cdebeus@thesamohi.com