The Assessment Process

Designed to Guide Success Year Round

Track My Progress assessments are organized around four test windows each year. Students take one reading test and one math test in each test window. Students should test in the same month of each test window. 

For example, if you test in August for the fall test window, then it would be best to test in November, February and May as that would put you on a test schedule of the first month in each test window. This will ensure that you have equal time intervals between each set of math and reading tests.

Students should test within the same two-week period during the test window. If one student tests at the beginning of a test window and another student tests at the end of the test window, for example, the scores will not be comparable.

The summer test window can either be used to evaluate the progress of summer school students, or with careful planning can be used as a fourth test window during the school year. To test four times a year, a school could test in August, November, February and May (the first month of each test window). If a school starts the year in September the test months could be September, December, March and June (the second month of each test window).

Computer Adaptive Testing Streamlines the Process

Track My Progress is a computer adaptive test. This means that the difficulty of the test questions adapt to the learning zone of the student. If a student is above grade level and answers initial questions correctly, the test will become more challenging as harder test questions are selected. If a student is below grade level, poor performance on initial questions will lead the test to provide easier test questions.

The graph above simulated a reading test for a grade 1 student. Correct answers are in blue. Incorrect answers are in red. The difficulty of the next test question increases or decreases based on whether the previous answer was correct or incorrect. Initially, there may be large changes in test question difficulty. Towards the end of the test the range in difficulty is narrowed as the test better finds the student's learning zone. 

Test Item Types

The Track My Progress Reading test offers ten different item types. These different item types are designed to challenge student's thinking and in some cases probe for a deeper or more rigorous level of understanding. This provides for a richer assessment experience than can be offered with only using multiple choice test items.

The math test offers nine different test item types. These test items are designed to challenge the student to demonstrate a deeper level of understanding than can be shown with only multiple-choice test items. In addition, some math test items use on screen tools such as a ruler or protractor. The student must drag the tool into position in order to answer the question. 

Discover the Benefits of a Smarter Assessment

If you are ready to learn more about how Track My Progress can benefit your school, providing data-rich assessments that are catered to the needs of your students, offering insights early in the school year to avoid future surprises, contact us today.

We can discuss how Track My Progress will be able to address specific concerns you have for your school, and the process for implementation of the assessment process.