State reports strong spring participation in assessments; board discusses ACT options and earlier results
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Summary
ALSDE reported preliminary statewide participation rates for spring assessments — ACAP summative 93%, ACAP alternate 87%, ACCESS for ELLs 96%, ACT with writing 86% — and discussed options for ACT timing, retests and PSAT/SAT access; the department said district-level results will be released in August after standard setting.
ALSDE assessment staff reported preliminary participation rates for 2021 spring assessments and discussed testing options for the coming year.
Assessment director Maggie Hicks told the State Board staff had pushed extended testing windows this spring to raise participation and had reached preliminary rates the department described as sufficient for statistical generalization: 93% participation in the ACAP summative, 87% participation in ACAP Alternate, 96% participation in ACCESS for ELLs, and 86% participation in ACT with writing. Hicks said ACT windows were extended and that some districts used one‑on‑one secure administrations where needed.
Board members asked when districts would receive student‑level data. Hicks said district‑level results would be released after July standard‑setting work and that preliminary student‑level data would be available through the AIM portal on or about Aug. 16 so districts could begin planning interventions before the school year. Hicks and other staff said the full, validated data set needed for accountability would follow final technical reviews.
Board members also discussed options around college‑readiness testing. ALSDE staff described options that include offering the pre‑ACT (or “ACT early high school”) in ninth grade, the pre‑ACT again in 10th grade, and the ACT in 11th grade with a possible retest in 12th grade for students who want to improve scores. Staff said ACT can provide statistical linking so growth can be measured across administrations if the board wanted to move to two ACT administrations; staff said cost estimates and contract and federal‑plan implications would be brought back to the board for consideration.
Members asked whether providing PSAT or paid PSAT/SAT administrations statewide would increase National Merit opportunities for low‑income students; ALSDE staff said the department could analyze costs and impacts and present options. Members raised concerns about the burden on teachers and the need for consistent assessments from year to year so districts and teachers can build reliable instructional plans.
Hicks said the department intends to shorten the time between test administration and results in future years and to continue involving educators in assessment-item development and standard setting.