The final testing
dates for the 2021–2022 school year have been set. The attached
calendar includes the required assessments at grades K–12. All state
testing must take place during these dates.
With the support from the 93rd General Assembly
and the State Board of Education, high school students have the opportunity before they graduate to
earn a nationally-recognized work readiness certificate through the ACT WorkKeys Assessment. The primary purpose of the National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) is to provide
students with workplace certifications that represent knowledge and
skills in Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents.
Expectations of Every
District
- A public school district and
open-enrollment public charter school that serves students in grades 10-12
shall administer college and career readiness assessments including a
career readiness assessment that leads to a nationally-recognized work
readiness certificate.
- Students in public school
districts and open-enrollment public charter schools in grades 10-12 will
be given the opportunity before they graduate to have a single administration of the WorkKeys
assessment (Applied Math, Graphic Literacy, and Workplace Documents) under
the state contract.
- Districts and schools
have the flexibility to determine the grade in which students assess. In
order to provide flexibility in administration, districts may choose to test anytime during the two designated state windows. Districts may locally designate an administration schedule
within the specified windows.
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM), the alternate assessment, will be
administered to qualifying students in each grade 3–10. Math and ELA are
required on the DLM in both the fall and spring windows and together make up
the summative score. DLM Science is required only during the spring
window. It is recommended that students be given the opportunity to take
the science testlets during the fall window, but these scores will not
contribute to the summative score.
There are two initial
cohort test windows for the ACT at
grade 11 in spring of 2022. In the fall of 2021, the DTC will complete a
survey indicating the preferred administration window. The third test
window is for make-up testing only.
The ACT Aspire test
window has been pushed back by two weeks for 2021-2022 to allow for more
instructional time prior to the assessment.
Districts went through
a new K-2 vendor selection in May of 2020. All districts will administer
their chosen K-2 assessment through 2024. There are three windows for
each of the K-2 vendors, and schools must assess all appropriate K-2 students.
For the 21-22 school year, DESE is allowing districts to
administer remote testing for select required assessments. The two assessments
that may be administered remotely are (1) all K-2 assessments during the fall
and winter windows only, and (2) the Civics Exam. Further guidance on
remote testing is available in the AR DTC LiveBinder.
For additional
information, please contact Sheree Baird, Office of Student Assessment,
Arkansas Department of Education at (501) 682-4558.