Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education 2021-2022 Final Testing Calendar

Memo Information

Memo Number
LS-22-006
Memo Date
8/23/2021
Memo Type
Informational
Unit
Learning Services
Regulatory Authority
Response Required
NO
Attention
Federal Programs; Superintendents; Assistant Superintendent; Principals; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators; General Business Managers; Teachers; Gifted & Talented Coordinators; Curriculum Coordinators; School Counselors; Techstart Coordinators or Contact Name; Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); District Coordinators (ALE; Homeless; ESOL; SDFS & Foster); Parent Involvement Coordinators/Facilitators; CTE Coordinator (COOPs and regular school districts); Facilities / Maintenance Director

Primary Contact Information

Secondary Contact/s Information

Memo Text

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. 

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