Kathi Maxwell, Director Academic Services 27200 Hilliard Blvd. Westlake, OH 44145 440-250-1260 www.wlake.org [email protected] Dear Parents: With new graduation testing and end-of-course requirements on the horizon, Westlake City School District is providing families with a tentative schedule of testing dates so they can plan accordingly. Families should use this schedule as a guide when making travel plans or scheduling appointments during the school day. If anything specific changes related to testing, building principals will post changes online. The new end-of-course tests have two parts: • A performance-based assessment • An end-of-year test Scores for end-of-course exams will be on a scale of 1-5: advanced (5), accelerated (4), proficient (3), limited (2) and basic (1). Students’ combined scores on the two tests will make up their total score. For the class of 2018, the State Board of Education is requiring that students earn a total of 18 points on the seven graduation required tests. Students who have already taken the required coursework in middle school for high school credit (such as algebra I and geometry) will receive an automatic passing score of 3 on each test toward the required total. Sophomores, juniors and seniors (the classes of 2015-2017) follow the current pathways to graduation and their graduation test requirements are the Ohio Graduation Tests (Reading, Writing, Math, Science and Social Studies). Sophomores will take the OGT the week of March 16-20. Freshmen (the class of 2018) are the first students who will be required to follow the new pathways to graduation. In addition to the course requirements for a high school diploma in Ohio, students will be required to take seven new end-of-year exams throughout their high school career: English language arts 9th and 10th, algebra 1 and geometry, physical science, American history and American government. To fulfill a state requirement related to assessing students in areas of U.S. history and U.S. government, all high school students currently enrolled in U.S. history and American government will take the performance-based exams in U.S. history and American government (second semester). These tests are practice to set a baseline for this first year. Students who are taking AP U.S. history and AP government may substitute their scores on the AP exams for the state tests in U.S. history and government and therefore will not take the performance-based or end-of-year exams. The end-of-course tests will be administered during the regular school day and students will be assigned a specific date and time based on the classes they are taking. The week of March 16 for the OGT test, sophomores will be required to report at the regularly scheduled start of our school day and freshmen, juniors, and seniors will have a delayed start unless they are retaking one or more portions of the exam. Families may want to follow this link to view the new course and testing requirements for the Class of 2018 and beyond: http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/What-s-Happening-with-Ohio-s-GraduationRequiremen/Graduation-Requirements-2018-Beyond/GradReq_2018.pdf.aspx 2014-15 Testing Schedule Class of 2018 and beyond Performance-Based Assessment & End-of-Year English/Language Arts – February 18-20th (3rd -8th grade or English 1) Mathematics – February 24-25th (3rd – 8th grade, algebra 1 or geometry) Social Studies – March 10th (grade 4, 6, American history or American government) Science – March 11th (grade 5, 8, or Physical Science) End-of-Year Assessments: English/Language Arts – April 21 – 22nd (3rd -8th grade or English 1) Mathematics – April 23 – 24th (3rd – 8th grade, algebra 1 or geometry) Social Studies – May 5th (grade 4, 6, American history or American government) Science – May 6th (grade 5, 8 or Physical Science) Class of 2015, 2016, 2017 Ohio Graduation Tests – March 16- March 20th American history or American government, if enrolled – March 10th and May 5th Sincerely, Kathi Maxwell Director of Academic Services