Required State Assessments
Readiness Improvement Success Empowerment (RISE):
The RISE assessment system assesses student content knowledge aligned with the Utah Core Curriculum in Math, Language Arts, Science, and Writing.
Students in grades 3-8 participate in the RISE assessments.
The RISE assessment system has 3 components:
- Benchmarks
- Interim
- Summative
The RISE benchmarks are short classroom formative assessments on 1 or more Core standards. These assessments are used only for student and teacher information. The results are NOT reported to USBE. These assessments are scheduled by the classroom teachers as standards are taught.
The RISE Interim is a formative assessment that mirrors the Summative assessment. OPA rarely uses this assessment due to the classroom time needed to administer. Results from this assessment are NOT reported to USBE.
The RISE Summative is a computer adaptive criterion referenced assessment system. These assessments are given at the end of each school year.
The Utah RISE Portal has additional information and Resources:
Utah Aspire Plus
The Utah Aspire Plus assessment is a hybrid of ACT Aspire and Utah Core test items. It is a computer delivered, fixed form end-of-grade-level high school assessment for students in 9 and 10. Utah Aspire Plus includes four subtests: reading, English, mathematics, and science. Students receive predicted ACT score ranges for each subtest, as well as an overall predicted composite ACT score range. The assessment also provides proficiency scores for end-of-grade-level expectations for 9th and 10th grade students in English language arts, mathematics, and science. This assessment includes benchmark assessments that can be used by the classroom teachers to assess individual standards. Benchmark assessments are NOT reported to USBE.
The Utah Aspire Plus assessments are timed assessments and administered in classrooms at the end of each school year.
Additional information can be found on the Utah Aspire Plus Portal:
Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) assessments are for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for whom general state assessments are not appropriate, even with accommodations. DLM assessments offer these students a way to show what they know and can do in English language arts, mathematics, and science.
DLM assessments also help parents and educators set high academic expectations for their students. Results from DLM assessments are used to inform instruction and meet accountability requirements for reporting student achievement.
WIDA ACCESS Testing
ACCESS for ELLs Online is Utah’s online summative assessment of EL students. It is developed and maintained by WIDA.
This assessment is administered for a number of purposes:
- to measure individual students’ progress in achieving proficiency in speaking, listening to, comprehending, reading, and writing academic English,
- to determine the success of language development programs in individual schools and school districts, and
- to fulfill federal requirements of The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015.
All students receiving English Language services must be tested annually using the ACCESS assessment until they reach English proficiency. When students earn a Proficiency Level of 5.0 or higher, they are considered fluent in English. Students are then re-designated to monitoring status for four years. Students are not required to take the ACCESS assessment during these four years of monitoring.
These assessments are given in February each school year.
The WIDA assessment system includes a screener which is given to students in the beginning of the school year to determine their English service needs. Eligibility for the screener is determined by the home language survey.
Acadience
The Acadience assessments measure student mastery and progress in Reading and Math. These assessments are given at the beginning of the year (BOY), middle of the year (MOY), and at the end of the year (EOY). Students participate in intervention programs and progress monitoring throughout the year based on their scores.
Civics
The Civics assessment consists of 50 questions extracted from the United State Citizenship Exam. Students can start taking this assessment in 6th grade, and have until graduation to pass. OPA begins offering this assessment to students at the end of 7th grade. Once a student passes the test, they do not have to take it again.
This test is required for Utah High School Graduation.
Kindergarten
Utah’s Kindergarten Entry and Exit Profile (KEEP) is intended to inform various stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, and leadership, on the academic and social-emotional development of entering and exiting kindergarten students. The information gained from the profile will be used to:
- provide insights into current levels of academic and social-emotional performance upon entry and exit of kindergarten,
- identify students in need of early intervention instruction and promote differentiated instruction for all students, and
- identify effective instructional practices or strategies for improving student achievement outcomes in a targeted manner.
This assessment is given to all kindergarten students the first few days of school by appointment and again at the end of the school year.
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress(External Web Content), also known as “the Nation’s Report Card,” is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas.
This assessment is assigned to schools throughout the United States at random each year. OPA will receive notification if chosen to administer the NAEP.