Anniston students taking new standardized test this week

by by Taylor Manning Star Staff Writer Anniston Star

Following a 2013 vote by the state Board of Education, Alabama became the first state to implement the entire ACT sequence, which consists of six student assessments spanning grades 3 through 12. Developed by the same nonprofit organization that administers the ACT, the tests will track students' academic growth over time, said Michael Sibley, director of communications at the Alabama Department of Education.

Some of the things that parents should keep in mind are that these assessments are important for them to see how their child is doing academically, Sibley said. This new reporting process that ACT Aspire provides will show them in very clear, practical images like they've not seen before, how their child is doing.

Unlike the Alabama Reading and Math Test, the ACT tests are linked and build upon one another, Sibley added. Calhoun County schools began testing Thursday.

The ACT testing has gone very well with Calhoun County Schools, Superintendent Joe Dyar said. We've had a lot of youngsters that have finished on time. We did have some trouble completing the math portion of the test on time, but for the most part we've had absolutely no bumps in the road.

Anniston City Schools Superintendent Darren Douthitt said that any students preparations for an academic test should include getting plenty of rest and eating a good breakfast.

Make sure they keep the whole idea of testing within the framework that it is a test and that all we can expect from them is to do their very best, Douthitt said. Therefore, they won't have anxiety about it, which is definitely a problem for some kids.

The state will also foot the bill for the ACT Plus Writing college entrance exam, a fee usually incurred by high school students applying for college. Sibley said that the cost was a financial burden on some families and that this may encourage some students to consider college as an option.

The testing, said Sibley, is intended to give every kid a shot, regardless of what your ZIP code is or what your socioeconomic setting is.

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Anniston students taking new standardized test this week