Testing and Diagnostic Information
State and Federal law require students to be assessed for a multitude of reasons. Some of these tests are used for college interest or monitoring school performance.
The most valuable assessments are ones selected by school districts to improve the instruction and learning of our children. These tests are more specific, timely, and provide detailed information about your child's progress. Tests of this nature are invaluable to the educators in our school.
This list of tests is being provided to you as a guide as to what is being used in your school, why it is being used, and who is requesting it to be used. Please contact your student's principal if you have any questions.
Exemption information can be found here.
ACCESSACCESS for ELLs (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners) is a secure large-scale English language proficiency assessment given to Kindergarten through 12th graders who have been identified as English language learners (ELLs). It is given annually in Oakes to students identified as ELL. Required by: DPI, only for ELL students |
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ACT TestNorth Dakota is held in March during school hours for all 11th grade students. Students take the four multiple choice sections, along with the writing section. DPI pays for this test, whereas students who take the ACT on a national test date (on Saturday) will have to pay for it. State-sponsored scholarships like the ND Academic Scholarship and ND Scholars Program require a student to take the ACT. Students who reach required benchmarks scores will also be eligible to take dual-credit college classes. The ACT Test is the leading US college admission test which measures what one can learn in high school to determine one’s academic readiness for college. Some colleges require students to meet a certain composite or sub-score to be admitted or benchmark in order to take classes or dual-credit classes. National test dates are on Saturdays and listed on their website. Oakes HS is a test center for the December national test date. There is a cost to take the ACT. Students who are eligible for free/reduced lunch, qualify for fee waivers for up two tests. The writing component is optional for national test dates. The ACT WorkKeys measures real world, “hard” and “soft” skills, and one’s performance in three key assessments. Students who take the ACT WorkKeys use this test as a means to qualify for the ND Career and Technical Scholarship. The Oakes HS Counselor is certified to provide these online assessments and coordinates testing during the school day. The ACT WorkKeys is optional. There is a fee to test. Click here for more ACT WorkKeys information. Required by DPI |
AIMSwebAIMSweb is an assessment designed to universally screen and progress monitor reading skills for our students in grades k-7. This is given to students in the fall, winter, and spring. The information that is obtained is used to determine the types and frequency of interventions for all skill levels. AIMSweb assessments are brief, predictive, sensitive to improvement, valid, standardized and reliable. Required by: OPS |
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ASVABThe ASVAB career exploration program includes a multiple-aptitude test battery and an interest inventory. The results of the aptitude test and interest inventory enable students to evaluate their skills, estimate their performance in academic and vocational endeavors, and identify potentially satisfying careers. The ASVAB is sponsored by the US Military, but it’s designed to be helpful to virtually all students, whether they plan to attend college, enter the workforce, or join the military. For students interested in joining the military, they will need to meet specific qualifying scores on the ASVAB to be eligible for desired occupations in their branch of service. Required by: OPS |
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NAEPThe National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas. Assessments are conducted periodically in mathematics, reading, science, writing, the arts, civics, economics, geography, U.S. history, Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL). Required by: Dept. of Education |
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North Dakota State AssessmentWithin the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), one of the requirements is that there will be a state assessment for all students grades 3-8 and 11. School districts are held accountable to assess all students and report out on the achievement and participation results. The State Education Agency creates an Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report for every school and district that highlights the results of the state assessment. In addition to reporting the results in reading/language arts and mathematics, the report also indicates whether the school or district had at least 95% of their students participate in the state assessment at the composite and subgroup levels. This regulation was put into place to ensure that all students, even those with a disability, those who have limited English proficiency, or those living in poverty are assessed to hold schools accountable for their education of all children. Schools and districts who are not able to demonstrate that 95% of their students participated in the state assessment will consequently not make AYP as a school or district. Required by: DOE & DPI |
PSATThe PSAT is a nationwide, multiple-choice test taken by about 3.4 million high school students every year–mostly sophomores and juniors. It's a great primer for the SAT®. This test is commonly offered to 11th grade students. The PSAT doesn't count towards your college admissions. However, it is the qualifying test for National Merit Scholarships. That means that the highest scoring students may win scholarship money. Optional |
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STAR AssessmentsSTAR assessments are part of a larger suite of products that are provided by Renaissance Learning. STAR Reading & Math tools are used to find learning difficulties in Reading and Math. These diagnostics can be given quickly and readily to give teachers information on specific learning needs of students. Commonly STAR tools are used for all students in the fall and spring. However, they are exceptional tools for our teachers when students enter our district mid-year. Required by: OPS |
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WorkKeysThe ACT WorkKeys measures real world, “hard” and “soft” skills, and one’s performance in three key assessments. Students who take the ACT WorkKeys use this test as a means to qualify for the ND Career and Technical Scholarship. The Oakes HS Counselor is certified to provide these online assessments and coordinates testing during the school day. The ACT WorkKeys is optional. There is a fee to test. Click here for more WorkKeys Information. Optional |