AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment Parent Connect Guide

  • AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment ParentConnect Guide

    AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment Logo

     

    What is AK STAR?

    The Alaska System of Academic Readiness is the system of statewide summative assessments required each spring by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED): English language arts (ELA), mathematics and science.  The purpose of AK STAR is to provide an opportunity at the end of a school year to evaluate student learning at grade-level to support school improvement and ensure equity in education.

     

     

    AK STAR: ELA and Mathematics, Grades 3-9

    Sample ParentConnect AK STAR Report

    The sample report shows what AK STAR results look like in Q ParentConnect.  The information that follows provides an explanation of what each heading means. Please contact your child’s principal, teacher or counselor for more support with AK STAR results.

     

    AK STAR Q Parent Connect report

     

     

    Test: Assessment name - AK STAR

     

    Date Taken: Date the five-week testing window opens

     

    Grade: Student grade level on test day

     

    Sub Test: Content area Name (ELA or math): Score and Achievement

    • ELA or Math Score with proficiency level color coding
    • ELA or Math Achievement with proficiency-level color coding

     

    Score: Content area Results (ELA or math): Score and Proficiency Level

    • ELA or Math Score: Scale Score with standard error of measurement and proficiency level color coding
    • ELA or Math Achievement Level: Proficiency Level with proficiency-level color coding

     

    For more information on what a student at each grade level can do at each achievement level visit: https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/achievement

     

    For more information on Achievement Levels, Color-Coding, Scale Scores and Standard Error of Measure see the following Tables on page 3 at the end of the Parent Guide:

    • Table 1: Achievement Levels (Proficiency Level and Color Coding)
    • Table 2: Scale Score and Standard Measure of Error (SEM)

     

    Special Circumstance Codes - AK STAR (ELA and math): Reason a student did not receive a score

    UTT: absent     INV: invalid     PAR: parent refusal     STR: student refusal     NOA: not attempted

     

     

     

     

     

    Alaska Science Assessment: Science, Grades 5, 8 and 10

    Sample ParentConnect Alaska Science Assessment Report

    The sample report shows what Alaska Science Assessment results look like in Q ParentConnect.  The information that follows provides an explanation of what each heading means. Please contact your child’s principal, teacher or counselor for more support with AK STAR results.

     

    Alaska Science Assessment Q Parent Connect report

     

    Test: Assessment name - AK Science

     

    Date Taken: Date the five-week testing window opens

     

    Grade: Student grade level on test day

     

    Sub Test: Content area Name (Science): Score and Achievement

    • Science Score with proficiency level color coding
    • Science Achievement with proficiency-level color coding
      • Science Reporting Category One (grades 5 and 8): Earth and Space Science
      • Science Reporting Category Two (grades 5, 8 and 10): Life Science
      • Science Reporting Category Three (grades 5, 8 and 10): Physical Science

     

    Score: Content area Results (Science): Score and Proficiency Level

    • Science Score: Scale Score with standard error of measurement and proficiency level color coding
    • Science Achievement Level: Proficiency Level with proficiency-level color coding
      • Science Reporting Categories: 1, 2 or 3 stars

     

    For more information on what a student at each grade level can do at each achievement level visit: https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/achievement

     

    For more information on Achievement Levels, Color-Coding, Scale Scores, Standard Error of Measure and Science Reporting Categories see the following Tables on page 3 at the end of the Parent Guide:

    • Table 1: Achievement Levels (Proficiency Level and Color Coding)
    • Table 2: Scale Score and Standard Measure of Error (SEM)
    • Table 3: Reporting Categories - Alaska Science Assessment Only

     

     

    Special Circumstance Codes - Alaska Science Assessment: Reason a student did not receive a score

    • ABS: absent     INV: invalid     PRF: parent refusal     SRF: student refusal     NOA: not attempted

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Table 1: Achievement Levels (Proficiency Level and Color Coding)

    Achievement Level

    Description

    For more information on what a student at each grade level can do at each achievement level visit:

    https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/achievement

    Proficient 

    Advanced (A) 

    Student meets the standards and demonstrates mastery of the knowledge and skills on a range of complex grade level content. 

    Proficient (P) 

    Student meets the standards and demonstrates mastery of the knowledge and skills of most grade level content.  

     

    Non-Proficient 

    Approaching Proficient (AP) 

    Student partially meets the standards and may have gaps in knowledge and skills but is approaching mastery of some grade level content.  

    Needs Support (NS) 

    Student may partially meet the standards but needs support to master the knowledge and skills of current grade level content.  

     

    Table 2: Scale Score and Standard Measure of Error (SEM)

    Scale Score

    The scale score is the middle number that provides a common measure for expressing student performance across different forms of a test.  Scale scores cannot be compared across content areas or grade levels since each is scaled separately.

    Standard Measure of Error (SEM)

    The Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) consists of a number on each side of the Scale Score and represents the expected range of scores the student would receive if tested under similar circumstances.

     

    Table 3: Reporting Categories - Alaska Science Assessment Only, Grades 5, 8 and 10

    AK Science Reporting Categories Star Rating

    Student performance in each reporting category is displayed as one, two or three stars.  This provides a comparison to students who performed at the proficient level to identify instructional areas of strength and weakness.

     

     

    For a printable PDF version click here.