Spring 2025 scores for AK STAR (ELA and mathematics), the Alaska Science Assessment and DLM Alternate Assessment will be provided to parents electronically through Q ParentConnect on Friday, September 26.  Parents may work with their child’s school for support with accessing their Q accounts.  All assessment results, including AK STAR, the Alaska Science Assessment and the Alternate Assessment, are provided electronically as the established pathway for score reporting through Parent Connect.

The spring MAP Growth benchmark scores were posted to Q ParentConnect last May.

To view your child’s AK STAR/Alaska Science Assessment or Alternate Assessment results:

• Log into Parent Connection, https://parentconnect.asdk12.org/
• Select “Assessment Results” from the list of items on the left side
• Parent Guides are available on the ASD Assessment Results website, https://www.asdk12.org/AssessmentResults

For math, English language arts and science, the school reporting information will show the number of students tested at the state level, district level and at each grade level.  In addition, the Summary Reports display the mean and median school overall score and level by grade, along with providing comparisons to district and state results.  The school summary by grade also shows the percentage of students in each achievement level.  Information on groups of standards, called Instructional Areas (AK STAR) and Reporting Categories (Alaska Science Assessment), is also provided as part of the score reporting process using up arrows, down arrows and equal signs.

• AK STAR (ELA and math) Instructional Areas: Reported as the MAP Growth Benchmark component of AK STAR using RIT scores
• Alaska Science Assessment Reporting Categories: Reported as a more focused component of the summative science assessment 

The Alaska Department of Education, DEED, provides District and School results to the public in late August_early September, https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/results. The ASD Data Dashboard, /Page/18684 (State Proficiency Assessment tab) provides the information in conjunction with the state release each year.

For English language arts, mathematics and science, each student will receive an overall score that is aligned to one of four achievement levels: Proficient (P), Advanced (A), Approaching Proficient (AP) and Needs Support (NS) (see Table 1).  In addition, for science, information on groups of standards, called reporting categories, are also provided as part of the score reporting process.  Information on the star rating is provided in the next FAQ.

The spring MAP Growth benchmark scores (included as part of the combined AK STAR summative/benchmark assessment) were posted to Q ParentConnect last May.

Table 1: Achievement Levels

Detailed AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment score reporting information and support resources, including Family Guides, are provided by the State of Alaska Department of Education:

• AK STAR, ELA and math -  https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/akstar/results
• Alaska Science Assessment, science -  https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/science/results

The AK STAR System connects MAP Growth interim assessments with the end-of-the-year AK STAR summative assessment.  In the spring, students only take one assessment in ELA and one in mathematics and are provided both a benchmark score with growth from fall to spring and a summative assessment score.  The fall and winter MAP Growth benchmark scores provide a proficiency projection to the spring AK STAR summative to predict a student’s performance levels on the state summative assessment.

The Alaska Science Assessment is a summative assessment designed to measure a student’s knowledge of the K-12 Science Standards for Alaska, adopted in June 2019. The science assessment is administered to students in grades 5, 8, and 10. The Alaska Science Assessment is not connected to MAP Growth and provides a summative score only.

AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment are not pass/fail tests.  Proficiency means that a student meets the standards and demonstrates mastery of the knowledge and skills of most grade-level content.  Scores are aligned to achievement level descriptors by grade level and content area to better understand what each score means.

The purpose and design of the spring summative assessments are to provide an overall picture of a student’s performance on grade-level standards.  AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment provide an objective check of grade-level achievement, but they are not the only indicator of learning.  AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment scores should be used in conjunction with formative and benchmark assessments, other classwork and grades.

• ASD public AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment website: https://www.asdk12.org/AKSTAR
• DEED AK STAR/Alaska Science Assessment website: https://education.alaska.gov/assessments
• To view your child's AK STAR, Alaska Science Assessment or Alternate Assessment results:
  • Log into Parent Connection, https://parentconnect.asdk12.org/
  • Select “Assessment Results” from the list of items on the left side
• Parent Guides for understanding results are available on the ASD Assessment Results website, https://www.asdk12.org/AssessmentResults