As Spring Testing Approaches, There Is Still Time for Schools to Prepare

Looking forward to the end of the school year, many teachers and school systems are already thinking about preparations for end-of-year assessments. The scores from the 2021-22 school year’s end-of-year testing revealed immense gaps in students’ learning. To avoid a similar outcome in spring 2023 tests, schools will need to reevaluate their tactics, considering what has and has not worked for struggling students in recent years.

While the practical application of end-of-year testing varies by state, students’ participation is unavoidable. In some cases, the scores are collected and never touched again. In other states, end-of-year tests can be more important than report cards in determining whether a child will be promoted to the next grade, and some states look at test scores to award state-funded college scholarships to high school seniors.

In all cases, however, end-of-year test scores are still reflective of where a student’s learning is relative to previous years’ standards. Proper preparation for these assessments can have a longer-term positive impact on a student’s educational career.

What Is Going Wrong?

In systems that have provided supplemental support for students but still saw score decreases, the type of support may be the issue.

“Tutoring on-demand is being offered, but the students have to initiate contact with the tutor themselves,” explained Emily Mitchell, Vice President of Education at Sylvan Learning. “At most, about 30% of students will reach out, but only five to 10 percent of them are initiating contact more than once.”

In the majority of cases, this sort of support is reflective of a homework help model in which a student can receive guidance as they complete a single assignment, but the tutor is not focused on recovering lost skills or developing new learning.

School districts are spending millions of dollars for on-demand homework help, and it is largely untouched. At the same time, students continue to struggle in class and on standardized tests, because the support does not emphasize true learning.

Preparing for Spring of 2023 and Beyond

As systems reevaluate their approach for the spring 2023 testing season, more emphasis should be placed on meaningful learning support partnerships.

“Schools really need to be focused on helping students recover any learning that may have been lost during the pandemic,” Mitchell said. “They want a partner who’s a good communicator and who will staff appropriately with the right kinds of teachers. There should also be a way for the partner to track data, including who is receiving tutoring and attendance for each session. Some school districts will want pre- and post-testing so the vendor can prove that the students have benefitted from the partnership.”

Another crucial detail is location. Any high-dosage or high-impact tutoring a school is sponsoring should take place during the school day or immediately after school and stay on school grounds. Conducting tutoring at an alternate location creates transportation barriers, barring approximately two-thirds of students from attending.

The availability of federal funding, which was previously set to expire in August of 2024, has also been extended. Rather than using — or losing — funds by August of 2024, school districts are now able to commit their funds to various causes by August of 2024 with the flexibility to continue spending through April of 2025.

With this in mind, schools have an opportunity to restructure test prep efforts in a way that will be more impactful for students, gauge the impact with 2023 test scores, and adjust accordingly. Because of the spending extension, an ongoing plan can be made to continue to support students in more impactful ways through spring 2024 testing and up to spring 2025 assessments.

“Most research shows that cramming is not effective. If we participate in a ‘pressure cooker’ of a lead-up to test day, no one wins,” Mitchell said. “It’s better to do a little bit every day over a longer term; that’s what will really stick with the kids. With the right kind of support — instruction rather than just homework help, students will be able to bring test scores up and experience a true increase in understanding that will benefit them beyond the end-of-year assessment.”

Sylvan Learning start-up costs range from $85,525–$186,930. Learn more at www.sylvanfranchise.com.