What factors should be considered when scheduling the Assessment Series?
This article is intended only for customers and partners using the Assessment Series.
The Assessment Series provides a measure of students’ performance on end-of-grade-level expectations in reading. Each grade level has three tests (Pre-Assessment, Mid-Year Assessment, and Post-Assessment) that are designed to be taken across one full school year. However, the tests do not have set administration windows and schools and districts can schedule the tests according to their needs.
CommonLit recommends that school and/or district teams create an Assessment Series scheduling plan before the start of a new school year. This scheduling plan should take into account the following:
- Sequence of assessments: Assessment Series tests must be taken in the following order: 1. Pre-Assessment; 2. Mid-Year Assessment; 3. Post-Assessment. For example, this means that the Mid-Year Assessment cannot be administered on an earlier date than the Pre-Assessment.
- Scheduling 30 days apart: Assessment Series tests (Pre-Assessment, Mid-Year Assessment, and Post-Assessment) must be administered with start dates at least 30 days apart from one another. This is to allow for meaningful growth.
- Which assessments to administer: To best track student growth throughout a course or school year, it is recommended that all three Assessment Series tests be administered. However, teachers can choose to administer only one or two Assessment Series tests.
- Assessments per year: Each Assessment Series test may be taken only once per student per school year within one grade-level.
- Administration best practice: In order to achieve the most accurate results, each Assessment Series test (Pre-Assessment, Mid-Year Assessment, and Post-Assessment) should be taken in one sitting or class period when possible.
Please note, each summer, usually during the month of July, Assessment Series tests are not available for several weeks. Teachers cannot access the most recent years’ tests or the tests for the upcoming school year during this time.
If you have additional questions about scheduling Assessment Series tests, please reach out to your team’s CommonLit Representative or Account Manager.