Every school year, sophomores are tested on their English and mathematics skills through a standardized test known as ISTEP+. There are two different ISTEP+ testing sessions that go on during the school year, and the first round is over. Now, the school is in preparation for the new round of testing.

Since the last testing session, SHS administration has been reaching out to sophomores who did not complete the test during the first session.

“The first time we sent out passes, we got about half of the students that needed to retake it,” Assistant Principal Amy Boone said. “We then re-sent passes, and if that doesn’t get all of them, we start calling home.” 

There are two more weeks for sophomores to take their missed ISTEP+ tests. The junior and senior retake window ended last week.

It is important that every sophomore takes ISTEP+. The SHS school grade is based on many things, one of them being the percentage of students that test and the scores of those tests. 

“It’s part of a big formula, it’s the growth from your eighth grade year to your sophomore year,”  Boone said.

With this last session the original percentage of students who took the English section and the math section was just under 90%.

The percentage needs to be at 95% or higher for both sections or the school grade could possibly be lowered. Since the SHS administration has been gathering the leftover students to take their test, the percentages for both math and English have risen by 3-6%, according to Boone.

The next round of ISTEP+ is April 23 and 24. This new test session is not the same format as the previous test session. Instead of all sophomores going to a testing room and spending all day there, students will go to smaller periods with one long testing session period. 

With the second part of ISTEP+ coming up soon the administration are going to start contacting home sooner to make sure that as many students as possible come and take ISTEP+. 

“We just want students to know that the results have an impact,” Boone said. “Get a good rest and do your best. It’s just one representation of how you are doing, so I hope the students take it seriously. But don’t get too stressed and worked up on it.”