In previous years, Perry Township participated in a mandatory SRI test that students took to measure their reading Lexile.
However, a new platform was found by the district: Renaissance. In this new platform, students from first grade to 12th grade will be required to take the Star Reading assessment, which replaced the old test.
“The reason we got it replaced was because Reading Inventory came to us and said, ‘We no longer are going to have this test,’ … which forced us to go to a new product,” Secondary District Literacy Coach Meagan Bates said.
This assessment will help the district collect consistent data on the students over their reading and literature skills to ensure that the students get the help they need.
The test was implemented after fall break. Students will take this test during their English class, but the test dates will vary based on teachers.
“The purpose of it is for teachers to evaluate student progress and identify strengths and weaknesses and determine instructional levels for those students as it pertains to their reading,” Assistant Principal Josef Horvath said. “In other words, you can think of it as a really fancy Lexile test.”
As students take this assessment, they’ll have to answer 34 questions that are separated into two sections. The first section will assess the student’s vocabulary skills, and the second section will test the student’s reading comprehension.
The school district hasn’t been able to measure the student’s literature skills well. Therefore, some books that English classes are reading could be out of the student’s Lexile level. Taking this assessment will help the English teachers to create lesson plans fit for all of their students.
According to Principal Amy Boone, ever since the COVID outbreak, the literacy level has decreased. Because of this, schools all over the world are trying their best to increase their students’ literacy level. Since it had been almost two years since the last mandated tests, administrators didn’t have a lot of data on SHS literacy levels.
“I think it’ll be able to see kind of really where students are and to see (if we are) getting growth,” Principal Amy Boone said.
