VAAS Student Testing & Assessment
Assessments are an important component of instructional decision-making at VAAS. The information gained from these assessments allows us to plan instruction and improve our instructional practices. Additionally, assessments such as the PSAT and SAT, highlight student strengths and provide opportunities for their future.
Please visit this page regularly for information regarding upcoming tests, how to access your results and other important information.
i-Ready is an online program for reading and mathematics that will help your student’s teacher(s) determine your student’s opportunities for growth, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year.
This year, I-Ready will be administered to students during three different testing windows:
August 21- September 30
January 8-January 31
May 1- May 30 (not required of 12th grade students)
Please note that the test results will be sent home with your students at the beginning of October. For more information on how to interpret these scores, please see the handout Understanding Your Student’s Diagnostic Results for more information. Also please refer to the Family Guide (see below) for more information about the diagnostic test and how to utilize it to support your student's growth.
PSAT/NMSQT Fall Test
At VAAS, we believe in creating as many opportunities as possible for our students to own their future. That’s why we offer the PSAT/NMSQT® (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) to our 10th and 11th grade students, with no cost to families. Whether your child is thinking about attending a two- or four-year college, is going straight into the workforce, or isn’t sure what they want to do after high school, the PSAT/NMSQT can help make their path clearer.
Results from the PSAT/NMSQT provide insights into your child’s academic strengths, along with areas they can work on while still in high school. If your child took the PSATTM 8/9, they’ll see their progress from one test to the next.
Taking the PSAT/NMSQT can also help your child to:
- Enter the National Merit® Scholarship Program if they meet program requirements specified in the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide.
- See where they are and set a target for where they want to be.
- Practice and prepare for the SAT®.
- Find out what AP® courses they’re ready to take.
- Plan and pay for college.
- Connect to their future career.
This fall the PSAT/NMSQT will be administered in a new digital format—followed by the SAT in spring 2024—that will provide an overall easier testing experience for students. Your child will take the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, using their own school-issued device.
Watch this video to see what students can expect from the digital PSAT/NMSQT.
If you or your child have questions about the PSAT/NMSQT or college and career planning, please reach out to me or your child’s counselor—we’re here to help!
PSAT 8/9 Fall Test
As part of our college and career readiness efforts at VAAS, we strive to set all students up for success. That’s why we’re offering the PSATTM 8/9—the first test in the SAT® Suite of Assessments—to our 9th-grade students, with no cost to familes. Results from this assessment help us establish a baseline for each student as they start their high school journey. The results help us focus classroom instruction and support your child’s growth.
Taking the PSAT 8/9 can also help your child to:
- Know where they are and where they want to go.
- Find out what AP® courses they’re ready to take.
- Explore college and career options.
This fall, the PSAT 8/9 will be administered in a new digital format that will provide an overall easier testing experience for students. Watch this video to see what students can expect with the digital PSAT 8/9. Your child will take the PSAT 8/9 on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 using their own school-issued device and scores will be released in mid-November.
If you or your child have questions about the PSAT 8/9, please reach out to me or your child’s counselor—we can help!
As October 25 is an instructional day, if you choose to OPT-OUT of the exam, you must still attend school. Instruction will take place with a non-proctoring teacher, who may not be one of your regular teachers.
If you DO NOT wish to take the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 8/9 exam, you must complete the PSAT Opt-Out form by October 18th. This form must include a parent or guardian signature. Please download and return the signed form (see below) to Mrs. Montsinger in B159. Printed copies of the form are also available in Mrs. Montsinger's office.
Class of 2024: Seniors this is an instructional day for you as well. You are expected to be on time and report to your Advisory class. Please note that some room locations will have changed to accommodate testing. Room and teacher locations will be posted at the entrance to each floor for your reference. During this time, Seniors will be working on Digital Portfolios, Signature Projects, and college application activities. Additionally, you will not have access to other floors once testing begins, so please access all materials from your locker prior to the start of Advisory.
PSAT Student Test Day Information
Students, please be sure to get a good night's sleep and eat a nourishing breakfast before the test.
Assessments in the digital SAT® Suite of Assessments have 2 sections—Reading and Writing, and Math—with a break in between. For students testing with standard time, each section is about an hour with a 10-minute break.
PSAT- Items Permitted During Testing
- VAAS School Issued ID or Government Issued ID
- School-issued testing device
- 1 Calculator
- External keyboard (school provided)
- Pen or pencil
- Power cord
- Portable charging device
- Sign-in Ticket (provided by Room Proctor)
Items Permitted During Breaks
- Snack
- Drink
- Hand Sanitizer
Prohibited Items
The following items cannot be accessed during the tests or breaks:
- Phones, smartwatches, or other electronic devices (except their testing device)
- Detachable privacy screens
- External keyboards for use with laptops or Chromebooks
- Notes, books, or any other reference materials (translated test directions and
word-to-word dictionaries are permitted for PSAT 8/9 test takers using EL supports) - Scratch paper not provided by the proctor
- Headphones, earbuds, or earplugs
- Any camera, recording device, or timer
Science Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs)
During the 2023–24 school year, there will be 3 CAST Interim Assessment (CAST IA) forms available, each assessing one or more science domains. The CAST IAs assess three-dimensional Performance Expectations. For high school, students will be assessed on one or more of the following Interim Assessments:
High School CAST IA— Earth and Space Sciences I
High School CAST IA— Life Sciences I
High School CAST IA— Physical Sciences I
More information on testing dates and locations will be announced soon!
Summative Assessment
Attention 11th-grade students! This year the CAASPP Summative Assessment will take place during the week of April 22-26, 2024. It is important that students are present for this assessment. Please make sure to have a good night's sleep and eat a nourishing breakfast before the exam.
Additionally, a benefit of the CAASPP Summmative Assessment is that students can bypass placement exams at some California colleges if they opt to send their scores to the school at the end of the assessment.
Early Assessment Program
Students will enroll in a general education English or mathematics course in CSUs or participating Community Colleges if they meet the following measures:
Receive a score of Standard Exceeded (Level 4).
Receive a score of Standard Met (Level 3) and have completed an approved twelfth grade year-long English course or math course beyond Algebra II with a grade of C- or better.
Receive a score of Standard Exceeded (Level 4).
Receive a score of Standard Met (Level 3) and have completed an approved twelfth grade year-long English course or math course beyond Algebra II with a grade of C- or better.
SAT School Day
Attention 11th-grade students! This year the SAT School Day administration will take place on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, and will be administered digitally.
The purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student's readiness for college. The SAT is an exam/assessment used by some colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. The SAT is a multiple-choice test created and administered by
the College Board.
the College Board.
Students, please be sure to get a good night's sleep and eat a nourishing breakfast before the test.
Assessments in the digital SAT® Suite of Assessments have 2 sections—Reading and Writing, and Math—with a break in between. For students testing with standard time, each section is about an hour with a 10-minute break.
Items Permitted During Breaks
- Snack
- Drink
- Hand Sanitizer