Administrative Circular

Date:

May 1 , 2002

To:

Principals at Schools with Grades 5, 6, 8 and 9 Students, Division and Department Heads

Subject:

DISTRICT MATHEMATICS TESTING

Department and/or Persons Concerned:

Principals, Vice Principals, Testing Coordinators, and Special Project Resource Personnel

Due Date:

May 22, 2002 (Traditional schools) or June 26, 2002 (Year Round schools)

Reference:

The Blueprint for Student Success in a Standards-Based System; Site Operations Circular No. 1086 (June 27, 2001), "Testing Calendar Information for 2001-2002 School Year"

Action Requested:

The District Mathematics Tests must be administered to students in Grades 5, 6, 8 and 9 during the appropriate testing window

Brief Explanation:

The Blueprint for Student Success calls for mathematics support for two groups of students. The first group of students requiring mathematics support includes students below grade level on entry to middle/junior high. A district-adapted standards-based mathematics assessment will be used to identify students in this group for summer 2002 and fall 2002-03 mathematics support classes. Students exiting elementary school who score below the designated cut-point should (1) attend summer school (if enrolled at a traditional calendar elementary school), and (2) be assigned to Mathematics Explorations 6th or Mathematics Explorations 6th Block (middle schools) or Pre-Algebra Explorations 7th (junior high schools) in the fall.

The second group of students requiring mathematics support includes eighth-and ninth-grade students below grade level (specifically in algebra). There is a need to identify students who have taken algebra but have not acquired sufficient knowledge and skill to enable them to continue on to subsequent mathematics courses. To identify these students, the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) Geometry Readiness Test will be administered to all eighth-grade students currently enrolled in a second semester algebra course. All ninth graders currently enrolled in Algebra Explorations 9 or Algebra Explorations Block 9 will also be assessed with the MDTP to provide data necessary to evaluate the success of the ninth-grade algebra program and to identify students in need of additional support to pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE).

Students to be tested with the District Mathematics Tests (including the MDTP)
All fifth- and sixth-grade students should take the appropriate district mathematics test. In addition, all Grade 8 students enrolled in the second semester of an algebra class and all Grade 9 students enrolled in Algebra Explorations 9 or Algebra Explorations Block 9 should take the MDTP Geometry Readiness Test. If students from another grade level are enrolled in a class with eighth- or ninth-grade students, all students in the class MAY be tested, if desired.

Spring 2002 Testing Windows

School Calendar
Traditional
Year Round

Testing Window
May 13-17
June 17-21

Materials Return
May 22
June 26

Testing Materials
All mathematics testing materials will be distributed to schools approximately one week before the testing window begins. Detailed instructions for testing will be included with these materials.

Questions
Questions about the content of the district mathematics test should be directed to the Mathematics Department at (619) 725- 7300. Questions regarding the administration, scoring or reporting of these assessments should be directed to the Standards and Assessment Office at (619) 725-7172.

		Eileen Poole Program Manager Standards and Assessment Office
	APPROVED: Mary Hopper Executive Officer to the Chancellor