Are there any yearly assesments our students have to take and what impact do they have? Like could they affect future high school admission or no?
At Huntington Seacliff Elementary, students participate in several mandated yearly assessments designed to evaluate their academic progress and readiness for future educational challenges.
Yearly Assessments
The following assessments are administered:
- CAASPP (Smarter Balanced Assessments): Required for grades 3-5 in English language arts/literacy and mathematics.
- CAST (California Science Test): Mandatory for all fifth-grade students.
- Physical Fitness Test (PFT): Required for fifth graders, assessing physical fitness through the FITNESSGRAM®.
- Star Assessments: Computer-adaptive tests for early literacy, math, and reading, providing ongoing personalized learning data.
- GATE Testing: Offered universally to first graders and upon request for grades 2-4.
- Kindergarten Oral Health Assessment: A one-time requirement for kindergarten or first-grade students.
While elementary and middle school test scores, such as CAASPP and Star assessments, are primarily used for determining eligibility for honors or accelerated courses in middle and high school, they do not directly influence admission to local public high schools in the Huntington Beach Union High School District, which is typically based on residency. However, the CAASPP system does track whether students are on track for college readiness by the time they reach high school, which can indirectly affect future academic opportunities.