​SD DOE Testing Dates for 2019-2020 School Year

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The goal of the SD Department of Education is that all high school students graduate college, career, and life ready. To this aim, the South Dakota assessment system is designed to provide districts, schools, and parents with the information they need to ensure that their students remain on track to reach this goal. South Dakota public school students participate in annual summative testing in English language arts and mathematics and the results of these tests are included in the state accountability system. In addition to annual tests in English language arts and mathematics, South Dakota requires assessment of science and writing annually and provides schools and teachers with resources to utilize other assessments to help identify strengths and areas for improvement.

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    Jan. 28 – March 8, 2019

ACCESS and ACCESS Alt (for EL students)

    ACCESS 2.0: January 27, 2020 - February 28, 2020
    ACCESS Alt: January 27, 2020 - February 28, 2020

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ACCESS for ELLs 2.0® stands for Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State for English Language Learners. This large-scale test addresses the academic English language proficiency (ELP) standards at the core of the WIDA Consortium's approach to instructing and evaluating the progress of English learners. ACCESS for ELLs is taken annually by identified English learners to measure their English proficiency. The South Dakota Department of Education requires ELs in Grades 1-12 be administered the online version except in cases where online testing is not allowed. 

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South Dakota ELA and Math Assessment

    Grades 3-8 and 11: March 4, 2020- May 1, 2020​

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The South Dakota Department of Education is updating the names of statewide assessments in English language arts, math, and science as noted below. The goal is to create clarity and consistency, so that assessment names are not tied to vendor or consortium names (i.e. AIR, MSAA, Smarter Balanced Consortium), which can change over time.

 

• South Dakota English Language Arts Assessment

  • South Dakota English Language Arts Alternate Assessment

• South Dakota Math Assessment

  • South Dakota Math Alternate Assessment

• South Dakota Science Assessment

  • South Dakota Science Alternate Assessment

 

South Dakota will continue to use ELA and math assessment items from the Smarter Balanced Consortium. Science assessment items will come from an item bank developed by South Dakota educators and educators from a pool of several other states.

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South Dakota Alternate ELA and Math Assessment

    March 16, 2020 - May 1, 2020 

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English Language Arts (ELA), Math, And Science

Alternate Assessment is available for students who have met the significant cognitive disability criteria. These students are working with the Core Content Connectors and their IEP’s indicate alternate assessment for statewide testing.

The term “significant cognitive disability” is not a category of disability. It is a designation given to a small number of students with disabilities for purposes of their participation in the state assessment program. In order for a student to qualify for alternate assessment at state and district level, they must meet all three criteria.

• Student has a disability, or disabilities, that significantly impacts cognitive function and adaptive behavior.

• The student’s instruction is aligned to the South Dakota Content Standards but is adapted to reflect the knowledge and skills in the Core Content Connectors.

• The student is unable to apply academic, life, and job skills in home, school, and community without intensive, frequent, and individualized instruction and supports in multiple setting.

  • What the student needs in order to learn. In other words, the student requires extensive, repeated, individualized instruction and supports from teachers and other professionals.

  • The types of materials required in order for the student to learn. Materials are significantly modified, customized, and adapted in order to facilitate understanding.

  • How the student demonstrates their learning. Their need for substantial supports to achieve gains in the grade-and-age-appropriate curriculum requires substantially adapted materials and customized methods of accessing information in alternate ways to acquire, maintain, generalize, demonstrate, and transfer skills across multiple settings.

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South Dakota Science and South Dakota Science Alt

    April 1, 2020 – May 1, 2020

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The South Dakota Science tests measures students’ mastery of the South Dakota State Academic Standards in Science adopted in May, 2015 at grades 5, 8, and 11. This test will cover the grade spans of 3-5, 6-8, and high school. Questions will come equally as possible from life, physical, and earth sciences at all 3 tested levels. This assessment will be completely online.

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South Dakota Science Alt: See alternate testing information from South Dakota Alternate Assessment from above.

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Home School Testing (State-provided SAT 10 ab)

    March 23, 2020- April 20, 2020

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Parents/guardians who currently provide alternative instruction pursuant to SDCL 13-27-3 are required to file a Notice for Public School Exemption Certificate annually. This Home School link references SD Codified Law and responsibilities for Parents, Schools Districts, and Department of Education. 

South Dakota students who receive alternative instruction are required to take a nationally standardized achievement test in Mathematic and Reading at grades, 4, 8 and 11(grade 2 no longer required). The South Dakota Department of Education provides, free of charge, a norm-referenced test to children who receive alternative instruction. If parents/guardians use a different test than the one provided by the state, it must be a nationally standardized achievement test. These different tests will be at the expense of the parent/guardian and results need to be shared with the school district. 

 

 

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More information about these required assessments can be found here: 

http://doe.sd.gov/Assessment/