2. What We Need to Know to Help Students’ Scores Improve What skills the test measures How the test relates to my curriculum What skills my students already know What skills my students need to learn What instructional methods would be most effective in meeting the students’ needs... as a base for building instructional strategies

4. English Test Designed to measure students’ ability to effectively communicate meaning by: –Critiquing –Revising –Editing

5. Mathematics Test Requires Students to –Analyze problems – in both real world and purely mathematical settings –Plan and carry out strategies –Verify appropriateness of solutions

7. Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra Pre-Algebra (23%). Questions in this content area are based on basic operations using whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and integers; place value; square roots and approximations; the concept of exponents; scientific notation; factors; ratio, proportion, and percent; linear equations in one variable; absolute value and ordering numbers by value; elementary counting techniques and simple probability; data collection, representation, and interpretation; and understanding simple descriptive statistics. Elementary Algebra (17%). Questions in this content area are based on properties of exponents and square roots, evaluation of algebraic expressions through substitution, using variables to express functional relationships, understanding algebraic operations, and the solution of quadratic equations by factoring.

8. Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry Intermediate Algebra (15%). Questions in this content area are based on an understanding of the quadratic formula, rational and radical expressions, absolute value equations and inequalities, sequences and patterns, systems of equations, quadratic inequalities, functions, modeling, matrices, roots of polynomials, and complex numbers. Coordinate Geometry (15%). Questions in this content area are based on graphing and the relations between equations and graphs, including points, lines, polynomials, circles, and other curves; graphing inequalities; slope; parallel and perpendicular lines; distance; midpoints; and conics.

9. Plane Geometry/Trigonometry Plane Geometry (23%). Questions in this content area are based on the properties and relations of plane figures, including angles and relations among perpendicular and parallel lines; properties of circles, triangles, rectangles, parallelograms, and trapezoids; transformations; the concept of proof and proof techniques; volume; and applications of geometry to three dimensions. Trigonometry (7%). Questions in this content area are based on understanding trigonometric relations in right triangles; values and properties of trigonometric functions; graphing trigonometric functions; modeling using trigonometric functions; use of trigonometric identities; and solving trigonometric equations.

10. 16. In the figure below, and is 10 units long. What is the area, in square inches, of ? F.F. 12.5 G.G. 25 H. J.J. 50 K.K. Cannot be determined from the given information A BC D

11. Solution The correct answer is K. It is impossible to find the area of the triangle without more information, because there are infinitely many isosceles triangles having a base that is 10 units long.

12. Reading Test Measures student proficiencies in understanding and deriving meaning from texts ranging from fiction narratives to informational passages Measures vocabulary by determining the meaning of unfamiliar or multiple- meaning words from context Measures skills used to read and understand published materials

13. Science Test Measures student proficiencies in using and reasoning with science information, skills, and knowledge typically acquired in high school science courses Asks Students to: –Communicate information and use scientific research strategies –Make comparisons between, and draw conclusions from scientific findings, studies, and viewpoints. –Extrapolate and extend scientific understandings consistent with sound scientific reasoning.

14. Test Question Analysis

15. Rigor at Risk! Taking the core helps, but doesn’t guarantee readiness

16. Building Success Strategies What is the data telling us? What are our College Readiness goals? What strategies need to be implemented next year? What are our long term strategies?

17. Your Future! We can do nothing to change the past, but we have enormous power to shape the future. Edward Cornish, President World Future Society