TESTING

At 21st Century STEM Academy, testing is used as a tool to assess each individual student’s existing mastery of the subject matter, record their progress and adjust their personal academic program to ensure that they are receiving appropriate levels of support and challenge. Testing does not play a role in admissions decisions.

Success is not measured by raw test scores but rather by the rate of development that each student achieves and that critical metric is monitored using the NWEA’s Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®). MAP creates a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level. Using MAP upon each student’s entry to the school and periodically thereafter we have assessment data—and essential information about what each student knows and is ready to learn allowing us to:

  • Inform instruction using valid, reliable, and real-time data
  • Measure the growth of every student over time regardless of on, above, or below grade level performance—and even if standards change
  • Engage students and families in goal-setting
  • Create and reinforce evidence-informed instructional practices
  • Evaluate programs and identify professional development needs
  • Compare and predict student achievement and growth over time via exclusive normative and growth information

The core curriculum used at 21st Century STEM Academy is directly correlated to the MAP assessment allowing us to dynamically select the appropriate resources for each student and adjust the pace of instruction to meet the student’s needs.

All students that have completed two or more years at 21st Century STEM Academy prior to their 15th birthday will participate in the OECD’s Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) to demonstrate their academic performance compared to students in the 65 nations that participate in the program.
For high school students, the PSAT is available from 9th grade onwards and both PSAT and SAT / ACT tutoring are offered based upon the families preferences.