SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) testing begins next week for our 3rd through 6th graders.  The testing window for Covington is from April 23rd through May 11th.  

The SBAC is a state mandated exam that is given in all public schools throughout the state.   Testing takes place in the areas of English/Language Arts and Mathematics, with a piloted Science test given in 5th and 8th grades this year.  Parents receive testing results over the summer and we use the results to help guide our instruction to ensure that we are teaching to the standards at a high level.  

Grade level teams have created a testing schedule for their classes that fit their curriculum plans.  Teachers will be sharing their testing schedule with you via their newsletters.  In all grade levels, teachers have scheduled the testing to take place in the morning hours (between 8:30am and noon), when we know our students our at their optimal cognitive level.  For this reason, we are asking that families refrain, if at all possible, from scheduling doctor’s or other appointments within the morning hours during the testing window.  
A portion of both the English/Language Arts and Mathematics test are computer adaptive; meaning that the more questions the student answers correctly, the more rigorous the questions become.  This fact is told to our students because we need them to know that there will be a point where the test becomes difficult.  

As always, we encourage our students to get plenty of rest- especially during SBAC testing.  A healthy breakfast also helps the brain do it’s best work!  Also, as a staff, we coach our students to do the best they can on these tests, but also stress that the SBAC is not the “end all, be all” of examinations.  The SBAC is an opportunity for students to show what they have learned.  And, it serves as only one measurement of Covington.  

You can learn more about SBAC testing, as well as take practice tests, at their website.

Thanks for all your support! 
-Wade Spenader, Covington Principal