Scantron’s Computer Adaptive Assessment Solution Selected by the California Department of Education

Scantron Corporation, a leading provider of K–12 interim/formative assessment solutions, has announced that the California Department of Education has selected its Performance Series® computer adaptive assessment solution to help support the diagnostic measurement of Mathematics and English Language Arts among the state’s second grade students.

Inclusion of Performance Series in its measurement toolbox is another step in California’s education districts meeting their dual goals of implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and transitioning to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) computer adaptive summative assessments. Implementing CCSS encourages districts and schools to adopt rigorous formative measurement assessments, while the SBAC is part of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress accountability system.

“We are proud to be recognized by the California Department of Education as having a valid and reliable, common core-aligned diagnostic assessment in Mathematics and English Language Arts,” said Sue Steinkamp, Vice President, Assessment Development and Psychometrics for Scantron. “Our assessments are proven in helping educators, parents and students have a better understanding of a child’s performance against Common Core State Standards. This insight maximizes real-time instructional planning and provides educators with opportunities to better prepare for the computer adaptive SBAC summative assessments that will be occurring each spring.”

Scantron’s professional assessment experts began evaluating the Common Core Standards in 2009, as soon as the standards were defined. However, Performance Series has been serving schools and districts in California for much longer. Robert Gordon, Director of Operations for Professional Tutors of America, Inc., a services provider to more than 300 school districts in the state, noted, “We’ve used Performance Series Assessments for over 11 years. One of the important features is the ability to instantly review assessment results with students and parents while also having the ability to review aggregate data for all students (statewide).”

While California’s approval is focused on second grade diagnostic assessment, Scantron’s computer adaptive program includes assessments that begin in Kindergarten, and progress up to grade 12. According to Scantron’s Steinkamp, “We continue to see many school districts looking for diagnostic assessments in the K-3 grade range, as most states do not have summative tests in these grade levels. We use professionally recorded audio in our K-2 assessments to support children who are still learning to read independently. This allows us to get an accurate measure of their math and reading knowledge as early as Kindergarten.” The mathematics assessments portion is available in both English and Spanish to provide educators with a more accurate view of mathematics instructional needs. The Spanish version is developed through a trans-adaption process, ensuring the test items have the same meaning, text complexity and other measurement characteristics as the English version.

“Like many other states that support the Common Core State Standards, California is in a transitional period with its curriculum standards and state accountability program,” said Scantron CEO Kevin Brueggeman. “We’re proud that California has selected Scantron’s next generation diagnostic assessment tool to provide its educators with critical longitudinal growth and gains analysis information. We know that these reliable measures provide a basis for instructional planning and progress for years to come. We look forward to providing assessment and measurement tools that will make a positive impact on the quality education students receive for years to come.”

About Scantron

Scantron is a leading provider of assessments, analytics and technology services that enable organizations to measure and improve their effectiveness. It serves educational institutions worldwide, government entities and businesses in multiple industries, including financial services and healthcare. For more than four decades, the Scantron brand has been recognized and respected as a trusted resource for reliable data capture and analysis. Within the last decade, Scantron has delivered over 100 million assessments through online channels. Each year, it delivers millions of paper-based tests and assessments with its world-class expertise in optical mark reading and image scanning, combined with highly specialized forms creation, digital printing and distribution. Scantron proudly serves nearly all of the largest school districts in the United States and Ministries of Education in over 50 countries. The respected brand’s sophisticated computer adaptive and psychometric technologies have made its assessment programs the choice of 60 percent of the top international universities. For more than 40 years, Scantron products and services have supported educators in rapidly and accurately capturing student performance data to advance learning. Its technology has evolved to support global corporations and government entities by effectively managing resources. Scantron is also a large-scale provider of technology services needed by businesses in multiple industries. Currently, over 10,000 customers in 45 states receive onsite, locally managed network, managed print, implementation services, and computer hardware services through Harland Technology Services.