PVS tests improvement through STAR testing

Photo by Hira Qureshi

Fifth grader Salma Alkaifi begins her STAR testing. Alkaifi and other students worked on both English and Math components.

Pleasant View School students began STAR testing on Wednesday using iPads to complete the English and Math components of the test.

STAR is a standardized test that shows diagnostics of students' English and Math levels. The test is administered three times a year to detail students' improvements from the beginning of the year to the middle and towards the end of the year.

"It helps the teachers," said Ashraf Arafat, the test administrator.

Teachers are given the diagnostics after each student has completed the test so that they can determine the weak and strong spots of each students' English and Math levels.

PVS bought about 30 iPads to help administer the tests without disturbing classes.

"So I take the tablets to the classroom," Arafat said. "So the teacher stays in the classroom helps keep the class in order and I bring each kid the password and they go and take the test"

Last year students from second grade through eleventh grade took the test but this year the test starts from kindergarten.

The test takes about 30 minutes for each subject and an average of one hour for both subjects.

"I believe in that test because it shows the improvements," Arafat said. "It's exactly to help the kids improve."