Standardized Testing at Greenville Christian School
Do we give the year-end State STARR Test? NO.
The STARR is a State of Texas mandated test for public schools only.
Do we give Year-end Achievement Tests? YES.
GC students grades 1 - 7 take the IOWA test, and we consider the test results to be ONLY ONE indicator of student growth. The test result is never used as a single determinant of advancement or graduation. We believe year-end testing is important to examine a snapshot of both individual and overall student achievement, and also for institutional accountability for rigorous academics.
IOWA is a nationally "normed” test as opposed to the Texas public school STARR test which is a state "normed” test ranking students and schools only within the state. With a nationally normed test, GC students’ scores are ranked on a national level in comparison to other students' levels of achievement. Our purposes for testing include benchmarking and tracking student academic performance in key areas and overall student academic progress. Students are never pressured about, nor are they made to feel anxious about, a high performance on year-end achievement tests. IOWA tests are given in the 4th Quarter without benchmark testing throughout the year.
In addition, grades 2, 4, and 6 take a CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) which shows a student's aptitude for learning in key subjects. The results of this test are used in comparison with the student's IOWA achievement test scores in order to determine if a student is progressing academically at or near their ability level.
COLLEGE TESTING
Students in Grades 8-10 take the PreACT to help guide their progress toward being ready for college curriculum.
Grades 9-11 take the PSAT to prepare students for university curriculum and to ensure that our curriculum helps students become college-ready.
All upper classmen are encouraged to take both the ACT and SAT college entrance tests.