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Smarter Balanced Assessment for Parents

Preparing Students for Success

In schools across the country, teachers are implementing new academic standards that provide consistent guidelines in Englihs and math at each grade level and help prepare students to graduate high school ready for college and the workplace. These new benchmarks challenge students to develop a deeper understanding of subject matter, learn how to think critically, and apply what they are learning to the real world.

To help parents, teachers, and school leaders know whether students are on the path to success, states joined together to develop improved tests of student achievement. The Smarter Balanced assessments will replace existing tests in English and math for grades 3-8 and high school in the 2014-15 school year. Administered online, these new assessments will adapt to each student’s ability, giving teachers and parents better information to help students succeed. 

Key Features:

  • Measures critical thinking with questions that ask students to demonstrate their research, writing, and problem solving skills
  • Assessments are untimed and students can take breaks so that they can do their best
  • Accessibility resources for all students and accommodations – such as Braille – for those who need them
  • Developed with input from K-12 teachers, higher education faculty, and other experts 

Helping Kids Graduate Ready for College and Career

Smarter Balanced member states have worked with thousands of educators to design and test the assessments so that they meet the needs fo teachers. Smarter Balanced is more that just a year-end test. Teachers have access to tools that help them check in on student progress throughout the year, including a Digital Library of teaching resources and optional interim assessments that help teachers plan and improve instruction.