Testing Schedules
TESTING AT GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
Parents, please encourage your students
to prepare for the following tests (if it applies to your child). If you have any questions,
please contact
Mr. Hueck at ext. 5685.
Please see the Student Video about the NAEP test (click here).
See the Student PowerPoint presentation, to prepare for the NAEP Test (click here). Thank you.
DATE(S) | ASSESSMENT |
January 26th-28th | Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) • Reclassifying (9th ELs) |
February 3th & 4th | CAHSEE • (12th) |
February 24th | NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) • 50 - 12th graders, random selection |
March 17th & 18th | CAHSEE • 10th (Census), 11th, & 12th |
April 13th - 17th | CST/CMA/CAPA Life Science • 10th grade |
April 13th - May 1st | LAS Links Language Assessment • Spring Proctoring (9th-12th ELs) |
April 20th -24th | Smarter Balanced - Week 1 • 11th grade |
April 27th - May 1st | Smarter Balanced - Week 2 • 11th grade |
May 4th-6th | Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) • 9th grade ELs (Re-test if not Basic) |
May 4th-8th | Advanced Placement |
May 11th- 15th | A.P. and CAHSEE • 12th & 10th makeup |
May 18th- 22nd | A.P. & Smarter Balanced • Makeups) |
Preparing for the Test
- Eat before a test. Having food in your stomach will give you energy and help you focus but avoid heavy foods which can make you groggy.
- Set your alarm and have a backup alarm set as well.
- Go to the bathroom before walking into the exam room. You don't want to waste anytime worrying about your bodily needs during the test.
Test Taking Tips
- Keep a positive attitude throughout the whole test and try to stay relaxed. If you start to feel nervous take a few deep breaths to relax.
- Do the easiest problems first. Don't stay on a problem that you are stuck on especially when time is a factor.
- Don't rush but pace yourself. Read the entire question and look for keywords
- Always read the whole question carefully. Don't make assumptions about what the question might be.
- If you don't know an answer, skip it. Go on with the rest of the test and come back to it later. Other parts of the test may have some information that will help you out with that question.
- If you have time left when you are finished, look over your test. Make sure that you have answered all the questions, only change an answer if you misread or misinterpreted the question because the first answer that you put is usually the correct one. Watch out for careless mistakes and proofread your essay and/or short answer questions.
- Read the question before you look at the answer.
- Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers, this way the choices given on the test won't throw you off or trick you.
- Eliminate answers you know aren't right.
- Read all the choices before choosing your answer.
- If there is no guessing penalty, always take an educated guess and select an answer.
- Don't keep on changing your answer, usually your first choice is the right one, unless you misread the question.
- In "All of the above" and "None of the above" choices, if you are certain one of the statements is true don't choose "None of the above" or one of the statements are false don't choose "All of the above".
- In a question with an "All of the above" choice, if you see that at least two correct statements, then "All of the above" is probably the answer.
- A positive choice is more likely to be true than a negative one.
- Usually the correct answer is the choice with the most information.
- Make estimates for your answers... i.e. if you are asked to answer 48 x 12 = ?, you could expect a number around 500, but if you end up with an answer around 5000, you'll know you did something wrong.
Ways to Help Your Child Prepare for Tests
- The best way to prepare for tests is to study, know the work, and take the right courses.
- If your child is nervous at test time, ask her teacher for tips on helping her relax.
- Make sure that your child is in school and on time during the testing sessions. Do not plan any doctor or dental appointments on test dates.
- Make sure that you are aware of your child's performance and that you can help interpret the results when they become available.
- Remember to keep well-informed about your child's tests. Know how test results are used, and how they will affect your child's placement in school.
- Encourage your child to study over a period of time rather than "cram" the night before.
- Encourage your child to listen carefully to all test-taking directions given by the teacher and to ask questions about any directions that are unclear.
- See that your child gets his/her regular amount of sleep before the tests and is well-rested.
- Make sure that your child eats his/her usual breakfast on the day of the test. Hunger can detract from a good test performance.
- Encourage your child to do his/her best.