Smarter - Balanced Assessments

In 2014-15 Oregon transitioned from the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS) to the Smarter Balanced Assessment for English language arts and Mathematics. This common assessment was administered in 17 states and is designed to measure student proficiency with the Common Core State Standards.

Table of Contents

• Practice Tests
• News Articles
• Development Timeline
• Test Structure and Administration
• Achievement Level Descriptors
• Accommodations
• Sample Items
  • Sample Test Online Items

Practice Tests

The Smarter-Balanced Practice Tests are available online and represent what is expected to be the full length and rigor of the operational Smarter-Balanced Assessments.  Parents, students and teachers may all freely access these sample questions to become familiar with the structure and content of the assessments. No score is given at the completion of the practice test. 

Click here to access the Smarter-Balanced Practice Tests

News Articles

• EdWeek:  Test Designers Seek Help of Students, One at a Time
• Coming Together to Raise Achievement - New Assessments for the Common Core State Standards (white paper)

Consortium Members 

The dark blue states on the map below represent members of the Smarter-Balanced consortium.

by lindajurkowitz. 
Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Development Timeline

The Smarter-Balanced Consortium has released draft achievement level descriptors.  These descriptors will describe a student's score and college-readiness.

These descriptors are similar to the OAKS descriptors of Does Not Yet Meet, Meets and Exceeds.

A great evaluation of these descriptors is available from Education Week here.

The below achievement levels are Smarter Balanced definitions, but the state of Oregon has NOT adopted this language regarding Achievement Levels.  The state is currently using the numerical level only.

The results of the 2013-14 field test were used in the standard setting process to determine the Smarter Balanced scale and the thresholds for each Achievement Level Descriptor.  The tables below give information about that scale and those thresholds.

Smarter Balanced as released their Usability, Accessibility, and Accommodations Guidelines.  Below is a quick summary of available supports, but this list is not comprehensive.  Some of these supports may be available only under specific scenarios and/or tests.    Click here for the Training Module, Running time: 35 minutes

The Smarter-Balanced Assessment Consortium has released sample test items through their website.  The items can be located at the following links.  Additional information around the development of the items, their relation to the common core, and accessibility for students can be found on the Smarter-Balanced website.

The practice and training tests can be accessed here.