Math Samplers Now Online
New York Teacher Dec. 8, 2005

The State Education Department has finally posted the mathematics sam­ple tests for grades 3-8, including test booklets and answer documents.

The teacher direc­tions and scoring guides will be posted at a later date, as well as translated versions of the sample tests.

New York State United Teachers has been pressing SED to release samplers. The English Language Arts samplers were online in early October, less than three months before the new exam will be given.

With tests slated for March, the math sam­plers were to be avail­able by the end of October. They were posted Nov. 18.

"Our members are very eager to get these materials," said NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira. "Especially with the upcoming holiday breaks, this does not give teachers or stu­dents much time to see what the new tests will look like."

Information was posted in early November on how teachers will score "editing paragraphs" that will be on the grades 3, 5 and 7 ELA assessments, SED has been con­ducting training sessions for scorers through the BOCES net­works. Those trained at the regional sessions will train colleagues back in their districts.

You can access the ELA and math samplers via:

NYSUT's Web site at: www.nysut.org/standards/index.html

The union's stan­dards page also includes links to the mathematics toolkit and ELA core curricu­lum. You can also down­load an informational brochure for parents on the new tests in grades 3-8 required under the No Child Left Behind Act.

Due to budgetary constraints, SED is rely­ing on the Internet to distribute information on the new tests. It is up to districts to make printed copies avail­able.