Testing & Assessments
At SJCA, we are committed to evaluating student learning and school effectiveness on a continual basis. SJCA utilizes various methods of evaluation to gain knowledge and implement continuous improvements as necessary. SJCA teachers use formal and informal assessments in the classroom through homework, tests, and objective observations of understanding. We encourage a multi-measure approach when assessing student learning. SJCA teachers collaborate with one another from year to year as needed to understand students’ individual learning needs.
At SJCA we have the freedom to focus on a comprehensive curriculum. Because we have the freedom to choose our own standardized test, we choose to not participate in the federally mandated tests. We have followed ACSI's lead and made the change from the Stanford Achievement Test to the MAP Test. MAP Test content is closely aligned to state and national standards. It is designed to measure concepts, processes, and objectives taught throughout the nation in Reading, Language, Mathematics, and Science.
Each year, SJCA administration provides MAP results to our teachers. We utilize many resources to help break down the information and present the results to Faculty and Staff. SJCA is blessed to have a diagnostician on campus who assists with this process.
SJCA specifically utilizes test results to provide information for each student's cumulative file so the rate of progress can be observed. Test scores demonstrate accountability to parents and provide teachers with information that assists them in evaluating their personal performance and the curriculum used. Test scores are used to chart historical patterns and assist in the evaluation of individual teachers and curriculum. Test scores provide data necessary to discover class and individual student weaknesses as well as to compare SJCA’s norm with the norms from other schools.
At SJCA, we believe that one test alone does not solve or answer all questions regarding student, teacher, and or curriculum performance but should be viewed as one tool for assessment.