Frequently Asked Questions about Summative Assessments and Performance Tasks
What assessments must students take?
Students in grades 3-8 and 11 must take the online Smarter Balanced Assessments in ELA (both the computer adaptive test [CAT] and Performance Task [PT]) and Math (CAT only).
The online Smarter Balanced testing window is February 20, 2024 – May 30, 2024 (extended to June 14, 2024 for multi-track schools).
How many opportunities will a student have for the Summative?
Students will have one opportunity for the ELA Performance Task and one opportunity for the Computer Adaptive Test in each content area (ELA and Mathematics).
What types of items are on the assessments?
Students will answer several types of items for the online Hawai'i Smarter Balanced Assessments:
- Multiple-choice and multi-select items, in which students will select an answer option from a set of possible choices
- Constructed-response items that include the following:
- Natural language items, in which students will type a short answer in an answer space
- Interactive items, in which students will use the mouse or keyboard to move items or draw responses in an answer space (also called a “grid”)
Go to the Training Tests on alohahsap.org to see some of these types of items.
What is a Performance Task? Is it done in the classroom before the test, during the test? Does it use a computer?
The Smarter Balanced English Language Arts/Literacy Assessment consists of a computer adaptive test (CAT) as well as a performance task (PT). Smarter Balanced recommends that students take the ELA CAT and PT items on separate days. Smarter Balanced also recommends that students begin with the CAT items and then the PT. Both the CAT and the PT are administered using a digital device (computer or tablet).