How to Prepare for the HSPT®

As with any standardized test, taking the High School Placement Test (HSPT®) can be a rather anxious, but also, exciting experience for students and their parents. For many children it is a time to see how much knowledge has been learned/remembered from the previous year. For the junior/senior high school student, it is a time to see which high school/college will be right for them.

As the HSPT® Program Coordinator and Customer Service person here at STS, I receive many phone calls throughout the day from schools who have questions about our various tests. In addition, I regularly receive phone calls from parents inquiring on how to prepare for the HSPT®. While there are options for the high schools (practice tests and/or Pre-HSPT® test available), I explain another option to parents. Besides “do your best”, “take your time”, “take your best guess when you don’t know”, and any other cliché you can think of, there are books available at your local bookstore. Research & Education Association, along with Barron’s, have the “COOP/HSPT” or “COOP & HSPT” test preparation book, which is available for them to purchase for a review.

Testing more than likely will always be a part of our educational system. The more adults encourage children to perform to the best of their ability, the more relaxed and confident the students will become when it comes to taking tests or even taking the next step in whatever undertaking is available/required. The continued support of schools and parents will help ensure that STS is providing the best we can for our students which also enables all of us to live better lives, have better tomorrows, and look forward to a great future.

Jeanne Lively
HSPT® Program Coordinator

Abundance of Resources Found at Chicago Homeschool Expo

I recently attended the Chicago Homeschool Expo in Schaumburg, Illinois, and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of helpful information available to visitors. The two-day event featured hundreds of exhibitors with a range of products to assist families with their curriculum needs.  Many speakers were also scheduled to give practical information and support to homeschool families.  Additionally, experienced homeschool parents were on hand to share personalized answers to those with questions, and workshops emphasized the practical aspects of homeschooling as well as how to promote educational growth.

From gifted students to struggling learners, I found an abundance of materials and practical assistance available at the Homeschool Expo.  The only things that seemed to be missing were exhibitors offering educational products that offered reliable, flexible assessments for home use.  In the coming years, STS hopes to fill this gap by reaching out to homeschool families and organizations to provide information about the variety of testing products we offer for home use.  Please contact us regarding your homeschool assessment needs. Additional product info is available on our website.

Getting Kids Off to a Good Start

The lazy days of summer will soon make way for the responsibilities of another school year. Parents everywhere are busy assembling school supplies, shopping for new clothes, and attending back to school events. Getting back into the swing of your school year activities is important and not difficult to do. With a bit of effort, organization, and a positive attitude, preparing for the back to school transition will be smooth and your child will be ready for the first day of school.

Set expectations for the new school year

Define what you would like to achieve this year. Do you want to work on the amount of television your child watches? Will you make lunches every morning, which calls for adjusting the time for your morning run? At what time do you expect to sit down each night to review homework? Now is a good time to decide your goals. Remember to consider your flexibility and schedule, as well as your child’s strengths and weaknesses when defining your expectations.

Create your routine

A family routine is a fantastic way to keep everyone on track. You can create a family bulletin board, calendar, or place post it notes on the refrigerator. Describe tasks you expect your children to undertake during the school year. Communicate it clearly with the whole family and make expectations easily understood.

Get organized early

Make sure you have the supplies needed for assignments not only for school but at home as well. If reading was not part of your child’s summer activities, add it to your daily routine now. Reviewing last year’s math will prepare your child for new challenges in the new year.

Get to know school administrators and teachers

Research shows that the more involved parents are in the child’s school, the better the child will perform. Volunteer for school related activities within the limitations of your busy schedule. Introduce yourself to the school principal during an event, and correspond with your child’s teachers via email when possible.

Have Some Fun

A new school year is fun and exciting time for children, and sometimes it can be a scary time too. So stay positive. Talk to them about their fears. And once you get them talking, listen and digest it. Remind them that their new worries only stick around for a little while. Visit the school for orientation. Take your child to check out the school playground, or discuss new sports and activities they would like to get involved in. Returning to the classroom should be something your child looks forward to. Be creative and make it fun!

The Importance of the Teacher-Parent Relationship

A recent study by the University of Chicago’s Urban Education Institute analyzed the characteristics and impact of the high rate of teacher mobility within the Chicago Public School (CPS) system. While CPS findings are not substantially greater than that of other large, urban districts, the results are staggering nonetheless.

The study found that schools, which are located in high poverty areas with large minority populations, lose more than half of their teachers within five years. CPS teacher turnover rates were most severe in the 100 lowest scoring/achieving schools. These low achieving schools also tend to be located in high crime areas and lose nearly a third of their teachers every year. Teachers from these schools attributed their high rate of turnover to student misbehavior, lack of leadership and incentives, safety issues, and, significantly, lack of parental support.

Studies show that schools that retain their teachers at high rates are those with strong, inclusive leadership and supportive parents, who are active in their child’s education. Thus, the teacher/parent relationship is a powerful component for fostering student and teacher stability in the classroom.

Feel free to share your thoughts about building successful teacher/parent partnerships in our schools with us.

The Next Frontier [in Testing?]

We all know that computer based testing has become increasingly popular during the last decade.  School technology programs, computer games, and home PCs have created an entire generation of students who aren’t intimidated by technology.

[Click here to contribute your ideas about online testing in schools.]

Similarly, administrators seeking more cost effective and less labor intensive assessments are turning to computer testing to address the ever increasing demand for data on student progress.

STS is addressing the “next frontier in testing” by offering computer-based versions of several of our most used products.  Our QUIC and HSPT® tests can now be used to test individual students or for group testing on PC.  We are also in the process of developing online assessments for the Illinois Learning Standards Battery (ILSB) and the Interpersonal Intelligence Inventory (III).

To further increase the speed of scoring, several of our testing products provide customers with the ability to receive student reports electronically via PDF.  We are also working to develop computer based technologies to accommodate testing for students with disabilities.

For detailed information about STS’ computer testing products such as QUIC PC or HSPT® E- Score, visit our website or contact me at srich@ststesting.com.

Scott

HSPT® SCORE RESULTS’ DISTRIBUTION

With the beginning of a new year, many parents may be wondering on their child’s HSPT® results. While many assume that the HSPT® score distribution system is similar to college entrance exams, like the SAT and ACT, it is actually quite different. There is no national coding system for the HSPT®.

Many high schools test independently, so the results for the students that test there are sent only to that location. In some geographic regions, a cooperative of high schools test collectively, often under the direction of a Catholic diocesan education department. In these cases, students may be presented with the option of sending their scores to several different high schools by coding them on their answer sheet on that test day. In addition, answer sheets need to be correctly coded to ensure that the results are sent to the appropriate school(s).

When testing in a cooperative program, the scoring of test results is often delayed until all schools answer sheets are in. When the scoring center has completed the scoring, results are then sent back to the school where the child tested and the school(s) the child coded. Whether the school tests individually or cooperatively, the act of distributing test results to students and their families are always determined by the school or diocese. Therefore, many times results are not sent directly to their home.

If you have not yet received a copy of your test results and you believe you should have, or if you need to have your scores sent to another high school, the first step is always to contact the school where the child tested. Since the schools and dioceses determine their own score distribution system, we cannot send results to a student or parent.

Happy New Year!

Jeanne Lively
HSPT® Program Coordinator