Smarter Balanced Practice Tests for grades 3 through 8 and 11 in English language arts and mathematics were made available on May 29, 2013. These tests provide an early look at sets of assessment questions aligned to the Common Core State Standards. The release of these Practice Tests follows the Smarter Balanced Pilot Test, the first large-scale tryout of items and performance tasks, conducted February – May 2013.
The Practice Tests can be accessed at: https://sbac.portal.airast.org/Practice_Test/default.html. Information about the Practice Tests, including technology requirements (such as compatible web browsers), available accommodations, frequently asked questions, and a user guide are available on the main Smarter Balanced webpage (www.smarterbalanced.org) under the heading “Latest News.”
There are no login credentials needed for the Practice Test and it can be taken by anyone. The purpose of the Practice Test is to provide exposure to the variety of item types that will be on the operational tests and for users to become familiar with the format and navigation; however, the Practice Tests do not represent an entire “blueprint” for any grade level or content area standards so scores cannot be calculated or feedback given for Practice Tests.
The Practice Tests will remain available during the summer months. Additional upgrades, such as the availability of limited accommodations at all grade levels, and compatibility with the Internet Explorer browser will be forthcoming. We will keep you updated as additional functionality becomes available in the Practice Tests.
If you have questions about the Practice Tests, we direct you first to the manuals, user guides, and classroom activities documentation available at: https://sbac.portal.airast.org/Practice_Test/resources/PracticeTestUserGuide.pdf.
Thank you,