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Going strictly by standardized test scores to evaluate
a school means you can compare "apples to apples". The Oregon standardized
testing program started in 1991 when the Oregon State Legislature passed
the Oregon Educational Act. Oregon Statewide Assessment (OSA) is an
effort to hold students accountable for high academic standards as measured
by a series of annual tests conducted at
benchmark grade levels.
These test scores show how the Oregon students at an individual
school performed, on average, in relation to the statewide averages, depending
on the test. Three types of comparison can be made for each school:
-
Improvement or decline with the school itself over
time
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Ranking against all other schools statewide
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Comparison of the school with demographically similar
schools
Let's explain some of the OSA terms and the testing methods,
then we'll point you to where you can obtain the scores for every public
school in Oregon (plus some private schools if they elect to participate).
OSA Terms and Testing Methodology
OSA is made up of multiple-choice and performance assessments
in these five areas:
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Reading and literature knowledge and skills (grades
3, 5, 8 and 10)
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Mathematics knowledge and skills (grades 3, 5, 8 and
10)
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Science (grades 8 and 10)
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Writing (grades 5, 8 and 10)
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Mathematics problem solving (grades 5, 8 and 10)
Oregon law mandates that public school students be tested
annually in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10.
OSA is a Performance Standards Test
OSA is different from national, norm-referenced tests used
in many districts and states. The OSA is a criterion-referenced assessment.
As a result, the types of scores produced from the OSA are somewhat different
from those produced by national, norm-referenced tests. OSA is based on
"performance standards" which means that the number, type, and minimum scores
required on state and local assessments have been established by a panel
of educators. Read the
criteria at the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Web site.
Scoring System
For reading/literature and mathematics, scores produced
from the OSA are based on an achievement scale widely used in the Northwest.
The scale, with numbers ranging from about 150 to 300, is similar to other
scales such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scale or other "growth"
scales. Each point on the scale is at an equal distance from the previous
point on the scale, so changes up or down can be charted and viewed as comparable
from year to year.
Writing and mathematics problem solving rely on a model,
which trains expert "judges," typically classroom teachers, to match student
work to criteria for performance on a predetermined scale.
Comparing Schools with Demographically Similar Schools
OSA uses a School socioeconomic score (SES) to compare
similar schools. A composite picture of a school’s socioeconomic status
(SES) is drawn from available information describing the school’s demographics.
Four variables were identified that best predict student achievement:
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Percent of students eligible for free or reduced price
lunch
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Student mobility rate
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Student attendance rate
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At grades 8 and 10, level of education of the most
educated parent
From this information on all Oregon public schools, an
SES index is built using a weighted combination of these four indicators.
Schools are then ranked on the SES index. At the Oregon Department
of Education Web site, you can then compare a given school with schools
having a similar SES index.
Where to Find the Test Results
OSA scores can be view by the school district overall as
well as individual schools within a school district at the Oregon Department
of Education Web site. They keep three school years of data on Web
site.
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We have created a Web page all about the Oregon Assessment
Test – go to OSA to view. Scroll
to the bottom of the page to locate the links to the test results.
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The Oregon Department of Education maintains the OSA
scores for all Oregon public schools online and you can find them at
OSA Results.
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"Can
you tell me which community has the best schools?" That is the most
frequently question we receive from the Moving to Portland Web site.
It's a difficult question to answer because schools are like automobiles;
each has it own distinctive style. Some students require a very structured
setting whereas others thrive in a more open atmosphere. Some students do
better when they can be immersed in a subject matter for weeks at a time
whereas others need a number of subjects for a short period of time each
day. I think you get the point of this question. 
College
SAT Scores
Oregon
Assessment Tests
Oregon
School Report Cards
