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Beaverton School District
Beaverton School District

Beaverton Schools

Opt-Out FAQ's

Opting Out of State Tests

 

What state tests are required for Oregon students?
Academic assessments serve as the primary means through which Oregon and its local schools and districts measure and report student achievement and growth. Oregon law requires that public schools/districts must provide instruction and assessment aligned to the State Board of Education adopted academic content standards as well as implement the statewide assessment system in English language arts, math, and science.
 
Do Beaverton School District students take other nationwide standardized tests?
It depends on a student’s grade level and course selection. Students may take other tests such as the following:
 

  • College readiness assessments including the ACT for high school juniors, PreACT10 for high school sophomores, and PreACT8 for eighth grade students.

  • High school students enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses typically take final, nationwide standardized tests in the applicable AP or IB subject.

  • Some high school students complete ACT WorkKeys, an assessment system that measures real-world job skills. Students who successfully complete certain WorkKeys assessments can earn the National Career Readiness Certificate.

  • Assessments used to identify students for eligibility for Talented and Gifted (TAG) services.

 
Do the OSAS assessments support English language learners, students with disabilities, and other students with special needs?
OSAS will provide accurate measures of achievement and growth for students with disabilities and English language learners. The tests will address visual, auditory, and physical access barriers— allowing virtually all students to demonstrate what they know and can do. Additionally, the tests include multiple tools (e.g., digital notepad), supports (e.g., translated pop-up glossary), and accommodations (e.g., Braille, closed captioning) to adapt to every student’s distinct needs and learning styles.
 
Can I opt my student out of state tests in English Language Arts and Mathematics?
State law permits parents and students who are 18 years of age or older to annually opt-out of Oregon’s statewide summative tests in English Language Arts and Math by submitting a form to the school the student attends. The school will provide a student who is exempted from a state test with supervised study time while other students are testing.  The opt out form is available
 
 
The completed form should be returned to the school before testing begins.
 
Can I opt my student out of other state tests?
Disabilities and religious beliefs are the only basis on which an Oregon school district may approve an exemption from other state tests. You may request an exemption from state testing to accommodate your student’s IDEA or Section 504 identified disability or sincerely held religious beliefs.  To request an exemption, complete the appropriate form(s) below affirming that your student’s disability interferes with their ability to participate in state tests.  Please note that given the priority of test administration, the school will have limited staff available to supervise and facilitate alternate learning activities for students not participating in testing.
 
Schools are required by law to administer statewide assessments to assess students’ learning, in accordance with the procedures and schedule defined by the Oregon Department of Education. Oregon school districts are permitted to excuse a student from a state required program, such as state testing, to accommodate the student’s disabilities or religious beliefs.
 
Are there ways for me to share my comments/concerns about state tests other than opting out?
Public schools are required by state and federal law to assess students’ learning. To share your comments or concerns about testing requirements with decision-makers, you can write a letter to or speak with:
 
  • Oregon’s Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, www.oregon.gov/ode
  • Oregon Department of Education or State Board of Education, www.oregon.gov/ode
  • Your representatives to the Oregon Legislature, www.oregonlegislature.gov
  • Your representatives to the U.S. Congress, house.gov/representatives/find & senate.gov/senators
  • U.S. Department of Education, www.ed.gov
If you have a question or comment specifically about how state tests are administered in the Beaverton School District, please talk to your school’s test coordinator.
 

Questions for District Assessment Team?

Contact us

Will a student be sanctioned for not taking state tests?
Students for whom there is an approved exemption will be excused. Students who miss school during state testing, but do not have an approved exemption and whose absence is not otherwise excused as provided by district policy, will have an unexcused absence reflected on their student record.
 
What are the consequences if I opt my student out of state tests?

  • Information: Valuable information about your student’s K–12 learning progress will be lost. Assessment is an important part of teaching and learning. State tests provide parents and educators with meaningful diagnostic information about a student’s progress in mastering certain content and skills. The redesigned state tests in math and language arts provide even more useful information. A significant consequence of not taking these tests is the loss of valuable information about your student’s progress, and the lost opportunity to shape future instruction accordingly.

  • Preparation: Statewide assessments provide key information about whether your student is on track for graduation, and where he or she may need more help. Additionally, your student may be disadvantaged if his or her first exposure to standardized tests is in high school.

  • School rating: If too few students are assessed, your school’s ratings on the state school report card will be negatively impacted. A school’s rating can influence how a school is perceived and how well it attracts and retains student enrollment and neighborhood residents. Under Oregon’s school accountability system, non-participants that drop below the federally required 95% participation threshold as a school or student group are counted as not meeting standard.

Will my child’s teacher or principal be penalized if I opt out my student?
No.
 
How do I request a testing exemption to accommodate my student’s religious beliefs?
Students who have sincerely held religious convictions against standardized testing may consider asking their parents to request a religious exemption from other state tests. A religious exemption must be founded on a sincerely held religious belief, as opposed to a personal, political, or sociological belief without a religious basis. If approved, the student who receives a religious exemption will be excused from the test.
 
To apply for a religious exemption:
  • Complete the appropriate form(s), Science, ELPA (English Language Proficiency Assessment) affirming that your objection to the test is based on a sincerely held religious belief. 
  • The principal will evaluate your request and determine whether it is approved or not approved.
Please note that given the priority of test administration, the school will have limited staff available to supervise and facilitate alternate learning activities for students not participating in testing.
 
How do I request a testing exemption to accommodate my student’s disability?
Parents of students who have an IDEA or Section 504 identified disability that interferes with their ability to participate in standardized testing, even with accommodations made for their disability, may consider requesting a disability exemption from other state tests.  A letter is not required if the exemption request is currently documented in a student’s IEP.
 
  • Complete the appropriate form(s), Science, ELPA (English Language Proficiency Assessment) affirming that your student’s disability interferes with their ability to participate in state tests.
  • The principal will evaluate your request and determine whether it is approved or not approved.
Please note that given the priority of test administration, the school will have limited staff available to supervise and facilitate alternate learning activities for students not participating in testing.