SAGE Testing & Opting Out
The Utah State Board of Education From the USOE Website "To meet the spirit of a New Statute (see right column) approved by the Legislature earlier this year, the Utah State Board of Education voted to alter Policy and not count students who opt out of spring SAGE Testing in English language arts, math and science against participation rates for purposes of state accountability reports. Previously students who opted out of testing -- as opposed to being sick or otherwise absent on the day of testing -- were considered to have not participated. Both state and federal accountability reports require that 95 percent of students in a school be tested annually in core subjects." "The Board's action does not affect federal accountability reports, which still require 95 percent participation and do not make an exception for students who opt out." About SAGE Testing SAGE assessments are unique to Utah. They were developed specifically for Utah students according to a rigorous and inclusive test development process. This process includes development workshops involving Utah teachers and numerous reviews by the Utah State Office of Education (USOE), test development experts, Utah educators and citizens, and a parent test review committee composed of Utah parents. SAGE is a system of assessments designed to measure student success and growth over the years. SAGE tests are based on the Utah Core Standards, a set of academic standards that raise our expectations for students and teachers. The SAGE system includes: 1. Summative end-of-year tests that assess how our schools and districts are doing. These tests replace the CRTs that were previously administered at the end of the school year. 2. Interim fall and winter tests that monitor student progress. These tests are administered by the schools and districts that are choosing to implement them. 3. A formative assessment tool available online to students, families, and teachers that provides materials to support instruction. 4. Every time a student answers a question, his or her response helps determine the next question that the student must answer. The difficulty of the test will adjust to each student’s skills, providing a better measure of what each student knows and can do. SAGE Testing - Communication Resources  For More Information Utah Sage Portal |
