Dear Parent/Guardian:

Wisconsin students in grades 9 and 10 will be participating in the ACT Aspire assessment during the April 5 - May 19, testing window.  State assessments, including Aspire, are required by both State (Wisconsin State Statute s. 118.30) and Federal (Every Student Succeeds Act) Law. Participation in State assessments can help determine the impact the pandemic has had on academic achievement and equity. Equitable testing is important because clearly knowing the performance of all students is the first step in closing achievement gaps. We must know exactly which gaps exist, the size of the gaps, and the persistence of the gaps. Sophomores are scheduled to take the Aspire assessment on Tuesday, April 13^th, while freshmen will take the Aspire assessment on Tuesday, April 20^th.  

To maintain an equitable testing environment, students will be required to take the ACT Aspire test in person.  To accommodate social distancing protocols and health related guidelines, students will test in classrooms with no more than 20 students.  To create a quiet and positive testing environment, students will test at school in the math and world language wing. 

The Aspire assessment measures the knowledge and skills students should have for their grade-level and scores predict how a student will perform on the ACT when they reach 11th grade. Students who need academic interventions or challenges can be identified earlier in their high school careers. Their performance on the assessment will not affect their grades. Please encourage students to take the test seriously and do the best they can. The results of these tests will be used to help school staff make determinations regarding curriculum, placement, and services to best support students.

Students will access the test using their Chromebooks.  Due to this, it is recommended that students fully charge their Chromebooks in preparation for the test and fully shut down the Chromebook the evening before to ensure that any updates needed for testing are pushed through.  Chromebooks should be brought to school with the charger the day of the test.  In addition, students should also bring a calculator. 

In addition, a good night’s sleep and a well-rounded breakfast are recommended for the night before and morning of the test, respectively.  Again, we look forward to offering this opportunity to your student. 

Sincerely,

Katherine Stanton 

Associate Principal