North Union High School Guidance Department

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WE WILL GIVE THE OGT THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 22nd TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS AND THE 
WEEK OF MARCH 10TH TO ALL SOPHOMORES, AND JUNIORS/SENIORS WHO STILL NEED TO 
PASS ONE OR MORE SECTIONS.

What are the Ohio Graduation Tests(OGT)?
The new Ohio Graduation Tests are a key part of Ohio's education reform to 
establish an aligned system of standards, assessments(tests) and 
accountability for Ohio schools. The testing requirements were established by 
the Ohio General Assembly in 2001 based on recommendation by the Governor's 
Commission for Student Success, a broad-based group appointed by Governor 
Taft to improve Ohio's schools. Five test in reading, writing, mathematics, 
science and social studies will make up the OGT.

What are the purposes of the new tests?
The purpose of the OGT are to:
*Ensure that students who receive a high school diploma demonstrate at least 
high school levels of achievement;
*Measure the level of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social 
studies skills expected of students at the end of the 10th grade;
*Meet federal requirement for high school testing.

Don't we already have graduation tests?
The new graduation tests will eventually replace the Ohio Ninth-Grade 
Proficiency Tests. The new tests are a more rigorous measure of student's 
high school achievement. They measure content learned trough the end of the 
10th-grade and are aligned to the new academic content standards. The OGT was 
originally set to be implemented with the graduating class of 2005. State 
leaders decided a delay was needed to ensure that students have the 
opportunity to learn the material included in the new academic standards. As 
of December, 2002, the Board has adopted new content standards for English 
language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.

What's the timetable for developing these tests?
Students field tested OGT questions in the fall of 2002. Sophomores will take 
the OGT in reading and mathematics in March 2003 and March 2004 to meet new 
federal testing requirements. When sophomores in March 2005(graduating class 
of 2007) take the OGT, passing all five test will count as a graduation 
requirement. Students must meet certain established performance levels on all 
five tests(reading, mathematics, science, social studies and writing) and 
meet curriculum requirements in order to earn an Ohio diploma. Students will 
have multiple opportunities to take the tests during their high school career.

Why not put the new tests in place immediately?
Students in the classes of 2005 and 2006 must pass the current graduation 
tests the Ninth-Grade proficiency Tests, in all five areas, and meet 
curriculum requirements to earn a diploma. Students who begin 10th grade 
after July 1, 2004 must pass the new OGT. The two-year delay allows time for 
the new academic content standards and curriculum frameworks in the five 
areas (reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies) to be 
developed and disseminated to all districts before students take the tests as 
a requirement for graduation.

What time of year will students take the OGT?
Students take the OGT for the first time in the spring of their sophomore 
year. Students can continue to take the tests in the fall and spring of their 
junior and senior years and during the summer.

What happens if students don't pass the tests the first time?
Beginning in March 2005, students will test for the first time in the spring 
of their sophomore year. For students who do not pass one or more tests on 
their first attempt multiple opportunities during their junior and senior 
years will be available. In addition to the spring administrations there is 
an optional summer administration and required fall administration.

Will students have to pass the proposed new end-of-course exams and the OGT 
to graduate?
The State Board of Education has recommended to the General Assembly that end 
of course exams not be developed.

Who is developing the new tests?
Ohio teachers and other educators, parents, representatives of the business 
community and other citizens are involved with the Ohio Department of 
Education staff and the testing contractor in developing items for the new 
tests.

How many questions will there be on the tests?
Reading and mathematics tests will have approximately 35 multiple-choice 
questions and up to eight constructed (written) response items. Committees 
will begin meeting in early 2003, for the test development of writing, social 
studies and science. Reading and mathematics test blueprints are available on 
ODE's Web page:
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/proficiency/OGT/default.asp

How long will students have to take the tests?
Students have up to two and one-half hours to take each of the tests.

Are the new graduation tests strictly multiple-choice questions?
Unlike the Ninth-Grade Proficiency Tests administered to Ohio students, the 
OGT will include items other than multiple-choice questions. Students will 
have to write responses to some questions.

Are there other ways for students to receive a diploma if they don't pass the 
OGT?
Students may graduate and receive a diploma without passing all five tests of 
the OGT if they meet the following requirements:
*Pass four of the five tests and have missed passing the fifth test by no 
more than 10 points;
*Have had a 97 percent attendance rate through all four years of high school 
and must not have had an expulsion in high school;
*Have a grade point average of 2.5 out of 4.0 in the subject area missed and 
have completed the curriculum requirement in the subject area missed;
*Have participated in any intervention programs offered by the school and 
must have a 97 percent attendance rate in any program offered outside the 
normal school day;
*Obtain letters of recommendation from each teacher in the subject area not 
yet passed.

Do exceptional children and English-limited students have to pass the OGT?
Students whose Individual Education Plan (IEP) excuses them from the 
consequences of having to pass the OGT may be awarded a diploma. However, 
federal law (new Elementary ans Secondary Education Act signed into law Jan. 
8, 2002) requires every student to take the OGT, or an alternate assessment. 
English-limited students, (those students whose primary language is not 
English) also must achieve the specified scores on the OGT in order to be 
awarded a diploma.

What happens to students who need a different type of test because of their 
Individual Education Plan (IEP)?
Students who have an IEP that requires a different test can take an alternate 
assessment of the OGT. The alternate assessment will be ready for the first 
administration of the new test in March 2004.

Do charter school students and those in other schools have to take the OGT?
Chartered nonpublic school students and students in Schools for the Blind and 
the Deaf must pass the OGT, or satisfy the alternative conditions set by the 
state to receive a high school diploma.

How do we know the new tests are fair and developed with citizen input?
Amended Substitute Senate Bill 1, the law that required the OGT, is clear 
that parents, classroom teachers, other school personnel and administrators 
must be involved in developing the tests. A Content advisory Committee, made 
up of parents, educators and others, reviews all test questions to ensure 
that the questions are not biased in any way. This group, also comprised of 
parents, educators and others, will ensure that test questions are fair and 
do not promote or inquire as to an individuals moral or social values or 
beliefs. Committee members represent a broad base of diverse backgrounds, 
organizations and school districts. Each of these committees review items 
prior to field testing and again after field testing where data on the item 
performance are available. Items must be accepted by both committees prior to 
the item appearing on any test for which a student is held accountable.

http://www.ode.state.oh.us/proficiency/ogt/PDFs/SS_Test_Sampler_final_07_2004.
pdf

For additional OGT information, visit the Ohio Department of Education Web 
site at: http://www.ode.state.oh.us/proficiency/OGT/default.asp

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North Union High School Guidance Department

Ohio Grad Test Info