The Smarter Balanced assessment system is a valid, fair, equitable and reliable approach to student assessment that provides educators, students and parents meaningful results with actionable data to help students succeed. This system, aligned to Common Core State Standards, consists of three major components, all designed to improve teaching and learning.
These summative assessments assist students’ progress toward college and career readiness in English language arts/literacy and math. They are given near the end of the school year and consist of two parts: a computer adaptive test and a performance task.
The summative assessments:

• Accurately describe both student achievement (how much students know at the end of the year) and student growth (how much students have improved since the previous year) to inform program evaluation and school, district, and state accountability systems
• Include writing at every grade and ask students to solve multi-step, real-world problems in mathematics
• Capitalize on the strengths of computer adaptive testing: efficient and precise measurement with a quick turnaround of results. 

More than 220 colleges and universities have agreed to use results of the high school summative assessments as evidence of student readiness for entry-level, credit-bearing courses.

Oregon statewide assessments are administered annually to students in grades 3–8 and 11.
The 2018-2019 Assessment window for grades 3 – 12 opens January 8 and ends June 7.  Your child’s school will keep you apprised of test dates.

2018-19 30 day statewide testing notice and opt out form
2018-19 30 day statewide testing notice and opt out form español
House Bill 2655