STATE AND GHC TESTING/ASSESSMENT POLICY: As a California public school, GHC administers all California state mandated assessments in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). In addition to California state mandated assessments in the CAASPP, GHC has selected and developed other assessments designed to provide students, parents/guardians, and the school with feedback on student performance. The school uses the results of these assessments to make adjustments to the instructional program to ensure that students are adequately prepared for success in college and career. These assessments may include department created writing prompts, department created multiple choice assessments, computer-based assessments and third-party standardized assessments. The selection and development of the GHC assessments is a local decision made by the GHC instructional departments and through various school committees consisting of faculty, students, and parents/guardians. Careful consideration is given to the purpose of these assessments, the usefulness of the results, and the instructional time necessary for the administration of the tests. The Operations Committee determines the assessments dates and bell schedule.
There are no grades associated with any assessment in the CAASPP program. However, GHC developed or selected assessments are often graded, and students who do not participate in GHC-selected or developed assessments may receive a grade indicating lack of participation and may lose opportunities to participate in optional school activities.
All students must participate fully in GHC assessments in their 9th, 10th and 11th grade year to be eligible to participate in optional activities such as senior activities, school extracurricular activities and school athletics. Students who clearly disregard an assessment as determined by the testing coordinator or test proctor will be regarded as having refused to comply with the testing requirement and may be subject to loss of senior activities, school extracurricular activities and school athletics. For example: If the student does not complete the English writing assessment in the 9th grade, he/she may be ineligible for student activities during his/her 10th grade year. Eligibility will be reinstated for the 11th grade year if the student sits for all assessments in his/her 10th grade year. For information about this policy, contact the Administrative Director in charge of Student Assessment.
Per California Education Code 60615, parents and guardians have the right to exempt their child from participating in the CAASPP program. California Education Code 60615 reads as follows: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a parent's or guardian's written request to school officials to excuse his or her child from any or all parts of the assessments administered pursuant to this chapter shall be granted.”
California Education Code 60615 applies only to state-mandated assessments in the CAASPP program. The CAASPP program includes the grade 11 Smarter Balanced Assessments in ELA and Mathematics, CAASPP interim assessments, and the grade 10 Life Science test. Students not participating in the CAASPP program are expected to be in attendance at school during the testing periods each day, and will be required to participate in alternative school activities during this these periods.