End of course exam FAQ

fast facts - end of course assessments

Why does PLTW have end-of-course assessments/examinations for its high school courses?
There are six reasons why the assessments are administered to all students enrolled in most PLTW courses in all schools in all states:
• To provide schools with a useful end-of-course assessment to assess student achievement;
• To provide a feedback mechanism on the areas of the courses which need to be strengthened during future revision of PLTW instructional materials;
• To ensure a common quality standard among all schools in the PLTW Network;
• To provide information for the School Certification program;
• To provide information for the Student Recognition Program;
• To provide information to the independent PLTW evaluation firm for the ongoing evaluation of the PLTW program

Is there a PLTW End-of-Course assessment for all PLTW courses?

Yes, except in EDD, the capstone course.

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End Of Course Assessments

	How would you describe these course assessments? The end-of-course assessments are reflective of common quality standards for a high school student; the score may be used as a student’s final examination grade. The college credit section of the assessment is based on college level performance; the grade on the test will determine the course grade on a college transcript should a student choose to apply for college credit
	How long are the tests? What are they like? The tests are administered in two – 45 minute periods. The two-part tests will contain short answer, factual questions (in Part A) and hands-on course content application (in Part B or C) using math and English Language Arts skills. PLTW will provide a rubric for scoring the written essay section.
	Simply stated, how does a PLTW student know what parts to take at the end of the course? All schools will offer the end-of-course assessments (Parts A and B) during their testing schedule. In addition, schools that have been certified through the college certification process will offer the college credit assessment (Part C), generally in January (schools on a semester block schedule) and May for those students seeking college credit. All students will take Part A. Students will take Part B or C, depending on their future college plans. Parts A and B = High School Credit Parts A and C = College Credit
	Who develops these assessments? A team of PLTW master teachers and college professors will write all assessments.
	Who should take the College Credit assessment section (Part C) in a certified school? PLTW believes all students who could potentially achieve an 85% by the end of the course and who will complete their portfolios should consider taking the college credit Part C. The college tests are not "counted" by the colleges, except for those students who choose to apply for College Credit by receiving a 70% or higher on the test and an 85% average for the course, and who have completed their portfolio and have sent in tuition to the participating Affiliate College. It is important for students to understand that there is value in consistent performance throughout the year; success on this test is a good prediction of success in college.
	Will there be a College Credit assessment (Part C) for all PLTW courses? College Credit assessments are available for IED (DDP in New York), DE, POE, CEA and CIM. There will be no end-of-course assessment for EDD.
	How will schools receive the PLTW end-of-course assessments (Parts A and B) and the College Credit assessment (Part C)? All end-of-course assessments are available from the Registered Teachers Log-in section on our website. PLTW requests that schools duplicate the tests and maintain the security of the assessments until they are administered. The assessments will be administered during the school’s own testing schedule at the end of the year
	Specifically, what procedure will be followed to download the tests? The PLTW teacher will log-in on the website using his/her password and download the appropriate test.
	Is it okay to use previously administered assessments for practice? Yes. The website will separate the new tests from previously-administered tests so there will be no confusion over which ones may be used for practice.
	How will schools report the aggregate grades to PLTW for both the college credit and the end-of-course examinations? PLTW teachers will be asked to email the scores to the participating National Affiliate University where the student is applying for credit following the procedures outlined by the university. School results for the PLTW end-of-course assessments/examinations from approximately 200 contacted schools will be sent to TrueOutcomes, an independent evaluation firm, as part of the normal data collection process
	Where in the School Agreement with PLTW is the end-of-course assessment/examination mentioned? Item 10, Section B, focuses on Examinations The main points are as follows: All current schools agree to administer a written examination provided by PLTW to their students. Schools shall submit a summary of the students’ test results to PLTW for its review. PLTW agrees that school test scores in the aggregate shall be kept strictly confidential and shall only be used for purposes of monitoring the effectiveness of the Program
	[Updated 9/04]