SAGE (Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence) is Utah’s computer adaptive assessment system aligned to the state’s core standard. The results of these tests have been used to evaluate teacher effectiveness and school letter grades. However, a new state testing plan has been released. This year, 11th grade students were not required to take SAGE and instead took the ACT. Soon, 9th and 10th grade students will be taking the ACT Aspire in place of SAGE to help prepare them to take the ACT in 11th grade. Several other changes are being implemented in state end of year testing over the next few year. Below is an image outlining the plan:
What are you thoughts? As a teacher do you like SAGE? What do you think about using the ACT Aspire? I look forward to reading your comments!
Cheers!
Tabitha
The Utah Teacher 
ACT has recently joined with TESSERA. TESSERA is the new assessment for measuring SEL (social and emotional learning skills). Why not use this valuable test? Some of us in the SLDistrict are already using it. The results are giving us incredible information to help us design interventions for our students.
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Will SEL start to be measured for all students in Utah? I really love the work you do and wish every student had access to your course. Seeing your students at ECET2 was an incredible experience
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It could happen. We should talk. ACT has used Engage, in the past. TESSERA is new and exciting. I am co-author of the Teacher Playbook. It is the curriculum for teaching these valuable skills. In May there is a huge conference taking place at The Grand America. Robert Block, CEO of Pro-Exam-Tessera will be in town presenting and demonstrating on what we know. I will keep you posted.
Hoping we work together again soon. Thank you for all you do.
Leigh
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