Juniors at the Guilford High School will be taking the Smarter Balanced Tests for the first time next week, and some Guilford parents weren't excited about this fact until they received more information.

According to the Smarter Balanced website, www.smarterbalanced.org, Smarter Balanced is a state-led consortium working collaboratively to develop next-generation assessments aligned to the Common Core State Standards that accurately measure student progress toward college and career readiness.

Some parents expressed concern about juniors taking this test this year simply as a practice run that the parents believe in no way benefits the students because they will not take these tests again as seniors and there will be no individual scoring this year.

To this point, Guilford High School Principal Rick Misenti along with several high school teachers held an information meeting to educate parents on the importance of this test. He explained the fact that the town is federally mandated to administer these tests.

"There was a lot of concern about 'so many tests,'" Misenti said. "I did not trivialize this concern, however, I explained that this test is a non-stressful test, and all we are asking is that the kids do what they can."

"I am a parent of a junior and prior to the meeting I had my doubts about the test, but after the information that was explained at the meeting, I feel comfortable and my student will be there to take the test," said Board of Education member Katie Balestracci.

Misenti believes much of the apprehension about taking this test was purely confusion and a lack of understanding about the importance of participating in this "practice run."

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Freeman said, "The Smarter Balanced Assessment is replacing the CMT and CAPT assessments that we have taken in the past. Because this is the first year of administration, the Smarter Balanced is being administered as a field test, which means it is low stakes compared to regular administrations.

"Essentially, this is a chance for our students, teachers, and system to practice with the new assessments. Students will be exposed to the new style of questions and structures, teachers will get to practice administering a completely computerized test, and our district will receive broad, aggregate scores that will help us to look at our curricular changes and measure them against student performance," Freeman continued. "We will not be receiving individual student scores this year, and the scores we do receive will not be used as part of the new teacher and principal evaluations or as part of our district rankings."

He added, "We did not choose to test the 11th graders. We did choose to be part of the field test rather than to administer the CMT and CAPT one last time, as did the great majority of districts in the state. But, having chosen to go with the field test, we were required to include the 11th graders."

In addition to testing concerns, parents of Advanced Placement students were also concerned about the timing of the test taking place so close to AP exams (AP exams are scheduled for a month and half after the Smarter Balanced Tests) and the fact that the Smarter Balanced Test are just field tests, so is spending the time to take them advantageous for their students when that same time could be spent studying for AP exams?

Parent Marion Breeze suggested that the testing be moved from March to May to minimize the impact on AP testing. Misenti explained that while other districts are in fact doing this, it was not a viable option for Guilford because of the district's school calendar.

"The dates within the testing window were selected by the high school administration, in consultation with teacher leaders at the high school, because those dates fit best the very busy calendar at this time of year at the high school. The closer we get to the end of the year, the tighter that calendar gets," explained Freeman.

Board of Education Chairman Bill Bloss said that while he agrees the transition to take the Smarter Balanced tests will be challenging, he believes in the end the testing will be a benefit because it will allow for honest state-to-state comparison.

More information is available about Smarter Balanced testing at www.guilford.k12.ct.us.