School Improvement
Keith Liechty-Clifford
Director
330.761.3116
kliechty@apslearns.org
Kay Yoho
Office of School Improvement
330.761.3051
330.761.3241 (fax)
kyoho@apslearns.org
We are accountable to all APS students with a commitment to sustained school improvement through high expectations, research-based strategies and dynamic data-driven support.
Testing, Research and Evaluation
Test Dates and Policies
Yamini Adkins
Executive Director of Human Capital
330.761.2945
10 N. Main St., Akron Ohio 44308
hr@apslearns.org
Wanda Lash
Director of Student Support Services and Security
330.761.2734
10 N. Main St., Akron Ohio 44308
wlash@apslearns.org
Any inquiries about the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations to the district may be referred to the Title IX coordinator(s), the Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, or both.
The Board has adopted a grievance process and procedures that provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of student and employee complaints alleging any action that is prohibited by Title IX and/or its implementing regulations. The grievance process and procedures are included in Policy 2266 -- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities, which is available at:
Human Capital and Student Safety and Security.
The grievance process and procedures specifically address how to report or file a complaint of sex discrimination, how to report or file a formal complaint of Sexual Harassment, and how the district will respond.
RESOURCES
Policy 2266
Title IX Coordinator, Investigator and Decision Maker Training
APS Code of Student Behavior
ACT and SAT
ACT
ACT Test is an educational and career planning tool that assesses students' academic readiness for college. All APS 11th-grade students take the ACT in April. Other times are available to take the ACT and are published on the ACT website.
SAT
The SAT is a college admission test. The SAT tests knowledge and application of knowledge in the areas of reading, writing and mathematics. Most students who take the SAT do so during their junior or senior year of high school.
Ohio State Tests (OST)
Required State Assessments
Guidance for Schools - Student Participation in Testing
Federal and state laws require all districts and schools to test all students in specific grades and courses. There is no law that allows a parent or student to opt out of state testing, and there is no state test opt-out procedure or form. If a parent withdraws a child from participation in certain state tests, there may be consequences for the student, the student’s teacher and the school and district.
Early Learning Assessment - Preschool
The assessment is designed to aid teachers in determining where children are in their readiness for kindergarten. The Early Learning Assessment will provide information for teachers about children from early preschool to kindergarten.
KRA - Kindergarten
At the beginning of each school year, children in public and community school kindergarten programs are assessed using Ohio’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment. This assessment includes ways for teachers to measure a child’s readiness for engaging with instruction aligned to the kindergarten standards.
CogAT - Grades 2 and 4
The test used to identify gifted students testing at or above the 95th percentile nationally.
Ohio State Tests (AIR) - Beginning in Grade 3 through High School
State achievement tests tell us how well our students are growing in the knowledge and skills outlined in Ohio’s Learning Standards. These tests help guide and strengthen future teaching so we can be sure that we are preparing our students for long-term success in school, college, careers and life.
OELPA - English Learners
Ohio is a member of the English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century (ELPA21) consortium which developed the English language proficiency assessment based on the English Language Proficiency Standards.
ACT - Grade 11
State law requires districts and community schools to administer the state-funded ACT or SAT to all grade 11 students in the spring of the school year. Each year, districts and schools will select the test to administer to their juniors.
OGT
Please contact the Testing Office at 330.761.3071 or testing@apslearns.org for further information.
District Assessments
Akron Public Schools utilizes two diagnostic assessments: i-Ready at the elementary level and Exact Path at the middle school level. Each of these adaptive assessments is administered three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring). The assessments are adaptive and adjust their questions to suit the needs of each individual student. For example, if a student answers a series of questions correctly, the assessment will adjust to deliver slightly harder questions. The same is true for a student who misses a series of questions. The assessments will adjust to slightly easier questions. The goal of these assessments is to determine each student's needs and create a personalized learning path. Teachers use this information to monitor students' progress throughout the year.
For additional Information: