TOP TEN THINGS PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

THE HIGH SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS (HSAs)

1         Be Informed

            To graduate with a Maryland High School Diploma, students must meet all State course, service-learning, and testing (HSA) requirements as well as all local school system graduation requirements.  Ask your child’s school counselor about the specific high school graduation requirements and begin to develop an academic plan for your child.

2         Four Core

            The four HSAs - algebra/data analysis, biology, English, and government - are based on the Core Learning Goals which clearly outline course content and learning objectives for each content area.  The content covered in HSA-related courses and on the HSAs is a basic level of knowledge that will be built on as a student continues his/her education.

3         Know the Score

            The passing scores for the 4 HSA content areas are:

            Algebra/Data Analysis: 412

            Biology: 400

            English: 396

            Government: 394

            A student who earns a state-approved score on certain Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) tests does not have to take the HSA in the related subject.  The student will receive the passing score for the content area.

            Scores are mailed to the local school system (LSS) 6 weeks after the test was taken.  The LSS then sends the individual student scores to the schools.  The schools are responsible for sending students’ scores to parents/guardians.  Contact your child’s school if you do not received his/her HSA scores in a timely manner.

4         Know the Plan

            Each local school system has a plan of when HSA-related courses are typically offered to students.  The school counselor can help plan a course of study for your child to graduate from high school as well as help prepare him/her for the future.

5         Know the Options

            There are a number of options for meeting the testing requirements, including:

            Passing all 4 HSAs

            Earning a combined score of 1602 on the four HSAs (This Combined-Score Option allows students to offset a lower score on one HSA with a higher score on            another HSA.); OR

            Using the Bridge Plan for Academic Validation, which allows students who meet the eligibility criteria to complete one or more projects in an HSA content area.  More information about the Bridge Plan can be found on the HSAexam.org website.

6         Students with Accommodations

            Students with disabilities are entitled to receive both instructional and testing accommodations as outlined in his/her IEP.  If you have questions about your child’s accommodations for an HSA or Mod-HSA, or for the Bridge Plan, contact your child’s teacher or IEP team.

            The Mod-HSA is an alternative test for students with an IEP who meet specific participation criteria.  A student with an IEP who has taken and failed the HSA once may have the opportunity to take the Mod-HSA if approved by the school.

7         Take and Retake

            The HSAs are given in October, January, May, and July/August.  A special, seniors only administration will be given in April 2009.  Students can retake an HSA as many times as necessary to earn either a passing score or a score high enough to allow them to use the Combined-Score Option.  Students who do not pass one or more HSAs must be offered locally-administered or approved assistance.  See #8.

8         Help at School

            Students who do not pass one or more HSAs must be offered locally-administered or approved assistance.  Each school system has developed strategies for providing assistance, which could include sample test reviews, tutoring, or after-school or Saturday instruction.  The school determines what assistance will be provided to students.

            A student who fails an HSA and is considering the Bridge Plan is required to participate in locally-administered or approved assistance and retake the test a second time.  The student is responsible for taking advantage of the assistance to help prepare for retesting.

9         Help at Home

            There are a number of tools in the Resources section of HSAexam.org, including the Online HSA Course for Parents and sample HSA tests.

10      Additional HSA Information

            Go to HSAexam.org for additional information or call 1-877-472-3926 for specific answers to questions about the HSAs.

This information was provided by the Maryland State Department of Education, 200 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201