Washington firm wins state contract for new student test

Dec 23, 2009 — Dover Post

Dover, Del. -

The state awarded American Institutes for Research (AIR) in Washington, D.C. with a five-year contract for the new statewide assessment system for public school students in grades two through 10, the Delaware Department of Education said Wednesday, Dec. 23.

AIR will begin the immediate development and piloting of the new statewide test, the Delaware Department of Education said Wednesday, Dec. 23.

The test is called the Delaware Comprehensive Assessment System (DCAS). It will replace the Delaware Student Testing Program, commonly known as the DSTP, Department of Education spokesman Ron Gough said.

Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year, AIR will pilot:

* online testing in reading and mathematics for grades 3-8

* end-of-course online testing for high school students in English language arts, mathematics and science

* online testing in science and social studies in selected grades

* online benchmark testing in reading and mathematics in grades 2-10 to help teachers plan instruction according to the students' needs and show student growth towards Delaware standards

The DCAS will become fully operational by the 2010-2011 school year.

The total cost of the five year contract is $24.6 million effective until June 30, 2014. The Department of Education reserves the right to extend the contract for as many as five additional one-year extensions if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the state.

Because the state is obliged to continue school accountability in the present school year for federal No Child Left Behind legislation, the current DSTP assessment will continue to be administered in March 2010 in grades two-10 for reading and mathematics and in May, 2010 in grades eight and 11 for science and social studies.