Assessment

DC Public Schools Selects partner for Social Studies Assessments

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 12/17/14

District of Columbia Public Schools has chosen a partner to develop items for its online social studies assessments of students in grades 6-8.

Questar Assessment "will be developing new items and test forms that will measure student mastery of required D.C. Social Studies Content Standards, Common Core standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, as well as the College, Career and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards," according to a news release.

Along with subcontractor Strategic Measurement and Evaluation, Questar will build forms for the field tests, perform psychometric services and manage creation of pre- and post-tests for each grade.

"The purpose of this engagement is to expand the assessment of student growth in content areas not currently assessed by the Common Core," said Jamie Post Candee, president and CEO of Questar Assessment, in a prepared statement. "Because the funding for this initiative came from a Race to the Top grant awarded to the Public Schools and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, we participated in a very competitive selection process. We are honored for the opportunity to do more work with the District of Columbia and look forward to a successful field test in Spring 2015."