Student Participation in SBA Test Affects Grants

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The Department of Education and Director Vaitinasa Dr. Salu Hunkin-Finau have an important message for parents of students in levels 3,5,7 and 10.

The Office of Curriculum Instruction, which handles testing for DOE, will administer a very important test for all students in public schools next week May 10th and 11th.

The standard based assessment (SBA) test according to DOE’s five year plan would determine the overall level of comprehension for students in the mentioned grade levels.

It would also help assess if teachers are delivering effective instruction.

DOE Director Vaitinasa Dr. Salu Hunkin Finau explained that in previous years there was no real  plan to measure performance.

She said that the US DOE which provides 80% of  department’s budget  dictated that the local DOE devise a plan to measure how students are performing and through those results gauge teacher performance, .

Previously students had to sit SAT10 which is set by companies whose text books are widely used for classroom instruction.

Vaitinasa says there were  problems with administration of the SAT10 for  American Samoa students.
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The test was developed  by the local department with  assistance from expertise form off-island .

DOE must ensure that about 96% if not 100% of the students sit this test.

Deputy Director of DOE Philo Jennings pointed out that this test is also important as they need solid data for their annual reports to the federal government.
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The DOE officials said DOE’s federal grants will be “seriously affected,” if the required level of student participation isnt met.

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