Science Assessment

Overview

Oregon's Statewide Science Assessments include:

The OSAS Statewide Science Summative Test which is required to be administered annually in grades 5, 8 and 11 as described in ESEA, Title I Part A, sec. 1111(b)(3), ORS 329.485, and OAR 581-022-2100.
Local performance assessments in science inquiry for students in grades 3 through 8 and at least once in high school as a requirement described in OAR 581-022-2100.
Optional Oregon interim assessments available statewide at no cost. These tests are designed to be used throughout the process of teaching and learning for gathering evidence of student learning in alignment with Oregon state standards.

Understanding OSAS Science Test: Communication Toolkit

The following toolkit resources have been created to provide districts, schools, teachers, families, and community members with more information to better understand the Oregon Statewide Assessment System Science Test.

Understanding the OSAS Science Test: A Toolkit for Educators, Families, and Communities

What is the OSAS Science Test?

OSAS Science Test Overview (English | Spanish)
What does the test cover? – This document offers Oregon teachers details regarding the number and types of items, as well as the content to be assessed on the OSAS Science Test. Within assessment terminology, this document is commonly known as the "blueprint."

OSAS Science Test Schedule and FAQs

OSAS Science Official Individual Student Report

Navigating your Child’s OSAS Science Test Individual Student Report (Coming soon)

OSAS Science Test Design

Your student’s school has provided rich, meaningful instruction to support the Oregon Science Standards. These standards serve as a set of expectations for what all students across Oregon should know and be able to do at each grade level. For more information related to standards please visit the Oregon Science Standards and Instructional Supports. To measure your student’s progress toward these standards, the State of Oregon tests students using Oregon’s Statewide Assessment System (OSAS) Science Summative Test. The following sections cover information regarding OSAS Science test design, results, and reporting.

Understanding OSAS Science Test Design and Items

Test Design – this document provides an explanation of how the OSAS Science Test is structured. (Coming soon)

Blueprint – This document provides information for Oregon teachers about the number of items, types of items, and the content to be assessed on the OSAS Science Test.
Science Item Specifications – The specifications for items outline the key features of the test questions created for each standard. Additionally, these specifications offer guidance to clarify the focus of the assessment, examples of phenomena, and the assessment boundary.

ODE item specifications per grade band are located here: Grade 5 Grade 8 High School

OSAS Science Test Results

Achievement Standards (cut scores) – reference document outlining the achievement standards for Oregon’s Statewide Assessments by content area and grade/benchmark level.

Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) – provide information on student performance across different proficiency levels on the OSAS Science Test. ALDs can enhance understanding of a student’s academic strengths and areas of growth, guiding educators in planning. ALDs per grade band: Grade 3-5, Grade 6-8, Grade 9-11

OSAS Science Official Individual Student Report

OSAS Science Test Individual Student Report – OAR 581-022-2270 Individual Student Assessment, Recordkeeping, and Reporting requires school districts to report student scores on all state and local assessments at least annually to parents or guardians for all students. This document serves as a sample, available in both English and Spanish, of the official OSAS ISR for the Science Test.

OSAS Science Test Reporting

OSAS Science Assessment Reporting – This document provides information about the OSAS Science Assessment Reporting including an explanation of data available on the Centralized Reporting System. (Update Coming soon)

Science Assessment Reporting Information Presentation (Update Coming soon)
Science Assessment Reporting Information Presentation (With Audio) (Update Coming soon)

OSAS Science Target Reports

ODE now offers districts and schools Cross-Sectional Target Reports for ELA, Math, and Science tests, spanning up to three years. These reports offer invaluable insights into student performance across a spectrum of targets, enabling a thorough evaluation of strengths and areas for improvement within teaching and learning systems. For more information, please go to ODE’s Professional Development web page for an introduction to target reports and infographics.

If you are a district or school analyzing the target data for Science the following documents will provide you with the tools to recognize the areas of success and the areas of growth within your system:

Achievement Level Descriptors (ALDs) – ALDs can enhance understanding of a student’s academic strengths and areas of growth, guiding educators in planning.

Grade 3-5, Grade 6-8, Grade 9-11

NGSS Learning Progression – Appendix E of the Framework describes the progression of disciplinary core ideas in the grade band endpoints. The progressions are summarized in this section of the NGSS appendices, which outline the content covered at each grade band.

Next Generation Science Standards: Evidence Statements – This site provides educators with additional detail on what students should know and be able to do. These are statements of observable and measurable components that, if met, will satisfy NGSS performance expectations.

OSAS Science Interims Assessment

Interim tests are designed to support teaching and learning periodically throughout the year. ODE offers a variety of science interim items that can be used across grades 3-12. For more details on science interim assessment items, please see Understanding Science Interim Assessment.
If you are an educator, please contact your School or District Test Coordinator to request access.
For more information please visit the ODE Interim Assessment webpage.

Local Performance Assessment Requirement

Performance-based assessments are a vital component of a district’s balanced assessment system. OAR 581-022-0615 requires public school districts and charter schools to administer Local Performance Assessments (LPAs) in grades 3-8 and once in high school in the content areas of writing, speaking, mathematical problem solving, and scientific inquiry. This two-page Practice Brief is designed to help educators and leaders take a student-centered approach to meeting the requirements of the policy by understanding the benefits of performance-based assessments, how to use district-adopted instructional materials as a source of LPAs, and how to use a single task across multiple content areas.

OSAS Science Test Resources

The following sections provide useful resources for students, families, and educators (i.e., OSAS sample tests, accessibility supports, and classroom supports).

Sample Test Portal – Sample tests provide students and educators with a preview of test items to gain familiarity with item types as well as the functionality of features on the computer-based test.

OSAS Science Sample Test Scoring Guides – These scoring guides for the sample test can help educators understand how test items will be scored on the OSAS Science Test.

Periodic Table Resources – Within the OSAS Science Test platform, students have access to a periodic table starting at Grade 8. The periodic table is a universal tool, see below for printed and embossed formats options:

Please note, the embossable braille periodic table is not available inside the Test Delivery System and must be embossed prior to testing.

Classroom Technology Exploration Tools – Classroom scavenger activities created for educators to use in their classrooms aim to help students familiarize themselves with the various accessibility tools available while taking the test.

Scavenger Hunt Teacher Directions – These resources guide educators in preparing students to familiarize themselves with the different tools available while taking the test.

High School OSAS Science Sample Test Scavenger Hunt

Preparing Students to Use Desmos on OSAS Assessments – These resources guide educators in preparing students to utilize the Desmos calculator embedded in OSAS Science and Math Tests.

Preparing Students so use Desmos on OSAS Assessments

PowerPoint | PowerPoint with Audio

Scavenger hunt for graphing calculator
Scavenger hunt for scientific calculator

Simulation Item Example – This resource showcases a video of a simulation as part of a task item type. It serves as a way for students to become familiar with how simulations are presented within a task.

Item Type Tutorials List – Item type tutorials show users how to navigate the items and tools available while taking an online assessment. While testing, item type tutorials are accessible to students throughout the assessment.

For a list of additional accessibility resources and guidance, please refer to the Oregon Accessibility Manual.

Professional Development Resources

The following section offers valuable resources for educators, districts, families, and community members to delve into science assessment. Discover a range of assessment resources, along with professional development opportunities designed to enrich your instruction and assessment practices in science education.

Science Newsletter
If you are interested in receiving a monthly newsletter on Science Education please subscribe to the ODE Science Newsletter. You may update your ODE Newsletter subscriptions by selecting "Subscriber Preferences".

Science Assessment Resources for Educators

Oregon Open Learning – The Oregon Open Learning Hub is Oregon’s K-12 open educational resource (OER) repository where educators can find high quality science open education resources including performance tasks and supplemental lessons. The Hub is sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education, whose mission is to foster equity and excellence for every learner through collaboration with educators, partners, and communities. Please note that the resources on the Oregon Open Learning Hub are not endorsed by the Oregon Department of Education.

Formative Assessments – Please visit ODE’s Formative Assessment webpage for assessment process and resources available for educators to use in the classroom
STEM Teaching Tools – Professional Developments Session Resources related to assessment developed through the ACESSE Project that educators can adapt and run sessions in their schools.
Stanford NGSS Assessment Project – The Stanford NGSS Assessment Project (SNAP), funded by S.D. Bechtel Jr. Foundation and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, focuses on ways that high-quality performance assessments can facilitate meaningful implementation of the standards.
Next Generation Science Assessment: elementary and middle school assessments tasks produced by the NGSA Collaborative
A Framework to Evaluate Cognitive Complexity in Science Assessments – This draft framework for evaluating cognitive complexity in science assessments intentionally builds on expectations for student performance provided by the Framework for K-12 Science Education and standards like the NGSS.
Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards – develops an approach to science assessment to meet the vision of science education for the future as it has been elaborated in A Framework for K-12 Science Education (Framework) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

NGSS Science Assessment Task Screening Tools: These two tools are intended to assist educators in evaluating science assessment tasks to determine whether they are designed for three-dimensional science standards based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education, such as the Next Generation Science Standards.

OSAS Science Test Technical Reports

The following technical reports provide in-depth insights into the intricacies of the OSAS science assessment. These reports offer an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the OSAS Science Assessment test design and its technical features.