[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-269219-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-269219-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","alaska-summative-assessments-faqs-understanding-ak-star-and-the-alaska-science-assessment","Alaska Summative Assessments - FAQs - Understanding AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment","","Alaska’s statewide summative assessments are designed to inform parents, educators, policymakers, the community, and businesses about school and district performance, guide school improvement efforts, and ensure educational equity for all students. Summative assessments are administered near the end of the instructional year, including AK STAR for English language arts and mathematics and the Alaska Science Assessment. The FAQ explains scheduling, participating grades, educator involvement, test question types, accommodations, tools, computer platforms, and where families and teachers can find preparation resources.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/","Exam",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/alaska-summative-assessments-faqs-understanding-ak-star-and-the-alaska-science-assessment/269219/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/alaska-summative-assessments-faqs-understanding-ak-star-and-the-alaska-science-assessment/269219.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Skyler","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-22","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",11,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why does Alaska provide statewide summative assessments?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Alaska uses statewide summative assessments to report performance to families and stakeholders, support school improvement planning, and ensure equity in education for all students.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What are AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment, and when are they administered?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"AK STAR measures English language arts and mathematics, and the Alaska Science Assessment measures science. Both are administered each spring, with a test window calendar available on the General Assessment information webpage.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do accommodations and universal design support students?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The assessments use universal design to maximize access and help students demonstrate understanding. Accommodations for students with disabilities and English learners are available, and test tools include universal features plus options such as Text-to-Speech for students with documented need.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},269219,1789448478,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,95,100,105,110,115,120,123,127],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":93,"slug":94},70,"exam",{"id":96,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":116,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":117,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":119},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":118,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":118,"slug":122},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":124,"slug":126},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":128,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":130},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":132},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":133,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":33,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":140,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":80,"read_time":96},2336464648746,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","FAQs about Alaska’s Summative Assessments  \nWhy does Alaska give statewide summative assessments?  \nFirst, we want to be able to inform parents, educators, policy makers, the community, and businesses how our schools and districts are performing. Second, the information from the assessments can be used to help determine school improvement efforts. Third, we want to ensure there is equity in education for all students. The mission of the Alaska State Board of Education & Early Development is to provide an excellent education to every student every day.  \nWhat are summative assessments?  \nA summative assessment is given at the end of an instructional period to measure how well students have learned the content. These statewide summative assessments in English language arts, mathematics, and science are given close to the end of the school year.  \nWhen are the assessments given to students?  \nThe summative assessments, called the Alaska System of Academic Readiness, or AK STAR, and the Alaska Science Assessment are administered each spring. A test window calendar is available on the General Assessment information webpage ([https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/general-assessment-information](https://education.alaska.gov/assessments/general-assessment-information)) .  \nHow are Alaska educators involved in developing the assessments?  \nFor the Alaska Science Assessment, educators participated in the development of achievement level descriptors and have participated in an item review. During the fall of 2021, Alaska educators helped develop the AK STAR achievement level descriptors. During the summer of 2022, DEED will be recruiting educators to participate in a process called standards setting to determine the scores for the ELA, mathematics, and science assessments.  \nWhat grades participate in the assessments?  \nThe AK STAR assessments are administered to all students in grades 3-9 in English language arts and mathematics. The Alaska Science Assessment is administered to students in grades 5, 8, and 10.  \nI am a teacher. How can I prepare my students for the assessments? Can students study for the test?  \nThe most effective way to prepare students for the assessments is to ensure that the Alaska English Language Arts and Mathematics Standards and the K-12 Science Standards for Alaska are being utilized in your instruction. Materials available on the DEED Standards webpage ([education.alaska.gov/standards](education.alaska.gov/standards)) include information regarding the format of the standards, tools that support effective strategies, as well as resources that help educators evaluate instructional materials. Student preparation resources are also available for educators to assist students in becoming familiar with the format of the assessments. For more information, please visit the AK STAR Student Readiness webpage ([education.alaska.gov/assessments/akstar/student-readiness](education.alaska.gov/assessments/akstar/student-readiness)) or the Alaska Science Assessment Student Preparation webpage ([education.alaska.gov/assessments/science/student-readiness](education.alaska.gov/assessments/science/student-readiness)) .  \nI am a parent. How can I support my student in performing well on the assessments?  \nBe sure that your student has nourishment and a good night’s sleep before the tests. Encourage your student todo his or her best on the test, but to understand that it will not affect his or her grades in the classroom.  \nWhat types of questions do the assessments have?  \nThe summative tests will include a variety of item types, including traditional multiple choice, non-traditional multiple choice formats such a “choose all that apply,” technology-enhanced and technology-enabled items such as plotting points on a graph or number line, selecting a response from a drop-down list, items with drag and drop functionality, or short constructed response.  \nDo students with disabilities and students who are English learners take this ","cbCailtgvVdFv2Wi","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCailtgvVdFv2Wi","pdf",188388,"English","# Why Alaska gives statewide summative assessments?\n# What are summative assessments?\n# When are the assessments given to students?\n# How are Alaska educators involved in developing the assessments?\n# What grades participate in the assessments?\n# How can teachers prepare students?\n# How can parents support students?\n# What types of questions are included?\n# Do students with disabilities and English learners take the assessment?\n# What tools and accommodations are allowed?\n# What computers are used for computer-based assessments?\n# Where can I find more information?","[{\"question\":\"Why does Alaska provide statewide summative assessments?\",\"answer\":\"Alaska uses statewide summative assessments to report performance to families and stakeholders, support school improvement planning, and ensure equity in education for all students.\"},{\"question\":\"What are AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment, and when are they administered?\",\"answer\":\"AK STAR measures English language arts and mathematics, and the Alaska Science Assessment measures science. Both are administered each spring, with a test window calendar available on the General Assessment information webpage.\"},{\"question\":\"How do accommodations and universal design support students?\",\"answer\":\"The assessments use universal design to maximize access and help students demonstrate understanding. Accommodations for students with disabilities and English learners are available, and test tools include universal features plus options such as Text-to-Speech for students with documented need.\"}]","Alaska Summative Assessments - FAQs - Understanding AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment | PDF"]