After nearly a year of uncertainty, students and teachers across the state now have some idea of what is in store for standardized testing in 2014-15. Beginning in March, new state testing known as AzMERIT will make its way into math and English classes across Arizona.

The new test is called the Arizona’s Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching – or AzMERIT for short. The exams will be designed after the state’s version of Common Core standards known as the Arizona Career and College Readiness Standards.

According to the state department of education, testing may begin in March for freshmen, sophomores and juniors; seniors will not take the exams. Testing could drag out all the way through late April, according to the state’s testing schedule, and exams will evaluate student’s understanding of Arizona standards of education.

Math department chair Tom Rothery commented that “the test is going to be extremely harder than the AIMS test because it is going to be open-ended and not multiple choice. But I believe that we have prepared for it through practice tests.”

A sample algebra 1 test question provided by the ADE states “Given k(x) = 2×2 – 23x – 12, one factor of k(x) is (x – 12). What is the other factor, and what is the zero determined by the factor?”

Thankfully the state provided a rationale, which says the other factor is (2x+1), and the zero is -.5.

When the state implemented the AIMS exams in 2001, the tests in English and math were piloted – they did not count against the students – before becoming a requirement to graduate in 2006. The AzMERIT exams, however, will be counted differently than the AIMS, principal Dan Serrano said.

“Eventually, [the tests] will be a part of your grade,” he said. The tests will be designed similarly to the exams currently used by Florida and Utah, and will count for credit in the student’s math and English class.

For example, if a student fails the AzMERIT but passes their class, they receive credit for the class and do not have to re-test; but if a student fails a class, they must retake the test when they retake the class, even if they passed the exam the first time.

Unlike AIMS, the ADE testing schedule states that all tests will be timed, which might put more pressure on students.

Click this link to see the Department of Education’s practice tests: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE