Term: Standards Tests / Achievement Tests

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2015-04-21

Definition:

Standards Tests / Achievement Tests are common provincial exams written by students in Manitoba in certain grades. Over time, this has included grade 3 and grade 12 students, but the grade 3 tests have been discontinued. For Grade 12 students, Manitoba has had a provincial testing system in place since 1993, with the tests counting for 30% of students' final course mark. The current Standards Tests / Achievement Tests are curriculum-based and mandatory for all students, with adaptations available for many special needs students (and exemptions for individual students as required). The annual Standards Tests / Achievement Tests are locally marked by the school divisions, and assess Language Arts and Mathematics in separate tests (Manitoba Education, 2012).

NOTE: In MCHP publications, we have referred to both Language Arts and Mathematics exams as "Standards Tests". For the 2013 academic year (2013/14 school year), we noticed that the mathematics tests are now referred to as "Achievement Tests" in Manitoba Education documents, publications and discussions.

Information in the MCHP Concept Dictionary has been updated to reflect this change as follows: in describing a specific type of test either "Standards" or "Achievement" is used, titles used in relevant glossary terms and concepts contain both descriptions, and in most instances they are now referred to simply as "tests".

Related concepts 

• Education Indices
• Grade 12 Language Arts (LA) Test Performance Outcomes by Socioeconomic Status (SES)
• School Year (Education) Data
• Standards Tests / Achievement Tests - Test Performance and Outcomes

Related terms 

• Absent
• Academic Year / School Year
• Enrolled Below Grade for Age
• Exempt
• Failed
• First Nations Schools
• Grade 12 Provincial Exam Performance
• Grade 12 Standards Tests / Achievement Tests
• Incomplete
• Mathematics Achievement Index
• On-Time Pass for Grade 12 Language Arts (LA) Exam
• On-Time Pass for Grade 12 Mathematics Exam
• Passed

References 

• Brownell M, Roos NP, Fransoo R, Guevremont A, MacWilliam L, Derksen S, Dik N, Bogdanovic B, Sirski M. How Do Educational Outcomes Vary With Socioeconomic Status? Key Findings from the Manitoba Child Health Atlas 2004. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2004. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)
• Manitoba Education. Interpreting and using results from provincial tests and assessments - a support document for teachers, administrators, and consultants. Retrieved from: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/support/results/interpreting.pdf. Accessed May 29, 2012. 2009.(View)
• Manitoba Education. Policies and procedures for standards tests. Retrieved from: http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/docs/pol_proc/document.pdf. Accessed May 25, 2012. 2011.(View)

Term used in 

• Brownell M, De Coster C, Penfold R, Derksen S, Au W, Schultz J, Dahl M. Manitoba Child Health Atlas Update. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2008. [Report] [Summary] [Additional Materials] (View)