To assist school districtsin communicating about about the upcoming PARCC – Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers – assessments, the New Jersey School Boards Association has prepared a sample letter and FAQ that local districts may send to parents and guardians.
Customizable Letter Available to Districts The letter includes customizable sections, where districts may provide information about their own testing schedules; computer hardware they will use to administer the tests; and other details. The document was provided to school superintendents at a special symposium held Wednesday at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne; was distributed to superintendents via email by NJSBA.
It will also be distributed at a second forum for superintendents on Friday, Feb 20, in Camden.
The sample letter and FAQ are intended to help districts inform parents about their preparations for the first administration of the PARCC exam next month. The materials explain the background of PARCC and the Common Core State Standards, and strive to assure the school community of the intent of the PARCC exam, and how the results will be used.
Also addressed are topics such as the length of time the assessments will take; the format of the tests; and other information.
“We have developed this communications template to help explain district preparations for PARCC, the test administration process, and exactly how the results will be used,” said Dr. Lawrence S. Feinsod, NJSBA executive director. “It provides background information and should enhance district communications efforts.”