AzMERIT/AIMS Science Grade Enhancement
Students are eligible to positively impact their semester grades in courses aligned to the high school AzMERIT ELA or AzMERIT Math End-of-Course assessment if they earn a Proficient or Highly Proficient on the test. They can also positively impact their Biology or Biology Honors course grade if they earn a Meets the Standard or Exceeds the Standard on the high school AIMS Science assessment.
2019 Testing Schedules
Parents can search for the AzMERIT and AIMS testing schedules by school and/or teacher.
2018 A-F Letter Grades
The A-F Letter Grades received by each DVUSD school were released publicly October 5, 2018.
AzMERIT Testing Information
AzMERIT (Arizona’s Measurement of Educational Readiness to Inform Teaching) is a computer-based test and is Arizona’s statewide achievement test. AzMERIT, which is based on more rigorous standards, provides a better indicator of what students have learned during the school year, and measures if students are on track to be college and career ready upon graduation from high school.
Students in Grades 3 - 8 take the AzMERIT assessment in English language arts and mathematics at their grade level. Students taking high school level English and mathematics will take End-of-Course assessments that will test their proficiency in these subjects. Spring state testing dates will be announced and listed on this web page.
The Arizona Science Standards did not change, students in Grades 4, 8, and high school will take the AIMS Science test on a date in Spring of 2018 to be determined. That date will be listed on this web page.
AzMERIT Reports
AzMERIT Family Score Reports were distributed this fall to students who took the AzMERIT English Language Arts and Math assessments in the Fall semester. The test is designed to be a tool for parents, teachers and students to tell us if your child is on track to succeed in his current grade and in the future. You can use your child’s AzMERIT scores along with classroom assignments, homework, grades, and your conversations with his or her teachers to have a complete picture of how your child is doing.
We hope you’ll find the following information helpful as you review your AzMERIT Family Score Reports. Please contact your child’s teachers to talk through the results and how you can work together to increase your child's success.
What should you take away from this report?
- This AzMERIT score report helps you understand your child’s academic achievement. You can see how your child is performing in comparison to peers in the same grade level, school, and district. In addition to giving you an overall score, the report also breaks down each subject into categories to provide you with a better understanding of how your child performed in different areas of math and English.
Why does my child’s score look different than scores on previous tests?
- Because AzMERIT is a new test, the first year test scores set a new baseline from which progress will be measured. Your child’s score, as well as school and district results, may appear lower this year because the tests measure more complex skills including critical thinking, problem solving, and analysis. A low score does not mean your child did not improve or learned less. It simply means that the expectations have been raised for students and the results provide a more accurate picture of how your child is progressing. These scores cannot be compared to previous test scores since they focus on different skills.
What resources are available to help my child?
- Arizona Aims Higher: information about Arizona’s College & Career Ready Standards and AzMERIT, along with tips and resources to help your child succeed in school. ArizonaAimsHigher.org.
- Math Power Book: created by The Rodel Foundation of Arizona, this book was designed for parents and families who want to help their children make sense of math and covers concepts introduced in first grade all the way through sixth grade. RodelAZ.org/home/the-math-power-book
- Do Your Homework Arizona: a free tool created by Stand for Children Arizona to help parents better understand homework related to Arizona’s new academic standards in math and English in kindergarten through eighth grade. DoYourHomeworkArizona.org
Past Updates
AzMERIT FAQ's
Understanding AzMERIT for ParentsUnderstanding AzMERIT for Parents (Spanish)
