State Achievement Testing Information

State Achievement Testing Information:

  • AASA (Arizona Academic Standards Assessment) is the statewide achievement test for Arizona students in grades 3 through 8. All Arizona public school students in grades 3 through 8 will take the grade level AASA assessments in English language arts (reading and writing) and mathematics.
  • Cohort 2026 (typically grade 9) students will take the ACT Aspire assessment in reading, English, mathematics, and science.
  • Cohort 2024 (typically grade 11) students will take the ACT assessment in reading, English, mathematics, science, and writing.

The AzSCI assessment will be administered to students in grades 5, 8, and 11 (Cohort 2024) which will assess the science standards for the grade level as well as the two grade levels prior.

The MSAA will be administered to students with a significant cognitive disability instead of the above-listed state achievement assessments. This test contains many built-in supports that allow students to take the test using materials they are most familiar with and communicate what they know and can do as independently as possible. The MSAA will be administered in ELA and mathematics in grades 3 through 8 and 11, and science in grades 5, 8, and 11.

Frequently Asked Questions


Who takes the AASA?

Students in grades 3 through 8 will take the grade level AASA assessments in English language arts and mathematics.

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Will my high school student need to pass the state assessment to graduate?

Students are not required to pass the assessment for graduation. Beginning with the class of 2017, all students will need to pass a civics test for graduation.

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What does AASA mean for students?

AASA goes beyond multiple-choice questions to provide a better indicator of what students have learned during the school year. Students will have a chance to show their critical-thinking skills by applying concepts and showing a deeper understanding of a topic. 

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What is the test like?

Writing: The writing portion will require students to read a few passages and then write about them. This type of task requires students to think deeper about topics and use evidence to support their thinking. It will take an average of 45 to 90 minutes to complete the writing portion.

Reading: The reading portion will be administered in two parts over the course of one to two days. This will ensure students have ample time to read and answer questions. The test also contains editing tasks to measure student understanding of fundamental skills like spelling and grammar. Each part of the test will take students an average of 45 to 75 minutes to complete.

Math: The math portion will be administered in two parts over the course of one to two days. This will ensure students have ample time to read and answer questions. The test will ask questions that check a student’s conceptual understanding of math, as well as their procedural skills. Each part of the test will take students an average of 50 to 85 minutes to complete.

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Will my child take the test on a computer or paper?

Students will take the computer-based version of AASA, ACT Aspire, and ACT.

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What if my child is not a good test taker?

Your child’s school and teacher can provide suggestions for helping your child successfully know and demonstrate his or her understanding of the state standards, which is what the AASA test is based on. Throughout the school year, there are many ways teachers assess how students are doing in their classroom, including classwork, homework, quizzes, projects, and teacher and counselor observations about your child’s growth. The results from the state assessments should be used along with all of this information to ensure your child is on track to succeed.

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Who takes the ACT?

Cohort 2025 (typically grade 9) students will take the ACT Aspire assessment in reading, English, mathematics, and science.

Cohort 2023 (typically grade 11) students will take the ACT assessment in reading, English, mathematics, science, and writing.

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Who takes the AzSCI assessment?

The AzSCI assessment will be administered to students in grades 5, 8, and 11 (Cohort 2023) which will assess the science standards for the grade level as well as the two grade levels prior.

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