ARK Testing

Dear Parent(s),

ARK Academics is a traditional academic formative assessment measuring your child’s knowledge of Math and Reading. It is similar to previously used testing agencies in that it:

• Assesses student knowledge and growth so we can customize curricula for targeted instruction

• Provides data so we can see how our students perform compared to students in public and other schools

• Allows us to support effective learning strategies and resources for differentiated learning.

What’s notably different is that the questions in ARK Academics are guaranteed to be free of politicized questions that are contrary to Church teachings.

ARK Religion is a short, multiple-choice survey that assesses your child’s knowledge of the Catholic Faith. We are using ARK Religion because it:

• Helps us understand how well we are educating students in six main areas: the Creed, the Sacraments, morality, prayer, Christian discipleship, and virtue.

• Identifies what our schools are doing well and where we can improve

• Provides teachers with classroom-ready lesson plans and activities that address knowledge gaps effectively.

ARK Religion also contains a short, anonymous section which asks students if they believe and live out some of the teachings of the Catholic Faith. Data collected from this section is not tied to your child and it forms no part of your child’s score. It serves only to help us understand where our school community is on their spiritual journey.

Your child does not have to study for the ARK assessment, and their results do not affect their grade. We are committed to using our results simply to do a better job serving you and all the families who attend our schools.

Our staff is also able to participate in the adult version of ARK Religion to ensure we are providing the right amount of professional development for those who teach your child.

Scores will be available shortly after each testing period ends, and you will be able to see how well your child did compared to others in their grade level across the country. I will send more information at that time so you can see and understand their score, as well as personalized resources for enrichment provided by ARK based on your child’s results.

Please let me know if you have any questions.