Testing

VAIS has been offering Chinese immersion as an educational choice within the Verona Area School District (VASD) since

2010. Like other VASD students, our students take part in required assessments. Last year's 3rd-5th grade students

participated in Wisconsin’s Forward Exam. The below charts show that VAIS students out-perform all other elementary

school students in the district in English as well as Science and Social Studies, even while learning content in Chinese!

Additionally, our students scored the second highest in math of all elementary schools.

VAIS utilizes an assessment called STAR 360 to monitor students' growth in reading, math and literacy skills. As a student responds to questions, the test adjusts up or down in difficulty. Teachers get real-time data to determine students who may need intervention and students who could be challenged academically. STAR scores are shared with each student's parent(s) and are used to

set academic targets for growth. For more about STAR see https://www.renaissance.com/products/assessment/star-360/.

Once a year VAIS also assesses 2nd-5th grade students’ Chinese skills through the Avant STAMP (Standards-based

Measurement of Proficiency), a nationally recognized language assessment. STAMP assesses students’ Chinese

listening/speaking, writing and reading skills. Scores establish baseline levels at the beginning of the year and provide

evidence of a learner’s growth along the proficiency continuum at year end. STAMP scores also measure whether

learners are reaching designated benchmarks and can be used to evaluate the alignment of learning targets with learner

performance. For more about STAMP see https://avantassessment.com/stamp4se.