Shorter SBAC test: A win for students

Exciting news for our students and community! The Clark County School District (CCSD) will be implementing the shorter version of the SBAC, Nevada’s state assessment for reading, math, science, and writing.

This change significantly reduces the number of test questions, easing stress and improving the testing experience for students.

In the past, many of our students would spend two to three hours working to complete the SBAC. This year, due to the decrease in total questions we expect our students to spend approximately and hour to 90 minutes working on the test. Standardized testing can be mentally exhausting, and long testing periods often lead to anxiety and fatigue for students.

By cutting the number of questions in half, students will have a more manageable testing experience while still demonstrating their academic proficiency. In past years, many of our parents have chosen to “opt out” of the exam. However, because the state does not allow this practice in an official capacity, parents who chose to have their students “opt out” received a score of zero for non-participation. We hope that this change in testing format will increase the number of students who participate in the state exam.

On April 7 at 1:30 p.m., we will be hosting an SBAC Testing Pep Rally at the Boulder City High School. This event is an opportunity to support our students as they prepare for the testing season. We encourage parents and community members to join us for this annual event. Our theme for this year is, “Do Your Best, Forget the Stress!” which highlights both the effort and stress-free mindset that we hope our students adopt as we kick off testing season. The event will feature student council representatives, cheer teams, and local school leaders from all four Boulder City schools. Last year, the event was attended by both the Aviators and Golden Knights Cheer Team and Mascot.

We hope to see strong community support in recognizing this step forward for CCSD and King Students. Together, we can help create a supportive and encouraging testing environment for our students.