Rhode Island conducts annual student-by-student assessment in mathematics, English language arts, writing, and health at the grade levels delineated by its performance standards. All state assessments are aligned with the respective performance standards.

Rhode Island employs the New Standards Reference Examinations in mathematics and English language arts and administers its own examinations in writing and health with the assistance of an external contractor. All performance standards are viewed as permanent until such time as the state elects to revise them.

The components of the State Assessment Program are as follows:

• New Standards English Language Arts Reference Exam at grades 4, 8, and 10;
• New Standards Mathematics Reference Exam at grades 4, 8, and 10;
• Rhode Island Writing Assessment at grades 3, 7, 10, and 11 (pilot);
• Rhode Island Health Education Assessment at grades 5 and 9;
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) at grades 4 and 8.

Merit’s language arts and math software programs correlate to Rhode Island’s Performance Standards and can help students prepare for State assessments. The content and format of Merit’s programs can help students develop and strengthen their test-taking skills as well as their reading, writing and math skills.

Merit reading software has been proven -- through rigorous, scientifically based research -- to increase both student reading comprehension and standardized test scores. Merit research study findings reveal that education software is an effective tool to improve test scores and academic performance.

Published: March 2005