Starting this school year, Maryland has replaced the HSA with the PARCC exam, which students will have to pass as a graduation requirement starting in the school year 2016-2017. Current students must only participate to graduate; however, students who do not participate this year and next will need to take the test and pass to graduate.

Students taking the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, exam miss about five classes each day they test.

Freshman Ami Vodi, who took the PARCC exam, said, “I don’t like missing classes because I don’t like being behind work.” Discussing her preparations for the PARCC exam, she mentioned that she took a pretest and “worked on a worksheet” she received from her teacher.

Due to weather-related closings and delays, Vodi said that she was not able to fully prepare in class. “I’m still worried because of those snow days,” she said. “My teacher was not able to review with us on key things.”

Sophomore Danielle Breedlove said that “There were no preparations besides a practice.” She continued, “I don’t enjoy missing all these classes, it is messing up my groove I have going on.”

Testing Coordinator Mr. Andrew Zanghi explained that the exam replaces the High School Assessment, or HSA, in algebra and English 10, and that the PARCC is a “new, more vigorous, more interactive test. Our standardized test were just multiple choice: A, B,C,D.” He continued, “You’ll have to give them an answer and the test forces you to give reasons for your answers.”

Mr. Zanghi also mentioned that the goals for this assessment are for students to “leave high school more prepared to think critically,” and for students to be able “to rationalize their thinking.”

Last school year, a couple of classes had students take the practice test. According to Mr. Zanghi, reasons for this were “for the benefit of this year,” and to see “the difficulty of the test; whether the instructions were clear; whether the technology was ready to go.”

Selected students took the PARCC practice exam, such as senior Gabrielle Barrett. “My advice to you if you take the PARCC test is that as long as you pay attention throughout the year and are understanding that material you will be okay,” Barrett said.

“Make sure you practice your Algebra 2, sleep, eat and come prepared,” said senior Allunah Thompkins, who also took the practice exam.