Dear Bethel families,

Bethel students showed up — and it shows! Students across the district have just completed Oregon’s statewide assessments, also known as the Smarter Balanced (SBAC) assessments. These assessments are one way students can show what they know and reflect the learning they’ve built throughout the school year, and we have some great news to share following this year’s testing season. 

We’re excited to share that we saw incredible gains in participation across our district this year! While we don’t have all of the data back quite yet, we can share that at Willamette, we saw participation rates double from last year! In addition, we have some anecdotal data that shows how much growth and achievement took place in particular grade levels and it’s inspiring to see. 

Thank you for partnering with us to support students during the testing process. We are excited to continue building on our progress next school year. 

Reports to be mailed to all 3rd-8th grade students  Before summer break, families of students in grades 3-8 will receive a mailed copy of their student’s progress report from Bethel School District designed to provide a more complete picture of each student’s progress. This report will also be shared digitally via ParentSquare. An example of the report is included in this message and will include: SBAC scores in English Language Arts and Math A brief summary explaining what the assessments measure Your student’s rate of attendance this year Tips and ideas for supporting your student’s success A QR code linking to additional information about SBAC testing and student progress in Bethel

As you review your student's results, keep this in mind: growth looks different for every child. Even if your student stayed at the same achievement level as last year, they may have made real progress — these scores are one piece of a much bigger picture of who they are as a learner. 

Families looking for more information about SBAC scores, achievement levels, state standards, and how Bethel prepared and supported students during testing can visit the district website for additional resources and explanations. There, families can also learn more about how Bethel staff helped students prepare for testing through practice questions, test-taking strategies, and conversations about why these assessments matter and how they can help reflect student learning and progress.

Thank you for your partnership this year. Your support during testing season makes a real difference for our students, and we look forward to building on this momentum together next year.