Standards and Testing Agency

Last updated

Standards and Testing Agency
Executive Agency overview
Formed1 October 2011 (2011-10-01)
Preceding Executive Agency
Jurisdiction England
HeadquartersCheylesmore House, Quinton Road, Coventry
Executive Agency executive
  • Gillian Hillier, CEO and Accounting Officer
Parent department Department for Education
Website STA Website

The Standards and Testing Agency (STA) is responsible for developing and delivering all statutory assessments for school pupils in England. [1] It was formed on 1 October 2011 and took over the functions of the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency. The STA is regulated by the examinations regulator, Ofqual. [2]

STA also develop the professional skills tests for trainee teachers and manage the Yellow Label Service for secure dispatch of traceable exam scripts. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency</span> Former English charity

The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) was a charity, and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department for Education. In England and Northern Ireland, the QCDA maintained and developed the National Curriculum and associated assessments, tests and examinations, advising the minister formerly known as the Secretary of State for Education on these matters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Accessibility</span> Modes of usability for people with disabilities

Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Child Left Behind Act</span> 2002 United States education reform law; repealed 2015

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was a U.S. Act of Congress that reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; it included Title I provisions applying to disadvantaged students. It supported standards-based education reform based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals could improve individual outcomes in education. The Act required states to develop assessments in basic skills. To receive federal school funding, states had to give these assessments to all students at select grade levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Driving Standards Agency</span>

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) was an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport (DfT).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills</span> Former Texas state standardized test

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) was the fourth Texas state standardized test previously used in grade 3-8 and grade 9-11 to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies skills required under Texas education standards. It is developed and scored by Pearson Educational Measurement with close supervision by the Texas Education Agency. Though created before the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, it complied with the law. It replaced the previous test, called the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), in 2002.

The National Curriculum assessment usually refers to the statutory assessments carried out in primary schools in England, colloquially known as standard assessment tasks (SATs). The assessments are made up of a combination of testing and teacher assessment judgements and are used in all government-funded primary schools in England to assess the attainment of pupils against the programmes of study of the National Curriculum at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 when most pupils are aged 7 and 11 respectively. Until 2008, assessments were also required at the end of Key Stage 3 (14-year-olds) in secondary schools after which they were scrapped.

Accreditation is the independent, third-party evaluation of a conformity assessment body against recognised standards, conveying formal demonstration of its impartiality and competence to carry out specific conformity assessment tasks.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results on standardized tests. As defined by National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), AYP is "the amount of annual achievement growth to be expected by students in a particular school, district, or state in the U.S. federal accountability system, No Child Left Behind (NCLB)." AYP has been identified as one of the sources of controversy surrounding George W. Bush administration's Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Private schools are not required to make AYP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Education Department</span> Department of the New York state government

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is the department of the New York state government responsible for the supervision for all public schools in New York and all standardized testing, as well as the production and administration of state tests and Regents Examinations. In addition, the State Education Department oversees higher education, cultural institutions such as museums and libraries, vocational rehabilitation, and the licensing of numerous professions. It is headed by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York (USNY) and administered by the Commissioner of Education.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Department of Education</span> State government organization in Oregon (USA)

The OregonDepartment of Education is the department responsible for implementing Oregon's public education policies, including academic standards and testing, credentials, and other matters not reserved to the local districts and boards. The department is overseen by the Governor, acting as State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Agencies of the department include the Chief Education Office, the Early Learning Division, the Higher Education Coordinating Commission, the State Board of Education, and the Youth Development Division. The key roles of the agency include setting test standards and graduation requirements for statewide uniformity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Department of Education</span> Government agency of Georgia (U.S. state)

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is an American agency that governs public education in the state of Georgia. The department manages funding and testing for local educational agencies accountable for student achievement. The department is managed by the State Superintendent of Schools, a publicly elected position currently held by Richard Woods. Former Superintendents of the department have included Linda Schrenko, Kathy Cox, William Bradley Bryant, John Barge, and Charles McDaniel; the first superintendent was John Randolph Lewis, in 1871.

The National Emergency Management Agency is the public service department of New Zealand responsible for providing leadership and support around national, local and regional emergencies. It is an autonomous departmental agency hosted by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. It replaced the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management in December 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pangasinan State University</span> Public university in Pangasinan province, Philippines

Pangasinan State University also referred to by its acronym PSU or (PangSU)) is a public university in Pangasinan province, Philippines. The university was founded in its current form in 1979, although its origins trace back to the 1920s. PSU is notable for its many locations throughout the province of Pangasinan. It is mandated to provide advanced instruction in the arts, agricultural and natural sciences as well as in technological and professional fields. Its main campus is located in Lingayen, Pangasinan. Other campuses are located in Alaminos, Asingan, Bayambang, Binmaley, Infanta, San Carlos City, Santa Maria, and Urdaneta City. The PSU School of Advanced Studies (SAS) is located in Urdaneta City and the Open University Systems (OUS) is located in Lingayen Campus.

Felixberto Cangco Sta. Maria was a noted Filipino educator and author. He advanced the quality of higher education in the Philippines by improving the accreditation process of educational institutions. He introduced modern practices, changed the auditing method, and incorporated discipline as a part of the culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Department of Education</span> State education agency of Virginia

The Virginia Department of Education is the state education agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is headquartered in the James Monroe Building in Richmond. The department is headed by the Secretary of Education, who is a member of the Virginia Governor's Cabinet, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, a position that is also appointed by the Governor of Virginia. The Secretary of Education is responsible for heading the department and for overseeing Virginia's 16 public colleges and universities, the Virginia Community College System, the commonwealth's five higher education centers, and Virginia's public museums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Department for Education</span> Ministerial department of the UK Government

The Department for Education (DfE) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, child services, education, apprenticeships and wider skills in England.

The Common Core State Standards Initiative, also known as simply Common Core, is an educational initiative from 2010 that details what K–12 students throughout the United States should know in English language arts and mathematics at the conclusion of each school grade. The initiative is sponsored by the National Governors Association and Council of Chief State School Officers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness</span> Series of standardized tests taken by Texas primary and secondary school students

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, commonly referred to as its acronym STAAR, is a series of standardized tests used in Texas public primary and secondary schools to assess a student's achievements and knowledge learned in the grade level. It tests curriculum taught from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which in turn is taught by public schools. The test used to be developed by Pearson Education every school year, although the most recent contract gave Educational Testing Service a role in creating some of the tests, under the close supervision of the Texas Education Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California State Transportation Agency</span>

The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) is a state cabinet-level agency responsible for transportation-related departments within the state. The agency was created under Governor Jerry Brown in 2013 after the previous Business, Transportation and Housing Agency's portfolio underwent reorganization.

References

  1. "Standards and Testing Agency". Department for Education.
  2. "STA Feedback and complaints". Department for Education.
  3. "Standards and Testing Agency". Department for Education.