It’s that time of the year again where sophomores are taking the Hawai’i State Assessments (HSA).

Sophomores took the reading and mathematics tests, and students who are enrolled in Biology will take the Biology assessment.

After tests are taken online, students were able to view their scores which notified them if they passed or not Students must receive at least 300 points to pass the assessment. Results will be sent to parents around August the following school year.

“For my sophomore classes I’ve had my students go to the computer lab and do the HSA Training Test for the past two days,” English teacher Jamie Lee Economou said. “In terms of curriculum and reading, we’ve been focusing on close reading and annotation skills.”

Students are given a total of three chances each test. Tests are given in mid-October through mid-May.

HSA test results are tied to the Annual Yearly Progress report (AYP), as a part of the No Child Left Behind Program. The report shows how schools are doing academically by using the HSA scores. If the school passes the AYP then it has a “good status”. However, if the school doesn’t make AYP for more than six consecutive years the school would have to “restructure.”

Radford High School is currently in “restructure” status because sophomores haven’t passed the AYP in years. Only 110 schools met AYP in Hawai’i, according to Accountability Resource Center Hawaii, including middle and elementary schools, while 176 schools did not pass.

In the Aiea-Moanalua-Radford complex only eight schools met AYP; no high school in the complex passed.

3 middle schools:  Aliamanu Middle, Moanalua Middle, and Aiea Intermediate Schools
5 elementary schools: