6th Grade Citywide Test Prep and Practice Info

Citywide Test Prep and Practice Information for 6th Grade

Citywide Test Basics

Besides the standardized state exams districts are required to administer to their students, some school districts are also required to give citywide tests. For example, school districts in New York City give certain students citywide exams in addition to the state tests that are used to assess the academic progress students are making. The citywide tests allow educational officials to see if students are on track to be successful when they take their end-of-the-year tests. Like the state exams, citywide tests serve as an indicator of whether students are meeting the academic standards established in that particular state or not.

Tested Areas

Each state and school district will have their own specific areas to focus on, but for the 6th grade, many of the citywide tests will cover language arts and mathematics. For language arts, students will often be tested on their writing and reading skills with questions centered on understanding, critical analysis and evaluation. For mathematics, students are often tested on number sense, operations, probability, statistics, algebra, geometry and measurement. If your child is required to take citywide tests, you can contact his or her district to find out about their testing specifics.

Ways to Prepare for the Test

Although the citywide tests are not the big tests often given at the end of the school year, you'll still want to make sure your child does well on them, because they act as a record of how well your child is learning. Below, you'll find some ideas to help your child prepare for the test.

Stay on Top of Homework: For the most part, the homework assignments given to your child are based on in-class lessons. As a result, the assignments provide an opportunity for your child to apply what he or she has learned. Making sure that homework is completed will help your child get ready for the type of material he or she is likely to see on tests later in the year.

Review Content from Previous Years: State standards usually build on each other from year to year, so it's a good idea to review past content with your child. Most of the time, the foundational skills and information students need for the current lessons they receive in class were presented to them in the prior year. Therefore, taking the time to look over work from the 5th grade will often ensure that your child is ready for 6th grade material.

Get Tutoring Assistance: If your child needs extra help, you may also want to look into getting tutoring assistance. Many teachers will offer one-on-one or small group tutoring sessions to their students before school or after school. You may also be able to find free or low-cost after-school tutoring programs in your area. In addition, there are plenty of specialized tutoring options available on the Internet that focus on math and language arts.