Practice Test Guidance
6 Things You Need About the LEAP 2025 Practice Test
Updated March 2023
1. Purpose of Science Practice Tests 3-8 and Biology
It is not possible to use the practice tests to place students in achievement levels. Assessing student performance in this way would yield false assumptions. The practice tests are designed to provide students and teachers a look at the different item types on LEAP 2025 Science Test and are not inclusive of all content covered by the Louisiana Student Standards for Science.
- Download the Science Practice Test Guidance
- Visit LDOE's Practice Test Library
- Elementary Teachers: You can find your practice test and answer document in your grade level's Science Google Folder.
2. Five Ways to Use the Practice Test Wisely
- Incorporate practice test items into instruction.
- Notice how the practice test aligns to the shifts in science.
- Examine the practice test FORMAT to design instructional tasks and classroom assessments that use similar features.
- Create some instructional tasks and classroom assessments that reflect the set-based design line the items on the practice test.
- Use the practice test as a guide when selecting classroom assessments in terms of rigor-level, item types and variety, cognitive complexity, and scoring.
3. Five Things to Avoid When Using the Science Practice Test
- Avoid prioritization of content based on the LSSS included on the practice test and limiting instructional strategies to only those required for the practice test.
- Avoid spending too much instructional time on test-prep; instead, focus on building the knowledge and skills students need by having them do the work of scientists and/or engineers.
- Do not use the practice test to gather cumulative data about overall student performance and preparedness. Items on the practice test have not gone through the same review process as the LEAP 2025 operational test items, such as field-testing and data review.
- Avoid using item sets as the sole measure of necessary content for each topic.
- Avoid making all classroom assessments mirror the style and format of the practice test. Instead, use hands-on and formative assessments to gain meaningful information on student progress in preparation for set-based assessments.
4. Assessment Item Types
The practice tests give students experience with various item types: multiple-choice, multiple-select, technology-enhanced (5th-8th and biology only), constructed- and extended-response items.
Multiple Choice (MC) - Grades 3-8, Biology (1 point)
- Appear in sets and as standalone items
- 4 answer options and only 1 correct answer
- Appear in sets and as standalone items
- More than 4 answer options and 2 or more correct answers
- Always identify the number of correct answers to be selected
Multiple Select (MS) - Grades 6-8, Biology (1 point)
- Appear in sets and as standalone items
- More than 4 answer options 2 or more correct answers
- Directions identify the number of correct answers to be selected unless it appears in Part B of a two-part dependent item (TPD). In that case only, the question will then be worded to “select all answers that apply.”
Technology Enhanced (TE)- Grades 5-8, Biology (1 or 2 points)
- Uses interactive technology, such as, but not limited to, drag and drop, dropdown menus, hot spots, and text highlighting
Two-Part Item (TPD or TPI) - Grades 3-8, Biology (2 points)
- Requires students to answer two related questions
- Two-part items can be MC, MS, and/or TE item types
- Two-part Dependent (TPD): Part A must be correct in order to earn credit for Part B
- Two-part Independent (TPI): each part is scored independently
Constructed Response (CR) - Grades 3-8, Biology (2 point rubric)
- Appear at the end of some item sets
- Allows students to demonstrate understanding by writing a brief response that uses knowledge of science content and/or stimulus materials
Extended Response (ER) - Grades 3-8, Biology (Grades 3-4 use 6 point rubric and Grades 5-8, Biology use a 9 point rubric)
- Appears at the end of the task set
- Allows students to analyze and/or evaluate claims by writing an in-depth response incorporating knowledge of science content along with evidence from the stimulus materials
- Grades 3 and 4 do not have extended response items on the operational test.
Learn More About the LEAP 2025 Assessment Item Types: LDOE Assessment Guidance Library
5. Assessment FYI
On the LEAP 2025:
- Students do more than answer recall questions about science; they apply the practices, or behaviors, of scientists and engineers to investigate each real-world phenomenon and design solutions to problems.
- Students answer questions which require content knowledge and skills aligned to PE bundles (groupings of like PEs) and the corresponding DCIs.
- Sets of questions assess student application of knowledge across the domains of science for a comprehensive picture of student readiness for their next grade or course in science.
Specific information about the test structure by grade level/course are included in the LEAP 2025 Assessment Guides in the LDOE Assessment Guidance Library.
Test items and sets are anchored on phenomena.
6. Accessing the Practice Test
The computer-based practice test for grades 3-8 and biology are available in INSIGHT. Teachers may access the online practice test by visiting https://wbte.drcedirect.com/LA/#login in Google Chrome. The table below contains the user names to log into teacher access; the password for all grades/courses and content areas is teach2025.
The Practice Test Quick Start Guide provides information about the purpose of the practice test, test administration, scoring, and reporting. To access the grades 3 and 4 paper-based practice tests and grades 3-8 and biology answer keys, visit Louisiana Believe's Practice Test Guidance Page. These resources are also available in eDIRECT.
K. Renae Pullen and Lisa Nance, Science Specialists
- Melissa Mainerio- Supervisor of Accountability and Data, MMAINIERO@caddoschools.org
- Lisa Nance, LMNANCE@caddoschools.org
- K. Renae Pullen, KRPULLEN@caddoschools.org
Website: http://www.caddoscience.com/
Twitter: @CaddoScience