LOS ANGELES—The Smarter Balanced Field Test will launch Tuesday, marking an important milestone in Californias transition to a new assessment system as it assesses technological capacity and the quality of test questions, and helps students and teachers prepare for next years first operational test, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said today.

“Over the next three months, students, teachers, and administrators will gain valuable hands-on experience in a new era of student assessments,” Torlakson said. “With more than three million students participating, this is the largest field test of its kind in the nation. It is a challenging transformation, but our schools are rising to that challenge with a great sense of excitement and determination.”

Field testing begins Tuesday and runs through June 6. By the end, more than three million students in school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools will have had a chance to try the new system.

via State Launches Field Tests – Year 2014 CA Dept of Education.