Utah’s deaf schools will be experiencing parts of the Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence test in American Sign Language for the first time this May.
The state of Utah spent $7.2 million to convert the SAGE test into ASL.
Michelle Tanner, associate superintendent of the deaf, originally thought the test would have had ASL videos when the SAGE test came out last year.
“When that didn’t come we requested it this year,” Tanner said. “I was not aware that it was coming for spring testing.”
Only the listening passages of the test will be converted into ASL.
"I am grateful that the listening passages will be interpreted,” she said. “That is not everything, but it is a good start and that will be helpful, if it works and the ASL is accurate.”
Tanner said they will still be hiring interpreters for other portions of the test.
“We also have to schedule a lot of interpreters to make sure this is accessible for our students,” Tanner said. “So it is pricey and requires time to schedule.”
Teresa Owino, a high school teacher who teaches about 14 deaf students from Jean Massieu School for the Deaf, has to work on getting tutors for her students as well.
“This year the test is supposed to have the ASL interpretation videos for the SAGE test, but since we cannot fully rely on that to happen, we have arranged for interpreters to be present for all testing,” Owino said.
They have seen a practice video to see if the video will work.
“One practice test we looked at did indeed have the video up and running,” Owino said. “We will see how it goes once we get to the real test in May.”
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