Dear Parents/Guardians of Government students,
We know that you want your child to graduate from high school prepared for new opportunities and the brightest of futures. One way Maryland public schools help prepares students for life after high school is with the Maryland High School Assessments (HSA) in government. This test will help raise academic standards in our school and add to the value of a Maryland High School Diploma.
The test is given at the end of the government course. Your child must pass the test with a score of 394. To help prepare your child, they should consider the following; the same activities that improve grades and scores on regular classroom tests. Keeping up with coursework and homework, participating in class, studying hard will help students on the government HSA.
Following are some other ways students can prepare for the HSA;
Pay attention to organizational and study skills. The HSA cover content from an entire course, so students should organize all their notes for the year
Brush up on writing skills. Portions of the HSA require a written answer. Plus, no matter what students plans are after graduation, they’ll need to know how to write well.
Manage time carefully. One study found that good time-management skills predicted good grades in college better than SAT scores.
Passing the HSA is now a graduation requirement for your child, it is important that you are aware of your child’s progress in HSA subjects and are involved in his/her schoolwork now, while your child is preparing for the HSA. In addition to monitoring homework, class work, quizzes, tests, and report cards, we encourage you to contact your child’s teachers to talk with them about his/her academic progress.
If you have questions about the HSA, or any aspect of your child’s education, please contact his/her guidance counselor or principal. Information is also available on the Maryland State Department of Education Web site, http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/.
Sincerely,
Pocomoke High School Social Studies Teachers
Mrs. Mary Springle, Chair
Mr. Jesse Serig
Mrs. M. Emily Suznavick
Click on the attachment for a sample test to print