Annually in May and June, grade 3, 6, and 9 students in Alberta (Canada) take provincial achievement tests. This guide, in both English and French versions, explains the achievement tests. The tests are designed to indicate how well students meet the province's standards, to support teachers in planning instruction, and to inform the public about academic achievement. The tests are developed by the Alberta Department of Education in cooperation with school districts, and all questions are field tested. The grade 3 language arts test has reading and writing sections, each of which takes about an hour, and a multiple-choice mathematics test that also takes about an hour. Tests are locally and centrally graded, and parents receive student profiles with test results. Teachers decide for themselves whether to use the achievement test score in the child's final grades. Families can support student learning and achievement as measured by these tests by reading with their children and staying in touch with their children's teachers. The provincial standards for the subject areas of mathematics and language arts are listed, and sample questions are provided for each area. (SLD)