DES MOINES- Iowa students are entering assessment season. In spring students take tests to see how they are performing at school.
State education leaders decided to switch up assessments for the 2019 school year.
The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) is a test intended to clearly assess student growth, proficiency, and readiness for future classes.
The test will assess third through eleventh graders in reading, language/writing, and math. Fifth, eight, and tenth graders will also be tested in science.
The test is completely accessible online. Schools have the opportunity to give paper tests, though the old-fashion paper exams cost more.
Mary Grinstead, Des Moines Public Schools assessment data and evaluation director, said schools will use the test scores to understand where the students sit academically.
“In the spring of 2021, the tests will be adapted, meaning as students answer test questions correctly, the questions get a little bit more difficult. If they miss a question the questions get a little easier, until they hone in on exactly where the student is in their learning,” Grinstead said.
Since this is a new test there are still lots of unanswered questions. Check out the answers to frequently asked questions here.