Iowa Test of Basic Skills – ITBS Informational Meeting 04-08-09

1. Iowa Test of Basic Skills – ITBSInformational Meeting 04-08-09 Spring 2009 Al-Hedayah Academy Assessment

2. Who, What, & When • Spring 2009 – April 13th : grades Kindergarten - Ninth • Test subjects in the ITBS are • Reading • Language arts • Mathematics • Social Studies • Science • NewSpring 2009 (April 28): TAKS Reading for grades Three - Ninth Testing time will be un-timed

3. Contract with Riverside Publishing for The Iowa Tests • Contract period 2008 through 2009 • Year 2005 norms • Tests developed by the University of Iowa based on over 70 years of research

4. What type of test is the ITBS? • nationally standardized • norm-referenced test

5. Why ITBS? It shows mastery of the academic skills found in the elementary curriculum. The purpose of these tests is to provide information about student progress in a curriculum that expands in depth with each additional grade level.

6. ITBS Core Subtests

7. What types of Scores forITBS Appear on a Student Report? • Standard Score (SS) • Grade Equivalent (GE) • National Percentile Rank (NPR)

8. What is Percentile Rank (PR)?

9. Grade Equivalent (GE) • Grade equivalents are reported in decimal format. The number in front of the decimal is the grade level and the number after the decimal represents months. (e.g. 3.4 represents third grade, fourth month) • GE does not indicate a student’s instructional level. • GE allows for comparison of growth over time.

10. What is a nationally standardized test? • Test is administered in the same way across a specified reference population

11. What is a norm-referenced test (NRT)? • It compares students’ abilities rather than to a criteria. • A test taker’s performance compared to the performance of other students in a specified reference population (age groups, grade groups, geographic location, etc). • educators get an “external” look at the performance of their students in relation to the rest of the nation.

12. How valid and reliable is the ITBS? • The ITBS was developed at the University of Iowa, and is based on over seventy years of on-going research.

13. Test Coordinator – Sr. Abir & Sr. Cynthia • SCHEDULE and DATE OF ALL TASKS! • provide detailed instructions for handling test materials • Guidelines for test administration • Instructions for school site coordinators • Directions for returning the completed answer sheets • Secure handling of test materials

14. Test Accommodations and Exemptions • On a Norm-Referenced Test there are usually few accommodations allowed. • Students must be documented in order to allow accommodations or exemptions. • Parents are contacted or informed of the accommodations

15. Test Security and Testing Ethics • The NRT materials are secure! Some keys to remember… • Teachers do not access student booklets unless they are testing. • Teachers do not copy booklets. • Teachers do not “teach” to specific test questions. • All educators and administrators must receive and acknowledge receipt of the ETHICS TRAINING provided by Sr. Abir

16. What Can Parents Do to Help Improve Scores? • Explain the Purpose and Importance of Test • Build Enthusiasm to help relieve stress by doing fun activity • Make sure your child receives good night’s sleep • Arrive at school early • Healthy Breakfast with protein (eggs) and calcium (bananas) • Send a healthy meal- Fruit , Protein, Low-Carbs • Say encouraging words as you are dropping off in the morning • Send water bottles for your child – promoting less interruptions • Avoid making any appointments for your child the week of testing

17. Questions