Required Student Assessments

Contact(s)

Christi Donald

515-238-4715

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The purpose of this webpage is to summarize expectations for academic student assessments in Iowa schools.

The tables below identify all assessment requirements for districts and nonpublic schools per federal law and Iowa code during the 2019-2020 school year.

Federal Requirements

Required Assessment	Legal Citation	Grades Required	Testing Window	Comments
State Academic Assessment -- Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP)	Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Iowa Code 256.7(21)(b)(2) and Iowa Code 279.60(3) Applies to public districts	*For ESSA: Reading and mathematics: grades 3-8, 10 and 11. Science: grades 5, 8, and 10. For Iowa Code:* Reading and mathematics: grades 3-11. Science: grades 5, 8 and 10. * See note below table.	Per state statute, tests will be administered during the last quarter of the year. To accommodate district calendars, the testing window for 2019-20 will be open March 16-May 15, 2020.	All students in these grades are to take this assessment. The exception is students taking the state alternate assessment.
State Alternate Assessment -- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)	Every Student Succeeds Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act	Reading and mathematics: grades 3-11. Science: grades 5, 8, and 10.	Fall: Phase 1 Sept. 9-Nov.1, 2019 Fall: Phase 2 Nov. 4-Dec.1, 2019 Spring: Phase 1 Feb. 3-Mar. 20, 2020 Spring: Phase 2 Mar. 23-May 15, 2020	For students with an Individual Education Program (IEP) describing qualification for Iowa’s Alternate Assessments
English Language Proficiency Assessment for the 21st Century (ELPA21) Dynamic Screener and Summative	IA Administrative Code (IAC) rule 281.60.3(1) Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 [Sec. 1112(e)(3)(a) and Sec. 1112(e)(3)(b)]	All K-12 English Learners in a public district. All K-12 English Learners in a nonpublic school accessing Title III resources.	Screening and identification must occur within the first 30 days of enrollment at the beginning of the school year, and within 14 days thereafter. The Summative Assessment window is Feb. 4-March 27, 2020.

Required Assessment

Legal Citation

Grades Required

Testing Window

Comments

State Academic Assessment -- Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP)

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

Iowa Code 256.7(21)(b)(2) and Iowa Code 279.60(3)

Applies to public districts

For ESSA*:
Reading and mathematics: grades 3-8, 10 and 11.
Science: grades 5, 8, and 10.

For Iowa Code*:
Reading and mathematics: grades 3-11.
Science: grades 5, 8 and 10.

* See note below table.

Per state statute, tests will be administered during the last quarter of the year. To accommodate district calendars, the testing window for 2019-20 will be open March 16-May 15, 2020.

All students in these grades are to take this assessment. The exception is students taking the state alternate assessment.

State Alternate Assessment -- Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)

Every Student Succeeds Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Reading and mathematics: grades 3-11.

Science: grades 5, 8, and 10.

Fall: Phase 1 Sept. 9-Nov.1, 2019

Fall: Phase 2 Nov. 4-Dec.1, 2019

Spring: Phase 1 Feb. 3-Mar. 20, 2020

Spring: Phase 2 Mar. 23-May 15, 2020

For students with an Individual Education Program (IEP) describing qualification for Iowa’s Alternate Assessments

English Language Proficiency
Assessment for the 21st Century (ELPA21)
Dynamic Screener and Summative

IA Administrative Code (IAC) rule 281.60.3(1)

Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 [Sec. 1112(e)(3)(a) and Sec. 1112(e)(3)(b)]

All K-12 English Learners in a public district.

All K-12 English Learners in a nonpublic school accessing Title III resources.

Screening and identification must occur within the first 30 days of enrollment at the beginning of the school year, and within 14 days thereafter.

The Summative Assessment window is Feb. 4-March 27, 2020.

* Note: The Iowa School Performance Profiles is a ESSA-required report. Thus, grade 9 is not included in the report, even though they are required by Iowa Code to be assessed.

State Requirements

Required Assessment	Legal Citation	Grades Required	Testing Window	Comments
Preschool Assessment -- Teaching Strategies GOLD	Iowa Code 279.60(1) Applies to public districts and their community partners	All PK or 4-year-old students in a Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program or Early Childhood Special Education program	Fall: Aug. 19-Nov. 15, 2019 Winter: Nov. 16, 2019-Feb. 21, 2020 Spring: Feb. 22-May 22, 2020
Early Literacy Universal Screening and Progress Monitoring Assessment	Iowa Code 279.68	All students K-3, continuing for those students persistently at risk	Fall: Sept. 9-Oct. 4, 2019 Winter: Jan. 13-Feb. 7, 2020 Spring: May 4-May 29, 2020	Districts may use any approved Universal Screening assessment to meet this requirement.
Early Literacy Alternate Assessment (ELAA)	Iowa Code 279.68 and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act	K-3, continuing through 6th grade for those students persistently at risk	Fall: Sept. 3-Oct. 4, 2019 Winter: Oct. 7, 2019-Feb. 7, 2020 Spring: Feb. 10-May 29, 2020	For students with an Individual Education Program (IEP) describing qualification for Iowa’s Alternate Assessments
Diagnostic Literacy Assessment	Iowa Code 256D(1)(b)(1) Applies to public districts	K-3		The required universal screening measures under Iowa Code 279.68 may be used to meet this requirement.
End-of-unit assessment for students taking one-half unit of U.S. Government.	Iowa Code 256.11(5)(b) Applies to public districts and accredited nonpublic schools	Applies to course, not grade level.	End of course

Next Steps and Additional Guidance

The Department will hold webinars and on-site workshops to assist districts in completing their ESSA applications. For more information on Iowa’s ESSA implementation and training schedule, including archived and upcoming webinars, see the ESSA School Improvement Timeline.

For additional ESSA guidance, see the Department’s Every Student Succeeds Act webpage or contact David Tilly at david.tilly@iowa.gov.