Dear Parents and Guardians,
From Monday, March 5, 2012 to Friday, March 9, 2012, your student will take the Iowa Assessments™. The purpose of this letter is to inform you about the tests so that—with your support and encouragement—your student will do his or her best on the tests.
About the Iowa Assessments
The Iowa Assessments help determine how students are performing on nationwide standards. These assessments measure achievement in several important content areas including Reading, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. The exact tests that your student takes will depend on his or her grade level. Third grade students may also take Word Analysis and Listening subtests.
The Iowa Assessments help teachers identify a student’s strengths and areas that may need additional emphasis. The Iowa Assessments also measure student growth and progress in the content areas assessed from year to year and may provide information about college readiness for older students. The assessments produce information that enables sound decision making and provides a focus for teachers to evaluate instruction.
Each test includes sample questions to help students become familiar with the content and format of the tests. Samples help students understand what to do—how to mark answers and move from question to question.
For most tests, students read the questions and mark their answers by filling in a circle for each question. All test questions are multiple choice, and the tests last about 10 to 35 minutes.
How your student can prepare for test taking—and what you can do to help
A student who is well rested and well fed and has a positive attitude about testing is best prepared for testing. You can help your student do his or her best by considering these tips:
• Make sure that your student is in school and on time on test days. Reschedule dentist appointments and other out-of-school time on nontesting days.
• Make sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast before each day of testing.
• Remind your student that these tests are only one measure of what he or she has learned. Emphasize that you have confidence in his or her ability to do the best job possible.
• Remind your student to listen to the directions and read each question carefully during testing. Encourage your student to ask the teacher for help if he or she does not understand the directions.
Score reporting and how we use test results
The school will receive test scores a few weeks after testing is completed. These scores will indicate how your student performed on the tests compared with students across the nation in the same grade. Discuss the test results with your student, and if you have any questions, contact your student’s classroom teacher.
BSR uses test results to measure individual student growth from year to year and to monitor the progress of class groups to make sure that our school is meeting or exceeding learning targets.
Thank you very much for encouraging and supporting your student during testing.
Sincerely,
Dr. DeMartino
Principal, BSR