In Muscatine, Iowa, the state's decision to transition from the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) to the Iowa Assessments is being cited as one of the reasons why three institutions are considered to be "Schools in Need of Assistance" under No Child Left Behind, the Muscatine Journal reported.
Muscatine High School, Central Middle School and West Middle School were the three institutions that were singled out and must prove that their students are proficient in reading and mathematics by the 2014-2015 academic year. Officials from these schools believe that the more challenging nature of the Iowa Assessments was one reason why pupils were not able to meet academic expectations.
While the Iowa Assessments cover many of the same subjects as the ITBS, including reading, mathematics and social studies, they are also aligned with Iowa's core curriculum and provide a sense of how well students are doing at mastering the Common Core State Standards, according to The Riverside Publishing Company's website.
Despite the Muscatine institutions' designation as "Schools in Need of Assistance," many officials are viewing this challenge as an opportunity to turn things around academically.
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