In Iowa, the 2011-2012 academic year saw the introduction of the Iowa Assessments, which replaced the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). As the Assessments were aligned with the Iowa Core standards, they proved to be more challenging than what students were used to.
The Iowa Assessments, which feature questions on reading, vocabulary, social studies and mathematics, are designed to identify students' academic strengths and weaknesses, while also displaying the quality of instruction in the state's schools. Based on test takers' scores for the 2011-2012 academic year, a large number of students are in need of assistance in the areas of reading and mathematics.
Overall, Iowa's 2012 State Report Card for No Child Left Behind reveals that 58 percent of public schools failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks. This was an increase over last year's percentage of 37.4. At the same time, 17 percent of school districts missed AYP, which was up from 11 percent in the previous year.
"Student achievement will be stronger in the long run as our state assessments evolve to match our standards, which have been raised to better prepare students for the demands of our globally competitive marketplace," said Jason Glass, director of the Iowa Department of Education.
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