Iowa is currently developing an assessment curriculum and state standards. The state recommends using the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) and the ITED (Iowa Tests of Educational Development) to assess student performance. Each district in the state may choose which test to administer.

ITBS
The ITBS consists of 13 different tests that are administered to students in grades 3-8. The tests include: vocabulary, reading comprehension, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, language usage and expression, mathematics concepts and estimation, social studies, maps and diagrams, science, and reference materials.

ITED
The ITED consists of 7 different tests that are administered to students in grades 9-12. These tests include science, social studies, vocabulary, literary materials, expression, sources of information, and quantitative thinking.

Merit’s language arts and math software programs address the skills covered in the ITBS and ITED and can help students prepare for the tests. The content and format of Merit’s programs can help students develop and strengthen their test-taking skills as well as their reading, writing and math skills.

Merit reading software has been proven -- through rigorous, scientifically based research -- to increase both student reading comprehension and standardized test scores. Merit research study findings reveal that education software is an effective tool to improve test scores and academic performance.



Published: May 2005