Idaho’s comprehensive assessment system begins with
kindergarten and continues through high school. The state
assessment program focuses primarily on math, reading, and
language usage skills.
The Idaho Reading Indicator is a 10-minute assessment of
early reading skills. All pupils in kindergarten, first grade,
second, and third grade are tested in the fall, winter, and
spring.
Students in grades 2 through 10 take a comprehensive assessment
of reading, language usage, and math skills in the fall and
spring. Districts have the option of offering a winter ISAT
test as well. In 2004, the state will add a science ISAT as
required by federal law. Most students take the multiple-choice
ISAT via computer. It is not timed, but it generally takes
about an hour to complete. The state reports ISAT results
in two ways: fall results reflect the percent of students
who have met their individual growth targets, while spring
results reflect the percent of students who have met state
proficiency targets.
Students in grades 4, 6, and 8 take the timed Idaho Direct
Math Assessment (IDMA) in December each year. The DMA is a
performance assessment that requires students to show their
work.
Students in grades 5, 7, and 9 take the timed Idaho Direct
Writing Assessment (IDWA) in December each year. The DWA is
a performance assessment that requires students to show their
work.
Idaho's comprehensive accountability system focuses on annual
monitoring of state and federal goals for increased student
achievement. The accountability system creates consequences
and rewards for schools and districts based on annual results.
High school students must pass the 10th grade reading, math,
and language arts ISAT in order to graduate.
Merit’s language arts and math software programs correlate
to the Idaho State Achievement Standards and can help students
prepare for the State Assessments. 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 |