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