What to Expect From the New Iowa Assessments™ Test
CHEWV’s annual testing program is in full swing. Registration is open until February 5, and tests will be administered between March 7 and April 1. This year, we have been given the opportunity to begin using the newest version of the Iowa Assessments: Form E. While this is still considered a traditional achievement test, there are a few changes from Form C, the previous version we have been using.
The first thing your child will notice is that the new test booklet is more colorful, which should engage our students better. The format has been altered slightly to make it more readable and easier for the child to keep his place. As usual, grades K-2 will mark directly in a consumable booklet, while grades 3-12 will have separate answer sheets. The answer sheets will look a little bit different, but they use the same basic format – the student will still fill in a bubble for each answer.
The sequence of sub-tests has moved around a bit. Here is an idea of what to expect; for Grades 3-8 (Levels 9-14) the sequence is as follows:
- Reading
- Written Expression
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Vocabulary
- Spelling
- Capitalization
- Punctuation
- Math Computation
- Level 9: Word Analysis
- Level 9: Listening
Note that there are no separate sub-tests for Maps and Diagrams or Reference Materials. These subjects are now absorbed within the other sub-tests instead.
The total number of questions is very similar to Form C, and it will all be multiple-choice as usual. The total amount of time needed is just about the same, and the same guidelines for accommodations apply. When registering a child for 1st grade, you will see that the levels have been changed to make it more like all the other grades. Levels 5 and 6 are now combined into Level 5/6. Level 5/6 will be normed as Kindergarten by default. Level 7 is the standard 1st grade level. This article will be helpful in determining the best level to choose.
The score reports will also be a bit different this year. The old Performance Profile is not included with Form E, but has been replaced with the Student Profile. The Profile Narrative will be included as before. Both reports will look a bit different, but they will still have the same scores (NPR, SS, GE, etc.). CHEWV will continue to generate a WV-specific report containing the legally required information. The specific changes in the score reports will be detailed later this spring when scores are released.
CHEWV’s testing program exists to satisfy the homeschool law’s assessment requirement and its testing conditions. Form C, published in 2007, uses norms from 2005. Under current law, this means that next year (2017) would be the last year Form C can be used for WV assessments. Form E, however, was published in 2012 and uses norms from 2011, affording us several more years of use. As federal mandates and Common Core are changing the look of nationwide testing, we have secured what we believe to be the most traditional, while current, test available that is in full compliance with our WV law – and which is usable for the next half-dozen years. While this version is only available to public and private schools right now, CHEWV has been given special permission from the publisher, and through BJU Press Testing and Evaluation, to use Form E this year. We will be leading the way with the latest and the greatest! It’s a privilege to be the first and to be exclusive with a newer—and much prettier—edition!
As always, if you have questions or concerns about testing, please contact testing@chewv.org. We are happy to help!
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