Idaho’s Department of Education asks for input on standardized testing in schools

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IDAHO — The Idaho Department of Education is asking for input from Idaho residents on what they expect for the outcome of statewide testing.

According to the Idaho Department of Education (SDE), students in Idaho are assessed every Spring on their education achievement and growth by taking the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT) or the Idaho Alternate Assessment (IDAA), which asks a variety of questions on English Language Arts (ELA), math and science.

All feedback is anonymous and not every question is required to be answered. You can submit your feedback through this survey through the Idaho Department of Education. The survey will close on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.

Third through eighth and 11th grade students are tested on ELA and math. Fifth, eighth and 11th grade students are also tested for science. While these tests can take a chunk of the day, the results can show how each student learns and how well a school educates its students.

According to Idaho Ed News, Idaho State set a goal for proficiency in both the ISAT ELA and ISAT math. For the ISAT ELA, the goal was to have 68.7% of students proficient, but in 2022, only 54.8% reached proficiency. The numbers for ISAT math also fell short of the set goal of 61.1%, with only 41.9% of students proficient in the subject.

These tests are mostly geared toward those involved in education, but the public is also encouraged to take them.

The data collected can show how well a school is teaching materials to students, how well an individual student is learning from what their teacher is teaching and even how well school districts are using tax dollars. To find specific data on your school or district, visit the ISAT Comprehensive Assessment System page to find data.


 

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