Task

Resources

Review system requirements with your district tech team

• Confirm that hardware, software and network are compatible.
• Ensure school and district email accounts can receive emails from the following domains:
  • govdelivery.com
  • fastbridge.org
  • zendesk.com
  • illuminateed.com
  • panoramaed.com

Refresh your knowledge about Iowa processes for Fastbridge

• Review Iowa documentation in the FastBridge knowledge base under Iowa Resources. 

A newbie (& veteran) guide to system and process differences for Iowa

Iowa ELI in the FastBridge Lane

Review information about new releases in the FastBridge system for the new year

Product release page

Task

Resources

Required

Select your default assessments in CASA (School Principal).

Student Information System updates (work with your SIS data entry manager)

• Install updates to your SIS and/or SIF agent and set to transmit data for the new school year. Your SIS vendor will generally contact your district's SIS manager/tech department with information on this.
• Enter data into the student information system: teachers, courses/classes, and students assigned to courses.
• Review the staff account creation and management processes 
• Assign user roles for FastBridge and Student Success, as needed.

Iowa: How the Automated Roster Process Works

Iowa: Roster and Student Data Management

Assigning FAST/MTSS User Roles in the district student information system

Identify new teachers/staff

• Arrange for training or mentoring from an experienced staff member
• Assist them with creation of an EdPortal account (if needed)

Reset teacher certifications on assessments for the new year and prompt staff to re-certify

• While the system allows you to leave certifications intact, it is far better to make sure that those administering tests can still do so in a reliable way - you don’t want garbage for data!

Set up district progress monitoring calendar for the year

• This feature lets you deselect weeks on the PM calendar for winter break, spring break weeks for all teachers at once!
• BEWARE of school calendar changes during the year. Example: If the last day of school is pushed to later due to snow days, you must update the PM calendar or no PM will be available. Once the week starts, you can't change it on the PM calendar.

Task

Resources

Create progress monitoring plans for students in need

Prompt teachers to check rosters in FastBridge

• Do this ONLY after you've confirmed the following: 
  • any SIS/SIF program updates have been installed 
  • it is set to send the current year's data
  • all student schedule data entry is complete
• Remember: Data entry and changes to rosters occur in your student information system, NOT in FastBridge.

Communicate important information to staff and administration. Suggested topics:

• Screening windows
• Default assessments
• Materials changes, if applicable
• District assessment certification plan
• Review rosters
• New system releases
• Reminder of ELI requirements and setup of interventions in Student Success

Iowa Screening Windows

ELI in the FAST Lane

Assign student passwords, if using student logins for some measures.