Preparing for Screening
Before screening, the first stop for any new or returning user in FastBridge is the Training & Resources tab.
There you will find:
- downloadable testing materials
- benchmarks and norms
- staff training modules for assessment administration and system
- staff assessment certification tests
Both FastBridge and Iowa strongly recommend completion of assessment certifications for new and returning users plus an additional review of administration and scoring rules each screening window. Certifications can be reset by a FastBridge District or School Manager at any time, but a minimum of annual re-certification is encouraged.
Resources:
- Planning for the Screening Window - steps to help ensure an efficient and successful screening window.
- Iowa Screening Windows - The screening windows for Iowa are scheduled by the Iowa Department of Education and preset for districts in the FastBridge application.
- Iowa Default Assessments - Districts are required to select a default literacy assessment for each grade level at each building in the district. The default assessment is used in the calculation of student literacy statuses and in the healthy indicator reports.
Screening
Universal screening assessments are accessible on the screening tab, which is only available in the teacher level view. If you have an account type other than classroom user, go to View As in the upper right corner to filter down to the appropriate building, grade and teacher.
Accessing earlyReading/Math assessments - The FastBridge Reading link (when available) doesn't contain all subtests and the composite. Click the + next to ALL ASSESSMENTS in the left menu (see 3-5 in visual above) to access earlyReading and earlyMath.
Always make sure you're screening the student with the correct grade level assessment. On the screening tab, the grade level is the first two characters in the assessment link on the left hand menu and header in the screening group page. If a student is visible in the wrong grade level on the screening page, contact your FastBridge District Manager for assistance or use the instructions in Iowa: Troubleshooting Rosters and Student Demographics to locate and resolve the problem.
Resources:
- What does it mean when an assessment is in Lab? and FastBridge Lab Measures - Remember: FastBridge labs can't replace your default literacy status for decision making.
- Can aReading or aMath be paused?
- Entering scores via paper-pencil - Don't forget to update the testing date on the test administration page when entering the data in FastBridge. This is the most common error with paper-pencil testing.
- Using the ‘add note’ feature in screening- Notes may be helpful for communicating information about the testing or circumstances to be used in future decision making. The add note feature isn't available for all measures.
Additional Reminders:
Avoid common screening errors:
Discuss a strategy to prevent teachers from screening under the wrong student name, developing a local process to address retesting students (if you haven’t already) and reminding students logging themselves into assessments such as aReading to look for a drop down-box for building and/or grade selection (most will NOT have this box) and choose the correct school before clicking on the assessment. This will prevent the score from ending up under the incorrect school in FastBridge.
Know your district’s support process:
Most districts utilize their FastBridge District Manager (DM) as the first line of support for questions and issues. The DM then submits a ticket in FastBridge for additional assistance, if needed. This does not mean that only DMs can contact support, it’s just the most common. Reminder: chat and phone support functions in FastBridge are not for Iowa use.
Students who are nonverbal, dysfluent, dyslexic, etc. but are NOT on alternate assessments:
Another state approved measure may be used on an individual basis, for the student's literacy status designation calculation if there is a good educational cause.
See: Iowa ELI in the FastBridge Lane
Troubleshooting
Staff Access Issues:
See Iowa: District/School Staff Account Setup and Access Information
Student Account Locked - Too Many Attempts:
When an incorrect student password is entered 10 times in FastBridge, the account will be locked due to too many attempts.
To unlock the student's account: change student’s password on Manage Student Passwords page and provide the new information to the student and/or testing facilitator. A reminder to check for caps lock and possible auto-population of login information would be beneficial to include in the message.
Who can do it: District Manager, School Manager or Specialist
Tip: If time is short, a teacher can log in for the student in using a Group Proctor account ONLY for screening. Never give a group proctor or other staff login to a student.
Resources:
- Iowa: Troubleshooting Rosters and Student Demographics - troubleshooting students who are missing, on the wrong class list, or with incorrect demographic data
- Troubleshooting - System Issues - diagnose issues with slow loading, audio/video, display and running system diagnostics.
- "Login is already in use" Student Password Error - what to do when this error message is received while setting up student logins/passwords.
- "No tests are available" or "No Active Enrollments Found" when a student logs in- no tests is usually related to setting up student login access. No active enrollments found is usually related to rosters (student scheduling).
- Iowa: Troubleshooting Missing Scores
- A student was accidentally assessed under the wrong name. What do I do?
- What is the flag next to a score?
- Deleting a Score - BEWARE: once deleted, scores can't be restored. Each district is strongly encouraged to have a process and policy for deleting scores and/or retesting students (See: Iowa: Planning for the Screening Window). Please make sure you're following your district's plan.
FAQs:
Do I need to progress monitor during the screening window?
This is a local decision. While it might make sense to skip collecting PM data the week that the child is screened, it is still important to know what progress the student is or is not making and if you need to intensify (or fade) instruction/intervention. Keep in mind the function of progress monitoring is to have frequent data to judge the student’s progress toward success in order to adjust ineffective interventions. A four to six week gap in progress monitoring data could result in a lot of lost instructional time that might potentially be spent continuing to blindly use an ineffective intervention.
Where do I mark a student who is on alternate assessment or screened with another approved measures (eg. they take aReading instead of the district default CBMR)?
There is not a place in FastBridge to note this. It’s OK to keep track of it locally. It is not required to send this information to the Iowa Dept of Ed. If a student takes alternate assessment, they will be present in that system.
See: Iowa ELI in the FastBridge Lane
A student moved in from another district during the screening window, why haven't scores transferred?
The FastBridge data system does not support cross-district data transfers, only within-district transfers. You will have to contact the prior district for scores.
See: Student moving - Data transfer in Iowa: Rosters and Troubleshooting