Iowa: Default Assessments

Iowa: Default Assessments

Iowa schools are required to select a state approved literacy assessment for each K-6 grade level. That assessment is set as the default literacy assessment for the school year and is used for data reporting for Healthy Indicators and Early Literacy Implementation (ELI) requirements. For districts who utilize FastBridge math assessments, you are encouraged to select a default math assessment, as this will allow the data to populate into reports in the Student Success data system.

How to Select Default Assessments

The school default assessment selection and district review will occur in the Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA). This collection in CASA must be completed between August 1-15th.

1. Team discussions - We recommend working with your administrative team now to discuss your default assessments for next year and to coordinate a plan for timely completion of this task. If any changes in administration is expected over the summer, please be sure to make those changes in the School Information Update application in EdPortal with any changes to ensure the CASA application is ready in August.
2. Default assessment selection - Building principals will select the school's default assessment for literacy and math in the Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA) between August 1 - 15. Superintendents will then have two weeks to validate the selection. See K-8 Default Assessment Collection Instructions for more information on how to do it in CASA.

Once selected, the default assessment will remain the same for the school year. Team collaboration to select the assessment and communication of the selection are imperative to ensure accuracy and avoid confusion.

Viewing Previous Default Literacy Assessment Selections 

How to look at current default assessment selections

View your selection for the current year, or the upcoming school year (after August 1st) in the CASA system.

How to look at prior default assessment selections

Tip: The previous year's default literacy assessments selected for the district/building are visible in CASA during the new default selection process.

Click to view default assessment archive

Filtering the default assessment sheet

(you may also use the find function in the spreadsheet, but make sure you account for ALL of your buildings)

1. Click the Filter button on the toolbar.
   
   
2. Select Create new temporary filter view from dropdown.
3. To see filter options, click the filter icon in the column header.
   
   
4. Click Clear to remove all pre-selected values.
5. In filter box, start typing district or building name (depending on the column you're filtering) then select district/building from the list generated. TIP: You can select multiple items, and set filters on multiple columns.
6. Click OK.
7. Repeat for additional columns, as desired.