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The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) is a standardized test of educational attainment that was originally developed by the Education Department of the University of Iowa. The test measures the skill level of students in the areas of Reading, Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. It is administered to SCS students in grades 2 through 8 in late Sepember of each school year.
The test scores are evaluated for each student. The student is then ranked in several ways against the universe of students who took the test that year. The scores are an important barometer of the progress of students for parents, teachers and administrators.
While the test itself has changed very little, the students who take it have changed drastically. In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act required the states to measure the progress of the students within their public school systems. Each state was given the option either using a nationally administered standardized test or devising a test of its own. Almost all states selected the latter option. As a result, the number of public school systems that administer the ITBS has fallen from a majority of the states in 2000 to two states (Iowa and Utah) in 2007.
There are two reasons why the states left the ITBS. First, when a state administers its own test it creates jobs in its local area. This is a very good thing. Second, because each state gives its own test, it need not be worried about its schools being compared to schools in other states. For some states, the absence of comparisons is very attractive.
When the public school systems were taking the ITBS, the private schools, who have traditionally used the ITBS and continue to do so, had scores that were much higher than public school scores. But now that the public schools have removed themselves from the pool, the scores from private schools are lower because the universe of students taking the test is now much better prepared.
SCS test scores have always been very good. In fact, last year our eighth grade class finished in the top ten percent of the nation in mathematics. However, the scores did appear to be lower then in previous years. That is because SCS is now being compared to the private schools of the United States rather than both private and public schools.
In many ways, last years achievement was particularly noteworthy. SCS had several special needs students in the eighth grade. They were part of our Inclusive Education Program. At SCS, students with special needs have always been tested along with everyone else. The ITBS is especially difficult for special needs children because they usually receive some accomodations when taking their examinations at SCS. But the ITBS is different. All SCS students take the exam without any special accomodations. There are good pedagological reason for doing this. Most private schools do not include special needs kids in their average scores; SCS does. As a result, the top-ten-percent rating of our mathematics students was more exceptional than might be thought.
SCS is proud of the accomplishments of all of its students. We shine very brightly on the ITBS. That's what happens where faith and knowledge meet. For more information about ITBS, please contact the school.
