Testing and Assessment Information
Testing / Assessment Information
Below Is a Listing of State Mandated Assessments and Other Local Assessments for the 2025-2026 School Year.
GRADE 2
PURPOSE AND USE
The Second Grade Assessment Is an Optional Test That Schools Can Choose to Administer. This Assessment Will Provide Valuable Data to Both Second and Third Grade Teachers, Ensuring That Our Youngest Learners Are Strengthening Foundational Literacy and Math Skills Early in Their Academic Careers.
ADMINISTRATIVE WINDOW
April 14 - May 2, 2026
RESULTS TO PARENTS
Score Reports from the 2025-2026 School Year for Grade 2 Will Be Provided to Districts Distribute to Parents.
GRADES 3-12
PURPOSE AND USE
The State Tests Are Designed to Assess True Student Understanding and Not Just Basic Memorization and Test-Taking Skills.
ADMINISTRATIVE WINDOW
April 14-May 2, 2026 (3-5)
April 15 - April 28, 2026 (6-8 and EOC)
RESULTS TO PARENTS
Score Reports from The 2025-2026 School Year for Grades 3–12 Will Be Provided to Districts to Distribute to Parents.
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Alternate State assessments are designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The structures of alternate assessments are designed around the students’ physical and cognitive disabilities in a way that allows them to answer test questions and participate in the test as independently as possible.
PURPOSE AND USE
This Test Is Given to Help Measure How Much a Student Grows Academically Over the Course of a School Year.
ADMINISTRATIVE WINDOW
Fall- September 9 - September 25, 2025
Spring - February 3 - February 19, 2026
RESULTS TO PARENTS
Districts Receive Individual Performance Reports Which Detail Student Performance in Early Summer and Will Then Share These with Parents.
ACT
Students Are Required to Take a College Entrance Exam (Either the ACT Or SAT) In the Eleventh Grade. This Is a Graduation Requirement for Students Seeking a Regular or Honors Diploma. IOTA Community Schools has bonded a Contract with ACT To Provide an Opportunity to Take the ACT At Their Own School During the School Day at No Cost to the Student.
PURPOSE AND USE
These Exams Are Used to Measure College Readiness and HOPE Scholarship Eligibility.
ADMINISTRATION WINDOW AND DATE OF ADMINISTRATION
First Window: October 1-3 & 13-16
Second Window: October 20-23 & 27-29
Third Window: November 3 & 5-7
RESULTS TO PARENTS & STUDENTS
Student Level Reports Are Provided by ACT To Students Approximately Three to Eight Weeks After the Administration of the Assessment.
ELPA21 FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS
English Learners Will Take the ELPA21For ELLs to Determine Language Proficiency. ELPA21 Assesses Students in The Four Language Domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, And Writing.
PURPOSE AND USE
Administered To English Learners to Evaluate English Proficiency.
ADMINISTRATION WINDOW
February 3-March 24, 2026
RESULTS TO PARENTS
Districts Receive Individual Performance Reports Which Detail Student Performance in Early Summer and Will Distribute These to Parents in Fall of the Next School Year.
NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS (NAEP)
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Is the Largest Nationally Representative and Continuing Assessment of What America's Students Know and Can Do in Various Subject Areas. Assessments Are Conducted Periodically in Mathematics, Reading, Science, Writing, The Arts, Civics, Economics, Geography, U.S. History, And in Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL).
PURPOSE AND USE
NAEP Assessments Are Administered Uniformly Using the Same Sets of Test Booklets Across the Nation. NAEP Results Serve as A Common Metric for All States and Selected Urban Districts. The Assessment Stays Essentially the Same from Year to Year, With Only Carefully Documented Changes. This Permits NAEP To Provide A Clear Picture Of Student Academic Progress Over Time. In Even-Numbered Years, NAEP Measures Tennessee Student’s Academic Achievement Against Students In Other States Also Taking This Test.
ADMINISTRATIVE WINDOW
January 27 – March 7, 2026
RESULTS TO PARENTS
The State Does Not Provide District or Student Level Results.
Other Assessments and Benchmarks Administered Within Our District:
Aimsweb+ Reading and Math
PURPOSE AND USE
Given to all students as a Universal Screener in Reading and Math to determine students in need of intervention services and provides progress monitoring for students receiving those services.
ADMINISTRATIVE WINDOW
Fall: August 5, 2025 - September 27, 2025
Winter: December 2, 2025 - January 31, 2026
Spring: March 31, 2026 - May 16, 2026
RESULTS TO PARENTS
Parent Reports are sent home to parents following each administration
ELS Benchmark Assessments
PURPOSE AND USE
Given to all students in grades 2-5 ELA and Math, 6-8 ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies, and all EOC to determine progression in mastery of grade level standards.
ADMINISTRATIVE WINDOW
September 16 - October 4, 2025 - Benchmark 1
December 2 - December 20, 2025 - Benchmark 2
February 24 - March 14, 2026 - Benchmark 3
ACT Practice Tests
All Northgate College Prep High School students and Kirby Middle School 8th graders have the opportunity to take a practice ACT, which measures college and career readiness, two times during the school year. Students will receive a copy of their score reports with individual plans for improvement four to six weeks after the test date.