TO: Board Members
FROM: Ying Ying Chen, Todd Martin and Tracy Schipper; CCSD Curriculum, Instruction,
and Assessment
RE: State/National Standards and Assessments
DATE: March 10, 2014
Iowa Core, Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards
The idea of statewide standards for Iowa's high school students started in 2005. Between 2005
and 2008, the work expanded into K-8.
(Source: https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/iowa-core/iowa-core-background)
The original Iowa Core essential concepts and skills included math, literacy, science, social
studies and 21st century skills. The skills were broken down into grade bands (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 912).
For the first time, students in Marshalltown were expected to learn the same things as students
in Mason City. Iowa was the last state in the country to adopt state standards.
In 2009, drafts of the common core state standards were released to the public. These math
and literacy standards were a result of a movement initiated by the National Governors
Association and Council of Chief State School Officers (Source:
http://www.corestandards.org/resources/process)
The Iowa State Board of Education unanimously approved the common core state standards in
fall 2010. Math and literacy standards previously in the Iowa Core essential concepts and skills
were replaced by (primarily) grade-level standards shared by forty-four other states. (Source:
http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Iowa- Adopts-Common-Core-State-Standards-99572754.html
and http://www.corestandards.org/in-the-states )
In summary, Iowa currently has a mix of standards that are state specific and standards other
states have also voluntarily adopted. All of these standards are collectively referred to as the
Iowa Core Essential Concepts and Skills.(Source:
http://www.corestandards.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions)
Content Area
Math
English / Language Arts /
Literacy
Science
Social Studies
21st Century Skills
Music, Art, P.E., Career &
Technical Education,
Health, Foreign Language
*Grade/Course
Format
Iowa Core Essential Grade levels (K-8)
Concepts & Skills
Domains (9-12)
CCSD Standards
Iowa Core Essential Grade levels (K-8)
Concepts & Skills
Domains (9-12)
Iowa Core Essential
Concepts & Skills
Iowa Core Essential
Concepts & Skills
Iowa Core Essential
Concepts & Skills
***Locally created
based on National
Standards
Grade bands (K-2, 3-5,
6-8, 9-12)
Grade bands (K-2, 3-5,
6-8, 9-12)
Grade bands (K-2, 3-5,
6-8, 9-12)
Grade levels or
courses (K- 12) in
progress.
Relationship to National
Standards
Almost identical to Common
Core math standards
Almost identical to Common
Core English/Language Arts
standards
**None currently
None
None
None
*When grade bands or domains are present, CCSD teachers are working towards identifying which
class/grade these essential concepts & skills are most appropriate for our students.
**A task force has made a recommendation to the Iowa Board of Education to adopt the Next Generation
Science Standards, however the Board of Education has not yet acted upon this recommendation.
(Source: (Assessment Task Force)
***A group is currently lobbying fine arts to be included in the Iowa Core Essential Concepts and Skills as
well. (Source http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20140130/NEWS01/140130003/Should-fine-artsincluded-Iowa-Core-curriculum)
Smarter Balanced Assessments
Iowa Code currently requires Iowa students to take math, science and literacy Iowa
Assessments (formerly Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and Iowa Tests of Educational Development)
in various grade levels for federal and state accountability requirements.
A task force will/may suggest requirements for a new assessment that is better aligned to state
standards. (Source: https://www.educateiowa.gov/resources/boards-commissions-committeescouncils-and-task- forces/assessment-task-force)
The task force is scheduled to meet periodically through August 2014 with recommendations
due January 2015.
Iowa is a member state of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC). In addition to
the Iowa Assessment, the Smarter Balanced Assessments are one of two assessments
(PARCC is the other) currently being created by representatives from multi-state consortiums to
assess the common core math and literacy standards. (Source:
http://www.smarterbalanced.org/about/member-states/)
Our thoughts and inquiries:
1. Smarter Balanced Assessments will be ready for 2014-15, so Iowa school districts would
need to know at minimum prior to the beginning of the school year if they were required
to use it. (Source: http://www.smarterbalanced.org/timeline/)
2. The CC and Smarter Balance Assessments increase the rigor for what students need to
know and how they will demonstrate their learning.
3. Any new assessment(s), resulting from the task force's recommendations, could be
Smarter Balanced Assessments, a new form of Iowa Assessments, or something totally
different (or we could continue with current Iowa Assessments Form E that are not 100%
aligned with the standards)
4. It seems extremely likely Iowa schools will be administering Iowa Assessments during
2014-15 even though Iowa is member state in the Smarter Balanced Assessment
Consortium (SBAC), due to the assessment task force timeline and the amount of
preparation districts would need to make this change prior to the upcoming school year.
5. In the future, if Iowa require students to take the Smarter Balanced Assessments, rather
than Iowa Assessments for math and literacy accountability, would Iowa Assessments
still be mandated for science accountability?
6. If Iowa Assessments were phased out in favor of a new assessment, how would student
"growth" be measured using the Iowa Assessments and a new test?
7. Assuming Next Generation Science Standards are adopted by the state of Iowa, will the
Iowa Assessments science test change as well? Will a new science assessment at the
national level be created that is more closely aligned with NGSS?