Purpose of Assessment
The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) were administered to all seventh grade students. The purpose of the ITBS is to obtain information about how the performance of Cobb students compares with that of other students across the nation. Results of these tests will also be used by schools to help improve instruction.
What is Tested?
The fall administration of the ITBS took place during a five day window. Students took specific sections of the test on each day.
DAY 1
Reading Vocabulary
Reading—Part 1
Reading—Part 2
DAY 2
Spelling
Capitalization
Punctuation
Usage and Expression
DAY 3
Math Concepts and Estimation
Math Problem Solving and
Data Interpretation
Math Computation
DAY 4
Social Studies
Science
DAY 5
Maps and Diagrams
Reference Materials
Parents should focus on a few key areas within the score report to help understand how the student performed on this assessment.
Key Areas
NPR (National Percentile Rank) – The NPR is found in the Scores section of the report. This number explains how well the student did when compared to other students in the same grade level across the nation. For example, if a student scored 76 NPR for reading vocabulary, he/she did as well as, or better than, 76% of all the students in the same grade level who took that test across the nation. The national average for NPR is 50.
NS (National Stanine) - Stanines are found in the Scores section of the report. Stanines group percentiles into three categories: below average, average, and above average. Stanines are grouped as follows:
7,8,9 = considered above average
4,5,6 = considered average
1,2,3 = considered below average
Skills Section - The skills section is located in the bottom half of the score report. This section shows the skills assessed within each subtest and can help you identify a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Parents should focus most of their attention in this area.
There are four important scores in the skills section. Those scores are:
1) Total Items - The number of questions asked for each skill.
2) N. Att. (number attempted) - Shows how many questions your child attempted to answer out of the Total Items possible.
3) % C Student (Percentage of Correct Answers for the Student) - Shows the percentage of questions the student answered correctly for each skill assessed.
4) % C Nation (Average Percent Correct for the National Sample) - Shows the average percentage of questions the national sample of students answered correctly for each skill assessed.
To interpret the skills section, first notice the % C Student. The higher the percentage, the better the student performed. If the percentage is high, it may indicate the skill is a strength for the student. If the percentage is low, that skill may be a weakness. When finding a low percentage, always check to make sure the student attempted all the questions. Also compare the student percent correct with that of the nation. It is possible that the national sample did poorly in that skill area. Finally, consider whether this information is similar to what is seen in the daily work of the student.
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