West Des Moines Community Schools administers a variety of assessments to provide students, parents, and staff members with performance information.
Such information is used for:
- identifying how and when to provide differentiated instruction.
- monitoring student growth over time.
- determining the extent to which students are meeting district and state standards.
- providing data to help enrich the curriculum and instruction.
- assisting with the creation of staff goals.
- assisting with the development of district and building goals.
- analyzing trends at the state and national level. How does WDMCS compare?
- providing high school students information for making post-secondary educational and vocational decisions.
State and/or National Assessments
Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP)
Annual assessment for students in grades 3-11
This online assessment replaces the Iowa Assessment as the accountability test for all Iowa students.
The results of the assessment will:
- Be used to confirm other evidence of your child’s learning
- Inform and aid in goal setting at a building and district level
- Allow for more accurate comparison of Iowa schools and students
These tests are administered on the student Chromebooks and appropriate accommodations are provided for students who require them. Our goal is to encourage students to perform to the best of their abilities without creating a pressurized testing environment.
Email Mike Sherman or contact your school’s administrator.
Here are some tips to help your student prepare for the ISASP.
- Relax. There is no way you can study for these tests, and there is no way you will know all the answers. Some questions will be easy and some hard—just give your best effort
- Get a Good Night’s Sleep. Try to go to bed a little earlier the evenings before the tests so you are well rested and can give the tests all your brainpower.
- Eat a Good Breakfast. Food is energy. Examples of great brain food are strawberries, blueberries and yogurt.
- Do Your Best. Read the questions and all possible answers slowly and carefully, and always listen to the direction given by your teacher.
- Be There. Make a special effort to be in school each day the tests are given. If you are absent you will have to make up the tests you miss.