Duluth
Area Catholic Schools administer the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS),
primarily starting in the third grade and continuing through grade seven. We
give these standardized achievement tests for several reasons.
School staff uses ITBS results to measure
effectiveness in the classroom and to assist in continuous improvement of
curricula. Results also help teachers in meeting the educational needs of
individual students and groups of students within our school communities.
Scores allow us to compare academic performance against national standardized
test results. They are one of many assessment tools we use to track student
progress, pinpoint where more teaching assistance is required, and ensure that
each individual student gets the personalized attention they need to succeed.
Test results are recorded as percentiles that
measure the performance of our students in relation to national student groups.
This enables staff to identify the strengths of our educational programs and
areas where more emphasis is needed. Generally
speaking, our students perform in the top quartile of the national norms and
1.5 to 2.0 grade equivalents above their current grade placement. Having
this knowledge is valuable for achieving accreditation and accountability.
In addition to core skills tests, our third and
fifth graders take a variety of cognitive abilities tests. These tests provide a scale for
appraising levels and patterns of cognitive growth and development by measuring
overall efficiency of cognitive processes in three domains: verbal,
quantitative, and nonverbal. Combined with a strong emphasis on faith,beyond tests, and commitment to technology, Duluth Area Catholic Schools provide and education you can't get in any other local school. instructional practices that each.
