Iowa schools are required to select a state approved literacy assessment and a state approved mathematics assessment for each K-6 grade level at a public school, charter, or participating non-public school. That assessment is set as the default literacy and mathematics assessment for the school year and is used for Healthy Indicators reporting and the automatic calculation of literacy and mathematics risk indicators in Panorama Student Success..
Click to view K-6 Default Assessment Selections (from CASA)
How to Select Default Assessments
The school default assessment selection and district review will occur in the Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA). Timelines allow districts to select their default selection May 11-June 5 and have the opportunity to review and make changes (if needed) August 1-21.
- Team discussions - We recommend working with your administrative team now to discuss your default assessments for next year and to coordinate a plan for timely completion of this task. If any change in administration is expected over the summer, please be sure to make those changes in the School Information Update application in EdPortal with any changes to ensure the CASA application is ready in August.
- Default assessment selection - Building leadership will select and then the superintendent will need to validate the school's default assessment for literacy and math in the Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA) between May 11-June 5 and will have an additional opportunity to review/update August 1 - 21.
- Follow CASA instructions to complete the collection.
Once confirmed in August, the default assessment will remain the same for the school year. Team collaboration to select the assessment and communication of the selection are imperative to ensure accuracy and avoid confusion.