myIGDIs FAQs

System Basics

Can I use other early literacy screening assessments instead of myIGDIs (e.g., GRTR, FAST for PK, PELI)?

It is not required to use myIGDIs for early literacy screening and progress monitoring in preschool. However, myIGDIs was selected after an RFP for early literacy screening and progress monitoring assessments based on rigorous review criteria. myIGDIs demonstrates adequate technical adequacy for screening and progress monitoring assessment purposes, and is aligned with the Iowa Early Learning Standards. myIGDIs was specifically developed and researched for use with preschool children. Not all of the early literacy assessments under local consideration may have these characteristics. It is recommended to think about the following for other early literacy assessments under local consideration:

• Was it developed and researched specifically for use with the preschool population (for children in the year before kindergarten)? 
• Is it aligned with the Iowa Early Learning Standards?
• Is it technically adequate for early literacy screening and progress monitoring, including its ability to accurately predict risk and its  sensitivity to growth? 
• Is it efficient to administer but includes enough items to accurately predict current risk status (that would be replicated by retesting or by another assessor)? 

Finally, another benefit of using myIGDIs is that, because the vendor was awarded a state contract, myIGDIs may be used for no cost with 4-year-olds (and children in the year before kindergarten), if they are participants in a Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program classroom.

Do we need to login through the EdPortal to administer myIGDIs?

No, myIGDIs has its own data system and customers do not login through EdPortal.

Where is myIGDIs data in Panorama Student Success?

myIGDIs data is now available in Student Success. Bookmark the myIGDIs Q & A in Panorama Academy for details and updates. Scores will be available on the Student tab in the Literacy report, but not in healthy indicator or overview reports. Displays will be dependent on the accuracy of the student roster file in the myIGDIs system and the inclusion of state student ID, district ID, and building ID. See the Rostering for myIGDIs article for more detail.

How do I get myIGDIs seats? I administered myIGDIs in past years, but seats aren’t appearing for me in the myIGDIs data system.

Complete the Intake Survey to get started under the state contract.

How do I update the district contact for myIGDIs?

If you need to update the district contact during the school year, complete the first few items of the Intake Survey.

How do I add myIGDIs seats?

To add seats for districts/programs that already have seats under the state contract, please contact Heather Miller ([e-mail]).

Do I need to complete the intake survey if I completed the interest survey previously?

We are asking all public districts to complete the myIGDIs Intake Survey to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year. Those currently administering myIGDIs will only need to complete the first few items. Those interested in administering myIGDIs for the first time in the 2022-2023 school year will need to complete all items. 

How will I receive information about my district/program’s myIGDIs seats as a new district?

The district contact entered in the myIGDIs intake survey becomes the local myIGDIs contact. The local myIGDIs contact is responsible for distributing information as needed across school staff and community partners (as applicable) to support myIGDIs administration. The local myIGDIs contact should watch for emails from Renaissance (the myIGDIs vendor). Check spam/junk mailboxes for the possibility that messages from Renaissance have been routed there. If information cannot be located after the local myIGDIs contact checks spam/junk mailboxes, contact myIGDIs support: [e-mail] or [phone].

How do we add staff to myIGDIs (School or AEA staff)?

Each district in Iowa has a single designated myIGDIs contact. If you have an administrative role in myIGDIs for your school, you can add users with these directions: myIGDIs Account Set Up. If you are a teacher or school user, please contact your local myIGDIs administrator or email myIGDIs support at [e-mail]. If you are an AEA user, please contact one of your AEA myIGDIs contacts (each AEA has two). If you are not sure who the myIGDIs contacts are for your AEA, email Mary Breyfogle at [e-mail].

My district had myIGDIs seats under the state contract last year. Do we need to complete the intake survey again? Will the previous year’s myIGDIs seats rollover?

We are asking all public districts to complete the myIGDIs Intake Survey to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year. Those currently administering myIGDIs will only need to complete the first few items. 

Login to myIGDIs and verify the number of seats you have. Contact Heather Miller at [e-mail] if additional seats will be needed.

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myIGDIs Administration

Who should myIGDIs be administered to?

myIGDIs early literacy screening is currently available for 4-year-olds in Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program classrooms, including community partners. myIGDIs is approved to be utilized with children in the preschool grade level in the year before kindergarten.

When should we schedule myIGDIs screening?

Learners may be screened any time within the myIGDIs windows, preferably near the beginning of the program school year (fall) and near the beginning of the screening window (winter and spring). myIGDIs assessments are available August 15-November 14 (fall); November 15-February 14 (winter); and February 15-May 14. We recommend trying to screen most learners within 2-4 weeks from the beginning of the window. Benefits of this recommendation include:

The screening windows will be spaced apart more evenly, allowing optimal time for instruction in between.

There is more availability of progress monitoring. Progress monitoring becomes available only after learners have been screened each window and the most frequently you can progress monitor is every 3 weeks.

You can more easily compare the effect of instruction on learners who are screened close together. Screening is always available for the whole assessment window, in case someone moves in or is unavailable during the initial local screening period.

Should a preschool partner administer myIGDIs to their students?

Yes, myIGDIs is available to all preschool programs and partners in Iowa. A separate building should be created in the myIGDIs data system under the school district for each preschool partner. Learners should be rostered to the partner preschool building/program in the myIGDIs system if that aligns with enrollment information in the public school district’s student information system. Learners will be assessed at their attendance center. 

In rare circumstances, learners may be rostered to both the public school building/program and the partner building/program. It is recommended that the learner be assessed at the location where they receive the majority of their instruction. Do not assess students twice (in both locations) as data will be lost. Regardless of where the learner is assessed, the data will be visible on the individual student page of Student Success for both locations.

Can we use the myIGDIs kits we have and upload the data?

No, the state contract only provides for iPad administration of myIGDIs.

How do I receive upcoming and recorded training information?

There are no scheduled trainings at this time. Please go to RenU (one-time login required) to access any recordings of professional learning within the current year.

Is myIGDIs required?

No, myIGDIs is a voluntary literacy screening tool for preschool. It is intended for learners in their preschool year before kindergarten.

I won’t be able to administer myIGDIs to all intended children as planned because of ____ (absence, interruption, illness, etc.). Will the district be dinged? What guidance can be offered?

There will be no consequence if myIGDIs is not administered to all children intended. myIGDIs is a voluntary literacy screening tool for preschool. It is possible that the assessment can still be administered to a handful of children at a later date than others, still within the screening window.

Can myIGDIs be administered virtually?

The vendor (Renaissance) recommends avoiding virtual administration of myIGDIs. It is recommended to wait until in-person administration is possible, within a given screening window.

Can we do myIGDIs instead of GOLD?

No, GOLD is a required assessment. myIGDIs can be administered in addition to GOLD to support a healthy Multi-Tiered System of Support.

What accommodations are allowed during myIGDIs administration?

A list of allowed accommodations and modifications from Renaissance is available for young children participating in myIGDIs early literacy screening. Each myIGDIs subtest is designed with modeled items, practice items, and discontinue rules to ensure the learner is able to complete the task and that the assessment will provide valid information about early literacy skills. Typically, an accommodation would be provided for an assessment only if the learner receives a similar accommodation for classroom activities. A good rule of thumb is to use the “least” amount of accommodation or modification needed.

As part of a district wide assessment plan, preschoolers with an IEP should participate, as much as practicable, in the early literacy screening. If a learner has accommodations and/or modifications for assessments identified in their IEP, those must be offered. The published benchmarks are still valid when allowed accommodations are used, as long as the test is still otherwise administered using standardized procedures. Since some modifications may change something important about what the test measures, benchmarks can no longer be applied; however, modifications that allow the child to participate still provide important information (like growth) and can be used instructionally to support learning. Even if a learner is already known to have risk, early literacy screening in preschool provides an opportunity to participate, gain instructional information, and show growth in important early literacy skills.

Neither accommodations or modifications should be used to get a better score. Remember, screening exists to help identify additional instructional supports for learners while gaps are smaller and easier to address. By inflating a score, the child may miss out on an opportunity to be given the appropriate instruction for their needs.

May myIGDIs be administered to support decisions about special education eligibility or retention?

Occasionally questions arise about using myIGDIs individually with a learner when the program is not using myIGDIs as a universal screening measure. For example, an educator may want to administer myIGDIs as part of a more comprehensive look at the learner’s needs in the educational setting or for further formal evaluation. In these cases, other data would be collected about a child's skills, progress, and needs besides myIGDIs. myIGDIs would be used along with multiple sources of information about the child's skills and needs in the area of early literacy and other domains. In particular, it would be inappropriate to use myIGDIs alone as a single point of discrepancy, in the situation of evaluation for special education eligibility. However, considering the student's response to intensified intervention and instructional supports, it could be used alongside other data as part of a comprehensive picture of the learner. myIGDIs may specifically be useful in determining which literacy domains would be most beneficial for ongoing goals and focus. While individual indicators related to alphabetic principle are efficient for progress monitoring and good predictors of risk, myIGDIs also provides well-rounded literacy information that includes vocabulary, oral language, and by proxy comprehension through the multiple subtests. It would be additive to the portion of an evaluation, including an eligibility evaluation, that identifies ongoing instructional needs, whether a young learner qualifies for an IEP or not. Again, it is intended for myIGDIs to be used universally with preschool programs so that this information is available as part of a record review for the student, however it is permissible to gather this information individually if it is not available.

Under no circumstances should myIGDIs be used as a deciding factor in promotion to kindergarten or retention in preschool.

myIGDIs is not approved to be used for learners marked as kindergarten grade level in the local Student Information System. It is approved and intended to be utilized with children in the preschool grade level in the year before kindergarten.