In a few weeks you will receive your child’s ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) results. This test is given to students in grades 3 through 8 in the North American Division and in the public and other private schools throughout the United States (31 states). I hope the following information will help to clarify any questions you may have.
What is the ITBS?
The ITBS is a norm-referenced test. A norm-referenced test compares our students’ performance to a norming group made up of students throughout the U.S. The test is developed by creating the test items and then administering the test to a nationally representative group of students. This is called the “norming group.” Then our scores are compared to the average or norm of that group. The average score is set at the 50th percentile.
ITBS scores do not tell you what students know or are able to do. They only tell you how your child compares to other students. They sort and rank students on a curve. For example, if a student receives a percentile rank on the total test of 87, this means he/she scored higher than 87 percent of the students in the norm group, while only 13% scored higher than this student.
Unfortunately, these test results give little information about what the student actually knows. Scoring at the 60th percentile in math tells us only that the student scored higher than 60 percent of his/her peer. It does not tell us how many math skills were mastered.
The questions on this test reflect the content of nationally used textbooks not necessarily the local or state curriculum. This means that our students may be tested on things not in our curriculum. It does not determine whether students have learned the material they have been taught. A disadvantage with achievement tests is that the validity of the score depends on whether or not the content of the test matches the skills and knowledge expected of the students in the school system. In other words, did the test assess material in our curriculum?
Why has the ITBS been chosen?
The North American Division of Seventh day Adventist (NAD) has chosen this test because this is the most widely used test by public and private schools across the nation. Parents and the public expect an achievement test to be given. The ITBS can provide information about a student’s most developed and least developed skills. The Kentucky Tennessee Conference is pleased that our ITBS scores rank higher than the national norm.
Problem
One test cannot serve all testing purposes. Unfortunately, the public has placed too much emphasis on this one test, a multiple choice test, which gives us little information as to how well the student can apply their knowledge and skills. This test cannot show whether a student can write a research paper, debate important issues, conduct and report on a science experiment, or make a public presentation on the causes of the Civil War.
We are also aware that some students just do not test well. With this being the case, the test will not give a true indication as to what these students can really do. Students with test anxiety tend to do well in other types of assessments such as presenting their knowledge in oral reports or essays. With ITBS being a timed test, some do not finish the test even if they know the material. Not completing the test affects one’s score.
Why not the TCAP (Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program)?
This question is asked frequently. We do not give this test because this particular test measures how well a student has learned the Tennessee state curriculum rather than how the student compares with a national group. Parents want to know how our students compare with other students in the nation, not just a single state. Another reason we do not give the TCAP is because the state of Tennessee has an embargo on the test, and we are not allowed to purchase it. In the past we have been allowed to give the TCAP to eighth graders.
The ideal would be to have a test written just for the SDA curriculum and compare our students with other Adventist students using the same curriculum across North America.
Why do we test in the fall?
All Seventh day Adventist schools across North America test in the fall because we use the data a little differently than those who test in the spring. We take the data in the fall, along with other assessments, and make plans to help students in areas of weaknesses. In other words, the data is translated to information to guide the teachers in how to best meet the needs of his/her students. We use the results in the fall to measure growth and to look at the progress made from the previous fall. Most public school systems test in the spring and use the data to help them determine students for remedial and gifted programs, as well as, to group students according to their ability level.
How are we different from other schools using this type of test?
Unlike other private schools that are selective, we accept most children regardless of ability or special needs. We do not discriminate according to one’s ability. We test all students, providing if necessary, the accommodations outlined for an individual student whose special needs have been legally identified. Scores reported for total class/school averages are those of students without special needs.
Future Goal
In order to measure what we expect students to know we need a “standards based test” written that would match the Southern Union and national standards. This type of standards based (criterion-reference) test would actually determine what students can do and what they know, not how they compare to others. We have the Southern Union/national standards that describe what students should know and be able to do in different subjects at various grade levels, but we do not have a test to measure if these standards are being mastered. With this type of test, it would indicate what individuals can do, not how they scored in relation to the scores of particular groups of people (norm-referenced test- ITBS)
Conclusion
We are extremely proud how well our students do on the ITBS. There is no perfect test to determine what our students have accomplished. We do know that standardized achievement tests can provide supplementary information for the teacher, but it cannot replace teacher observations and classroom assessment information.
The learning of academic skills is a continuous process and the rate each student learns differs widely among those of the same age and grade. Some learn quickly, while others learn more slowly. Some students make more progress with certain methods, materials, and teaching styles than others. Our teachers have the challenge of identifying and providing the best conditions for learning which vary from child to child. Ongoing individual assessment is documented for each student, and students are moved according to their appropriate instructional levels. Our teachers will continue using the most reliable assessment tools we have such as running records, DIBELS, reading and writing portfolios, Jerry Johns Reading Inventory, projects, essays, portfolios (collection of student work), authentic assessment where students actually mirror the kinds of tasks people do in the real world, and teacher created tests to determine how well students understand the curriculum. We will continue to work with our students to encourage them to work at their highest level and potential.
Our curriculum has a Christ-centered, character-developing focus. Our teachers deliver high quality instruction in a loving, kind atmosphere so that all students can learn skills needed to prepare them for this life and for heaven. We evaluate students not only for academic achievement, but also for growth in Christian character development. No achievement test can evaluate this. We, in the Kentucky Tennessee Conference, feel it is a privilege to facilitate this journey and pray that it will be a part of a life-long endeavor for all of our students to grow in Christ.
Pam Williams
Associate Superintendent of Schools
Kentucky Tennessee Conference
Emyria Furman was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where her family still lives. She is married to Fred Furman and they have two sons, Evan, 19 and Elliot, 13. Before coming to MCE, Emyria worked at F H Jenkins. 
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