Appendix B: Understanding the Individual Student Reports

This guide explains the Individual Student Reports for Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs) and Focused Interim Assessment Blocks (FIABs), Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs), and Summative Assessments, and provides additional resources to help you understand what a student knows and can do.

What Are the Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs and FIABs)?

Interim Assessment Blocks are computer-based assessments teachers can use throughout the school year to concentrate on sets of concepts in ELA and mathematics. Most Interim Assessment Blocks can be administered in a single class period. They provide teachers with information about what concepts students have already mastered and where they might need additional help. For more information about Interim Assessment Blocks visit the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium website.

What Do the Interim Assessment Block Scores Mean?

A student’s score is a number between 2,000 and 3,000 that falls into one of three reporting categories: Below Standard, Near Standard, or Above Standard. The score provides information about what a student knows and can do based on the assessed content. A student’s teacher will use the score, along with other information, such as classroom assignments and quizzes, to decide what additional support is needed to help the student master the material covered in class.

What Are the Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs)?

Interim Comprehensive Assessments are computer-based assessments teachers can use during the school year that measure the same content as the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment. There is one Interim Comprehensive Assessment for each grade level in ELA and mathematics and each assessment includes a performance task. The Interim Comprehensive Assessments provide information about overall student performance in English and mathematics. For more information, visit the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium website.

What Do the Interim Comprehensive Assessment Scores Mean?

A student’s score is a number between 2,000 and 3,000 that falls into one of four achievement levels (Level 4: Standard Exceeded; Level 3: Standard Met; Level 2: Standard Nearly Met; Level 1: Standard Not Met). The score provides information about what a student knows and can do based on the assessed content. Claim scores provide information about the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate on the assessment related to a particular aspect of the learning standards. For example, a claim within the English Assessment is reading. Claim scores are reported in one of three reporting categories: Above Standard, Near Standard, or Below Standard. A student’s teacher will use these results, along with other information, such as classroom assignments and quizzes, to decide what additional support is needed to help the student master the material covered in class.

What Are the Summative Assessments?

The summative assessments are administered by states, as an accountability measure, at the end of the year to determine students’ grade-level performance and progress toward college and career readiness in ELA and mathematics. The Smarter Balanced summative assessments are available in ELA and mathematics to students in grades 3–8 and high school. Each content area of the online test consists of a computer adaptive test (CAT) as well as a performance task (PT). For more information, visit the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium website.

Summative Assessment Results

Similar to the Interim Comprehensive Assessment scores, a student’s score is a number between 2,000 and 3,000 that falls into one of four achievement levels (Level 4: Standard Exceeded; Level 3: Standard Met; Level 2: Standard Nearly Met; Level 1: Standard Not Met). The score provides information about what a student knows and can do based on the assessed content. Claim scores provide information about the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate on the assessment related to a particular aspect of the learning standards. For example, a claim within the English Assessment is reading. Claim scores are reported in one of three reporting categories: Above Standard, Near Standard, or Below Standard.

How Accurate Are the Assessment Results?

All tests include error, meaning that test results are not perfect measures of what a student knows. On an IAB report, there is an error band that is reported as a +/- number. The error band is located next to the student’s score. The error band accounts for the fact that several factors may affect a student’s test score, such as the sample of test questions, the student’s mental or emotional state during testing, or the conditions under which he or she took the test. For example, being tired, hungry, or under stress and classroom factors such as noise or temperature, or technical issues with the computer might all affect a student’s test performance.

One Measure of a Student’s Success

Assessment results are only one measure of a student’s academic performance. They should be considered along with other available information, such as classroom tests, assignments, grades, and feedback from the teacher, in deciding what additional support a student needs to succeed in his or her learning.