Iowa Assessments and ITBS Test (Iowa Test of Basic Skills)

What is the Iowa Test?

The Iowa Tests are achievement tests published by the University of Iowa and are part of the “The Iowa Testing Programs.” The two most commonly-given Iowa Tests are the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Iowa Assessments. Both are achievement tests, meaning they assess a child’s knowledge of what they have learned in school and are not cognitive or IQ tests. Despite the name, many states and private schools administer Iowa Tests. TestingMom.com offers a variety of prep materials for the Iowa Tests. 4.99

What are the Iowa Tests Used for?

The Iowa Assessments are frequently used to test for admissions into gifted and talented or accelerated learning programs. The Iowa Assessments are often used in conjunction with cognitive tests, like the NNAT or CogAT, to get a complete picture of a student’s accomplishments and potential. Schools may also give a creativity test, such as the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking.

Even smart kids can struggle to show what they know on standardized tests like the Iowa Assessments. Prepping for these exams will increase your child’s familiarity with the format and the types of questions they’ll see, boosting confidence on Test Day.

TestingMom.com members get access to hundreds of practice questions for the Iowa Assessments for each grade level, a Parent Success Team who’s standing by to help with your questions, plus 30+ Skill Building Academy games to build math, ELA, social studies and science skills.

Want to try us out? Sign up for a free account today and get 100 practice questions.

What is the difference between the Iowa Assessments and ITBS Test?

In the 2011-2012 school year Houghton Mifflin Harcourt replaced the Iowa test of basic skills (ITBS) and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development with the newly designed Iowa Assessments. The new design was implemented to more closely follow the Common Core State Standards.

The Iowa Assessments can be given via paper/pencil where the student will either answer in a separate booklet or directly on the test. The Iowa Assessments can also be administered online. The method of administration for the Iowa Assessments varies from school to school. Be sure to check with your child’s school to find out how they will be giving the test.

While the Iowa Assessments are aligned, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills are not aligned with Common Core and only go through the 8th grade (level 14). Even though there have been no updated versions of the ITBS released since approximately 2011, the test is still being published and is in use today by many school districts across the country.

Both the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and Iowa Assessments are designed to assess what a student has learned in school. The Iowa Assessments are aligned with Common Core standards, but the ITBS is not. Despite this, the ITBS is still frequently used as an admissions test for Gifted and Talented programs across the US.

Iowa Test levels 5-8 are administered to students from Kindergarten through 2nd grade, while levels 9-14 are given to students from 3rd to 8th grade. Each Iowa Test level consists of a series of subtests that are administered in sections by content.

History of the ITBS and Iowa Test

The ITBS was the original Iowa Achievement Test. It was developed in 1935 and was originally called “Iowa Every Pupil Test of Basic Skills.” Over 80 years later, more-recent editions of the ITBS are still being used today as a tool to monitor and track student progress over time.

There were several people involved in the development of the Iowa:

• Everett Franklin Lindquist
• Harry Greene
• Ernest Horn
• Maude McBroom
• Herbert Spitzer

Homeschooling and the Iowa Assessments

Homeschooling families can also use the Iowa Assessments and the ITBS to confirm a child’s learning progress, since the test is sufficient to meet state homeschooling requirements.

What Material is on the Iowa Test and ITBS?

The tests are written in levels 5-14. You will see below that there is some overlap between the different levels of the test.

• Level 5 (K.1 – Grade 1.5): This level is designed for students in the latter half of kindergarten and the first half of first grade. It assesses basic skills such as letter recognition, number recognition, and early reading and math skills.
• Level 6 (K.7 – Grade 1.9): Intended for students in the second half of kindergarten to just before second grade. This level continues to evaluate the development of reading and math skills. More complex tasks are introduced, such as basic word problems and reading comprehension.
• Level 7 (Grade 1.7 – 2.4): This level is designed for students in the latter half of first grade and the first half of second grade. It assesses more advanced reading comprehension, math problem-solving skills, and basic writing skills.
• Level 8 (Grade 2.5 – 3.5): Aimed at students in the latter half of second grade and up to the mid of third grade. The focus here is on more complex math problems, reading comprehension, and the introduction of skills in subjects such as science and social studies.
• Level 9 (Grade 3): This level is tailored specifically for third graders. The test continues to measure progress in reading, math, science, and social studies, and introduces more complex concepts and problem-solving tasks.
• Level 10 (Grade 4): The test for fourth graders further increases in complexity, covering more advanced topics in all subjects. It also begins to place a greater emphasis on reasoning skills and the application of knowledge in different contexts.
• Level 11 (Grade 5): At this level, students are tested on more sophisticated content in all areas. This includes more complex reading passages, advanced math problems, and more in-depth questions in science and social studies.
• Level 12 (Grade 6): The test for sixth graders continues the trend of increased complexity. Students are expected to demonstrate advanced skills in reading comprehension, math problem-solving, and the application of knowledge in science and social studies.
• Level 13 (Grade 7): The seventh-grade level of the ITBS measures more mature reading, math, science, and social studies skills. The test requires students to apply their knowledge in more complex and abstract ways.
• Level 14 (Grade 8): This level is designed for eighth graders. It evaluates students’ abilities to comprehend and analyze complex texts, solve advanced math problems, and understand and apply concepts in science and social studies. It also prepares students for the types of academic tasks they will encounter in high school.

Each test level within the ITBS consists of a series of subtests administered in content sections. Sections in the ITBS test for kindergarten to 2nd grade (levels 5-8) include:

• Vocabulary Test: This section assesses a student’s understanding of word meanings. It starts with picture vocabulary for the youngest students, where they must choose a picture that best matches the meaning of a given word. As students progress, they will be asked to choose a word that best matches the meaning of a sentence.
• Word Analysis Test: This part of the ITBS focuses on a student’s phonics skills. For the youngest students, this might involve identifying the sounds of letters or matching words that start with the same sound. For older students, this test section may involve identifying syllables or understanding word parts like prefixes and suffixes.
• Reading Comprehension Test: This section evaluates a student’s ability to understand what they read. It starts with listening to a story and answering questions for the youngest students. As students progress, they will read passages by themselves and answer questions to demonstrate their understanding of the text.
• Listening Test: This part of the ITBS assesses a student’s ability to understand spoken language. It involves listening to passages or sequences of instructions and answering questions or completing tasks based on what was heard.
• Language Test: This section evaluates a student’s understanding of grammar, usage, and writing mechanics. It involves tasks such as identifying correctly written sentences, matching words to complete sentences, and correcting grammatical errors.
• Mathematics Test: This part of the ITBS assesses a student’s understanding of mathematical concepts and problem-solving skills. It starts with basic number recognition and counting for the youngest students. As students progress, they will be asked to perform more complex operations and solve word problems.
• Social Studies Test (Levels 7/8): This section is introduced at Level 7 and assesses a student’s understanding of basic social studies concepts. It involves tasks such as identifying community roles, understanding maps and globes, and recognizing historical events.
• Science Test (Levels 7/8): This section is also introduced at Level 7 and evaluates a student’s understanding of basic science concepts. It involves tasks such as identifying animals and their habitats, understanding the properties of matter, and recognizing the steps of the scientific method.
• Computation Test (Levels 7/8): This section is introduced at Level 7 and focuses on a student’s computation skills. It involves tasks such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers.

Sections for 3rd grade to 8th grade (levels 9-14) include:

• Vocabulary Test: This section evaluates a student’s understanding of word meanings. Students are given a word in a particular context and are asked to choose the word or phrase with the closest meaning from a list of options. This assesses a student’s breadth of vocabulary and their ability to infer meaning from context.
• Word Analysis (3rd grade, level 9 only): This test evaluates a student’s understanding of phonics and word structure. Students may be asked to identify syllables, recognize word parts such as prefixes and suffixes, or analyze word families.
• Listening (3rd grade, level 9 only): In this section, students listen to passages or sequences of instructions and answer questions based on what they heard. This assesses their listening comprehension skills, including the ability to understand, remember, and apply spoken information.
• Reading/Reading Comprehension: This test measures a student’s ability to understand and interpret various types of text. Students read a range of passages and answer questions testing their comprehension, inference skills, and ability to determine the main idea, identify details, and draw conclusions.
• Spelling, Capitalization, Punctuation, Usage and Expression: This section evaluates a student’s writing skills and understanding of English grammar. It tests students’ ability to correctly spell words, use capitalization and punctuation appropriately, use words correctly in context, and express ideas effectively.
• Mathematics Concepts and Estimation, Problem Solving, Data Interpretation, Computation: This section tests a student’s understanding of mathematical concepts and their problem-solving skills. It includes estimation problems, computation problems with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, data interpretation questions involving charts and graphs, and word problems requiring mathematical reasoning.
• Social Studies: This test evaluates a student’s understanding of history, geography, government, and economics. Students might be asked to interpret maps, identify significant historical events, or understand basic economic concepts.
• Science: This section assesses a student’s understanding of life science, earth science, and physical science. Students might be asked to identify parts of a plant, understand the water cycle, or recognize the effects of forces on motion.
• Sources of Information (Maps, Diagrams, Reference Materials): This test assesses a student’s ability to use different types of information sources effectively. Students might be asked to interpret a map, understand a diagram, or use a table of contents, index, or glossary.

Want to give your children the resources they need to meet all the sections of the Iowa Assessment with confidence? We have hundreds of questions for each grade level to help your child build comfort and familiarity for Test Day. Plus, you’ll also get access to the 30+ games in our Skill Building Academy to develop your child’s math, ELA, science and social studies skills.

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What does grades 1.7 or 1.9 mean?

The ITBS or the Iowa Assessments Test is a test that is written in levels and these levels overlap some grades. The chart shows this overlap and what grades fall into each level. Level 7 for example is written for grades 1 and 7 months to grade 2 and 4 months in the school year.

What Time of Year is Each Level Given and to What Grade Levels?

Test Timing Per Section – Level 5

Test Timing Per Section – Level 6

Test Timing Per Section – Level 7

Test Timing Per Section – Level 8

Looking for more resources to help your child approach their Iowa Assessment with confidence? TestingMom.com can help with:

• Hundreds of questions that build the skills needed for confidence when taking the Iowa Assessments, for every grade level.
• A customizable program based on your child’s grade level and upcoming tests, so you can target your child’s prep for maximum improvement.
• Interactive practice with 30+ games from top educational publishers to strengthen your child’s overall skills like math, language arts, science, social studies and more.
• A Parent Success Team to help you if you need a little advice or if you get stuck.
• Over 100,000 practice questions for the most popular tests for Pre-K to 8th Grade, including gifted and talented, private school admissions, state tests and more—all for one low price.
• Parent resources to help you easily navigate your child’s testing process.

Want to try us out? Sign up for a free account today and get 100 free practice questions.

Tell us about your experiences

36 Responses

RuthAnn

Hi, the father of a student who attends gymnastics school in Dallas has asked me (a retired certified teacher) to administer the ITBS to his daughter. Do you know if I’m able to do this? And how I would go about getting a copy of the test. The child is not homeschooled; she attends school w/ 1 teacher and 7 other gymnasts on the floor above the gymnasium where she practices 7 hours a day.

TestingMom.com

Hello – you would want to contact the publisher of the test to see if you are eligible to purchase a license of the test since you are a retired teacher. Here’s their contact page: https://backtoschool.hmhco.com/contact-us/

Deborah

Is the math section of 3rd grade ITBS based on common core?

Kim

What is word analysis?

rshantala@gmail.com

Hi,

For second grade level 8 Iowa test should we also be preparing on third grade iowa test materials since there is a overlap of grades in this level?

Shana

Torey

I think it’s great, but, I think you should add a level 12 test timing per section part, I would really like to know how long my son will be taking the test for.

Carol O'Bryan

I have twins whom my mother and are homeschooling using BJU curriculum. I called yesterday to set up a time to take the Iowa assessment. We are required (according to their rules) to send a copy of college diploma for BS or BA degree. Neither of us remember where that piece of paper is – in our records (We have moved several times and didn’t think it necessary to keep up with that piece a paper as the BS was not a terminal degree). We both have a M. S. degree; but BJU will not accept that diploma. Their response is, “it is your requirement.” I am attempting to prevent myself a hassle. Can I not do the documentation with a M.S. diploma? Thanks Can e-mail me or call me a response. I will be in meetings. a text would be fine 423-710-5412. Thank you!

satkrutan@gmail.com

these questions are fun! my kids say Testingmom.com is perfect

satkrutan@gmail.com

this website is perfect .

satkrutan@gmail.com

god bless Karen Quinn

Megha

cstocker@cincinnatips.org

where are the 100 free questions

Kimberly

I homeschool my daughter. How can I get a copy of this test to administer it to my daughter?

TestingMom.com

Hi Kimberly –

Thank you for reaching out to us. Unfortunately, we do not know of a place where you can purchase the ITBS or Iowa Assessment test for your daughter, as we only provide test preparation for this and many other tests. I would recommend reaching out to the local school district to see if they can provide you with any information.

All the best,

Marcus

Teresa

I signed up with an account but cannot find where to get the free 100 practice questions. I want that sample before making any further commitment.

TestingMom.com

Hi Teresa –

Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):

Go to www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password.
Once you are logged in, click the “100 FREE QUESTIONS” button on the left-hand side of the page Or, you can follow this link: 100 Free Questions.
Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”

We look forward to having you onboard with us!

Best regards,

Marcus

Annamarie

Question? Do you know if tnere is a web site to submit a waiver for our child not to have to take the Iowa Test in person for this year due to COVID 19?

I would appreciate the help because I have been researching it but am unable to find a web site or answer.

Thank you in advance.

TestingMom.com

Hi Annamarie –

You would most likely need to reach out to your child’s school for this.

All the best,

Marcus

Gwen Caro

Helpful and confidence building for first year teacher

Robert

I have y mail. Not g mail. Please send me the questions. Rmschell@ymail.com

TestingMom.com

Hi Robert,

Our 100 Free Questions are a great sampling from many of the tests we support. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to access the 100 Free Practice Questions (No purchase necessary):

Go to www.testingmom.com and log in using your email address and password.
Once you are logged in, click the “100 FREE QUESTIONS” button on the left-hand side of the page Or, you can follow this link: 100 Free Questions.
Once redirected, you will see a large, blue box that reads “FREE QUESTIONS.” Click the orange button that reads “UNLOCK NOW.”

We look forward to having you onboard with us!

Best regards,

Marcus

Lynn

Can you tell me what math and reading subtests of the Iowa Assessments must be administered to identify gifted students in math and reading in the state of Ohio? Also, can you share with me where you found the information? Thank you.

MG

Hello. My son was recently tested for GT. His composite IQ was 130 so he met the criteria for the cognitive portion. However, when he was given the ITBS for the achievement part, he didn’t make the scores. With that said, my son was held back from starting kindergarten an extra year since he has a summer birthday. We did not start him in kindergarten until he was 6 years 2 months old. With that said, when the ITBS scores were run, they were age based scores and not grade based scores. I know age based is what is typically used by school, but shouldn’t consideration be made when a student is not in the grade level that most students his age are. He is almost a full year older than most students in his class. Wouldn’t this affect his scores? How can we hold him accountable for curriculum he hasn’t been taught? Any advice is welcomed. Thank you!

TestingMom.com

Hi MG,

Please send us an email at help@testingmom.com and we will try and find more information about thissituation.

Melanie

My test just came with a booklet and answer sheet. There are no “scripted directions” to read to the child. Do I just give them the booklet?

TestingMom.com

Hi,

Please email us at help@testingmom.com so we can help walk you through the IOWA test information.

Jacqueline Tara

I need a copy of the Level 5 test for Kindergarten – Grade 1.5

My request is of an urgent matter. Thank you Tara Thomas

TestingMom.com

Hello,

Please email us at help@testingmom.com and we can help walk you through the process of finding more resources for the IOWA and ITBS tests for all grades!

Fran

Hi – Do you know what a non-standard vs standard accommodation is on the IOWA? My school is telling me that my child who has a 504 with extended time should not have this accommodation because it would be considered a non-standard accommodation. He is in 7th grade and gifted with lower processing speed. I cannot find anything about a non standard accommodation or score – any feedback?

TestingMom.com

Hi Fran,

I would recommend contacting Riverside Insights, the test publisher.

All the best,

Marcus

Nicholas

I graduated from St. Bernard’s Episcopal Boys Boarding School, Peapack/Gladstone, NJ (now Gill/St.Bernards day school, boys and girls, now VERY expensive) in 1954 and as one of the two top math students in the 1954 senior graduating class I was taken to Rutgers University and my math skills were tested and the grade I received was stated as follows:

“Sanborn, Your Percentile Score on the Iowa High School Content exam (achievement) was 90. Out of over 10,000 students taking the exam, 10% scored better than you and 89% scored lower than you. Fr. (Father) Penfield, Headmaster, 3/1/1954.”

What can you tell me about that ? Were the 10,000 students in one year, from all over the country, or was that a cumulative number “over the years”.

Is any such test still being done ?

Nick Sanborn
ngsanborn@aol.com
1937 – ????

Analilia

What does this mean exactly?

Is this test meant to measure the level of process in for example: a public school fourth grader that takes this test while he’s in the middle of fourth grade.
Would taking this test provide accurate scores?

Homeschooling families can also use the Iowa Assessments and the ITBS to confirm a child’s learning progress, since the test is sufficient to meet state homeschooling requirements.

TestingMom.com

Hi Analilia,

The Iowa Assessment is an outstanding test to gauge where your children are compared to public school children at the same grade level.

All the best,

Marcus

Guillermo

May the students take part of the test? Only the English language related parts? by doing this, the overall result would not be affected?

TestingMom.com

Students typically take the entire ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) test, as it is designed to assess their knowledge and skills across various subject areas, including English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. However, in certain situations, a school or district may decide to administer only specific portions of the test, such as the English Language Arts sections, to focus on particular areas of interest or to meet specific testing requirements.

If a student only takes the English Language Arts portion of the ITBS test, their overall score would not represent their performance across all subject areas, as they would not have completed the full test. In this case, the student’s results would only provide information about their performance in the English Language Arts sections, and it would not be possible to accurately compare their overall performance to that of students who took the complete ITBS test. As a reminder, we have thousands of practice questions for the ITBS, including the ELA portion of the exam.

Ultimately, decisions about administering specific portions of the ITBS test should be made by the school or district in accordance with their policies.

Norma Norma

I homeschool my two little boys ages 8 and 9. The 8 yr. old is moderately autistic and refuses to use a pencil to attempt to learn to write. However, he will answer questions orally and knows his alphabet and numbers. I was permitted to give him paper and pencil assessment tests last summer. It took 3 days to get him to sit still long enough to take the test to completion.

My 9 yr. old son has ADHD, He is also on the spectrum. He took his assessment tests through your program last summer as well.

Now, I need to schedule both boys for the assessment tests again this year. Please send me the schedule for the tests for this spring and summer. I am already approved to give their tests at home as I renewed by the deadline.

Thank you in advance for your time and aid.

Norma Jean Napier

TestingMom.com

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) for your two sons. We understand the unique challenges that homeschooling children with special needs can present.

It’s great to hear that you’re already approved to administer the tests at home. This will allow you to create a comfortable testing environment tailored to your sons’ individual needs.

For your convenience, we have provided the available testing dates for the ITBS this spring and summer:

Spring Testing Dates:

May 15 – May 26, 2023
June 5 – June 16, 2023

Summer Testing Dates:

July 10 – July 21, 2023
August 7 – August 18, 2023

See if TestingMom.com supports your child’s test by your school district. If you don't see your child's school district listed, check with us! We have practice for other tests as well.