The Iowa Department of Education is currently seeking public feedback on proposed updates to the performance-level descriptors that will set new achievement levels on the new state summative assessment, known as the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). The statewide survey seeking feedback will be open through Thursday, May 14.
The State Board of Education adopted new Iowa Academic Standards in English Language Arts and Mathematics in 2024. Thus, the Department worked to create a new state summative assessment that is aligned to and assesses student performance on the new Iowa academic standards, first administered in spring 2026.
The next step in the process is to define the Performance Level Descriptors (PLDs) on the new state summative assessment. The PLDs are descriptions of the knowledge and skills a learner must demonstrate to be classified in one of Iowa’s four new achievement levels. Simply put, the PLD bridges the test score to what a student knows and can do.
Currently, student performance on the state summative assessment is scored at three levels: Advanced, Proficient and Not Yet Proficient. The proposed new performance-level descriptors will assess student performance at four levels: Below, Approaching, Meeting and Exceeding grade-level expectations.
The state summative assessment is built specifically to measure student progress in learning aligned to Iowa Academic Standards in English Language Arts, Mathematics and Science. It assesses grades 3 to 11 in English Language Arts and Mathematics and grades 5, 8 and 10 in Science. This assessment is given in all public schools and nonpublic schools in Iowa, and results are obtained at the student, classroom, grade level, school and district level.
The Department is conducting Performance Standard Setting Panels from June 8–12, 2026, to advise on the new achievement levels (“Below”, “Approaching”, “Meeting” or “Exceeding” grade level expectations). Receiving and considering your feedback on the draft PLDs is a critical next step.
The proposed performance levels on the newly aligned state summative assessment will go before the State Board of Education for consideration. If adopted, the new performance-level descriptors will be used in determining student achievement, which is also a component of the Iowa School Performance Profiles that meets the state and federal requirements to publish report cards reflecting the performance of all public schools.
More information on assessments and accountability can be found on the Department’s Student Assessment webpage.