Online Assessments

How does the online testing work and why should I use it?

Online testing is an efficient and innovative method to evaluate student performance for Levels 4–12. (Students below 4th level will take the paper tests.) With online assessments you get automated capture, real-time reporting and scoring, and immediate normative analysis. There is no physical commitment on the part of school administrators to store, distribute, organize, or ship booklets and answer documents. The online testing format has minimal computer system requirements and provides computer readiness downloads and updates. These value–added benefits to test administrators and support staff dramatically reduce the investment of time and energy when evaluating student achievement.

Advantages

  • Accelerated scoring and reporting provide reports in minutes.
  • Assessments can be administered to a few students at a time (based on computer availability), while the rest of the students continue with their regular PACE work.
  • Innovative and robust technology is beneficial for large and small schools.

 

A minimum of two computers at your school is necessary. One computer is needed for the proctor (the supervisor, monitor, or school administrator who will be supervising the students as they take the Iowa Assessments), and at least one additional computer is needed for the students to take the assessments.

All computers used for testing and proctoring must meet the minimum system requirements. Note: Google Chrome® or Firefox® may not be used.

To further check your computers’ specifications, run the system check on each computer used in administering the test. You must use the Microsoft Edge® or Safari® browser.

Before administering the test on an iPad®, please read these instructions.

Orders must be placed within the order dates and at least 30 days prior to administering the test. Determine the number of students who will be taking the assessment so you may order the appropriate number of licenses. Each student taking the Iowa Assessments will need his own license. Keep in mind the Iowa Complete is only available online to students in Levels 4–12. The CogAT is available online to students in Levels 5 and 8.

    You are now ready to place your order.
  • Place your order online or by phone at 1-800-925-7777.
  • A customer service representative will confirm your qualifications for test administration.
  • A customer service representative will process the order and email the following:
    • Test Security Affidavit
    • Test Purchaser Qualification Form
    • Student Roster Spreadsheet
    • Inventory Agreement
    • Link to training videos (It is very important to watch this step-by-step guide to implementing online testing.)

  • Download and fill out a Test Security Affidavit for each person who has access to the testing materials and have them sign it. The Test Purchaser Qualification Form should be filled out by the person the school has designated as their test administrator for Iowa Testing. Also complete the Student Roster Spreadsheet and the Inventory Agreement, and submit all forms to [email protected]. Test Security Affidavits and the Inventory Agreement may also be faxed to 615-612-5304.
  • After all paperwork has been received, a username and password for each user will be emailed to the administrator, providing access to resources, test administration, and reports.

Any changes that need to be made to the Student Roster must be emailed to [email protected] at this point.

Download the Riverside Secure Browser, also referred to as the Secure Student Browser, onto each computer used for testing. The student will use this browser for the assessment. It prevents the student from opening other websites or programs on the testing computer during the assessment.

To download the browser on Windows®, click here.
To download the browser on a Mac®, click here.

Notes:
To quit/stop the browser and return to the desktop, press CTRL+SHIFT+Q simultaneously.

If the Secure Student Browser was downloaded from a previous year, please delete it before downloading an updated version.

Helpful Links:

Secure Browser Instructions for Install – Windows® and Mac®

DataManager Pre–Testing Technical Checklist

Review the DataManager Quick Guide—DataManager Overview to become familiar with DataManager navigation.

  1. Log in to the DataManager proctor application.
    • Enter the username and password. These will be emailed after all required documentation has been received.
    • Click Log On.
    • Click the Application Switcher button.
    • Choose Assessments.
    • Locate the correct test event.
    • In the Actions column, click the Proctor an Online Test Session for this Test Event button.
  2. Create new testing sessions.
        Use the table below to determine when to create a separate testing session:
    If you are administering... Then...
    The Getting Started tutorial Create a separate testing session.
    A series of consecutive tests within the same level Create a testing session for the first test in the series. If you do not administer all the tests in the series within the testing period, end testing and then create a new testing session for the next test in the series. For example, if you administer one or more tests during the morning and plan to continue in the afternoon, create a new testing session for the afternoon testing period.
    More than one test level simultaneously Create separate testing sessions for each level you are administering.
    • In the Test Event list, select the appropriate test event.
    • In the Grade list, select the appropriate grade.
    • In the Test Group list, select the appropriate test group.
    • In the Level list, select the test level assigned to the students.
    • In the Battery/Subtest list, select the battery/subtest to administer. Note: The tests are listed in the recommended order in which they should be administered.
    • In the Test Admin Type list, select the test administration type.
      Test Admin Type Assignment Type
      Proctor-led Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT®) – all Levels
      Self-paced Iowa Assessments - Levels 10–17/18
      Audio English Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT®) – all Levels
      Audio Spanish Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT®) – all Levels
    • In the Session Name box, create a session name. It is recommended that you enter a logical name to help you identify the session. Consider using the following format: supervisor last name/grade/test/date (for example, Hanson 4 Math 5/1). The session name must be unique for the test event selected.
    • Click Create Session. The session appears in the Created Sessions area and is ready to be proctored.
  3. Print a testing session list.
    • Click the print button at the end of the Created Sessions bar.
    • Open the PDF, and print the testing session list. The testing session list includes session codes, which students will need as they log in to test.
  4. Print student login information.
    • Locate the Find Assessments page by clicking the Application Switcher button and selecting Assessments. All of the open test events are listed in the Test Events table. Open the Find Assessments page and select the appropriate test event.
    • In the Actions column, click the Manage Test Assignments for this Test Event button. The Test Assignment Home Page appears.
    • In the Navigation menu at the left, click View Test Assignments.
    • Locate the assignment for which you want to print student login information.
    • In the Actions column, click the Print Test Roster button.
    • Select a print template. Student login information may be printed in groups of eight or thirty students per page.
    • Click Continue.
    • Open the PDF, and print the student login information. The student login information consists of the student’s first name, last name, birth date, and unique ID number.
  1. Give the students their login information (printed in Step 4), consisting of either the first name, last name, birth month, and birth day of each student or the student’s unique ID number.
  2. Give the students their appropriate session codes from the testing session list (printed in Step 4).
  3. Instruct students to log in to the test by opening the Riverside Secure Browser on the desktop (downloaded in Step 3).
    • Students using their names and birthdays to log in must type their names exactly as they appear on their login information slips. After they fill in the First Name and Last Name fields on the student Log In page, tell them to click the down arrow in the Birth Month field and select their birth month from the list, then click the down arrow in the Birth Day field and select their birth day from the list.
    • Students using their unique student ID numbers must type their student ID numbers exactly as they appear on their login information slips into the Student ID box on the student Log In page.
  4. Tell students to type the Session code they were given into the Session Code field.
  5. Tell students to click the Login button. Students should see the Draw Here page. If they are having trouble logging in using their names and birthdays, have them log in using their unique ID numbers. If a student still cannot log in, see “Instructing Students to Log in” in the Proctor User’s Guide for more guidance.
  6. Follow the instructions for Administering Proctor-Led Tests and Administering Self-Paced Tests to complete testing.
    All assessment results are kept securely within the DataManager application.
  1. After you have logged in, click the Application Switcher button located on the left of the screen.
  2. Choose Create a Report.
  3. Choose Create a Report.
  4. Choose the Administration Date.
  5. Choose the Display Type – We recommend the Student Profile Narrative (Scoring Service Print Style) to send home to parents.
  6. Choose the Grade – For Scoring Service Print Styles reports, choose any or all grades at one time.
  7. Choose the Display Options – We recommend the Bar Graph.
  8. Choose the Scores – We recommend Predicted National Percentile Rank, Grade Equivalent, Standard Score, and the National Stanine.
  9. Choose to include or exclude students with the Composite Calculation Option. You may exclude the students coded in the “Office Use Only” section from the group averages.
    • For group averages of all students, select Included.
    • To remove students from the overall results, select Excluded The test results will still be shown on the individual student score reports but will be excluded from the overall average. The default is set to include all students in the Math Total but to exclude them from the Complete Composite Calculation.
  10. Show Reading Total – Choose whether or not to show the Reading Total on the report. The default setting is no. The Reading Total is the sum of the Reading Test Score and the Vocabulary Test Score divided by 2.
  11. Home Reporting – Choose the language for printing the reports.
  12. Class – Choose the class for the report. You can choose all classes in the school or just one.
  13. Group By – Choose a grouping preference for the reports. Within each group, student records will appear in alphabetical order.
    • Choose Class to run reports by classroom.
    • Choose Building to run reports as an entire school.
  14. Choose Run in Background.
  15. Name the report you created.
  16. To view the report, click Report Center under the Navigate heading on the top left. The reports will be listed by name. Click a report to view it.
  17. Save or print your reports.

Test Security Affidavit (Please download the form prior to entering data in the form fields.)

Testing Tips

Have more questions? Contact A.C.E.