Assign a test by location and grade

These instructions apply to creating assignments for the online testing mode only. Refer to the Online Mark Recognition (OMR) segment of the online help to set up OMR test assignments.

The following rules apply to test assignments in DataManager:

● Test assignments are created within the larger structure of a test event. They assign a location, mode of testing, test form, and test level to one or more grades of students within the larger test event parameters.

● Once a test session has been opened for the test assignment, the assignment cannot be changed.

● Once students begin testing in an assigned mode (online or paper-pencil), they must complete the test in that mode or start over and complete the entire assessment using only one mode.

● Assignments can be overridden if individual students require separate, custom assignments. Subsequent edits made to location- and grade-based assignments have no impact on a student override. If you delete the student override test, that student reverts back to the group assignment.

To assign group testing:

1. Access the Test Assignment Overview page. You can do this from any page on the platform. Below are some common ways.

➔ OR: From the Test Events Overview page, click Assign under Actions in the row of the test event.

b. From the Test Events Overview page, click the name of the test event or the Manage link under Actions.

The Test Assignment Overview page opens. The first time you open it, a message at the bottom of the page tells you that no assignments have been created for this test event.

The Assign by Location and Grade page opens. The TEST EVENT box populates with the most recent test event that has been set up in DataManager.

3. (Optional:) Either before or after step 2, change the TEST EVENT for which you are creating assignments by clicking the drop-down arrow and selecting one of the available test events in the list.

Tip: Select the highest level in the hierarchy provided to you. This encompasses the largest pool of students for testing while allowing for walk-in students from more specific locations. Use steps a-c below as needed.

b. Click the right arrows to expand the nodes of the hierarchy, the down arrows to collapse them.

5. Click the MODE box and select Online Testing. (For OMR modes, see OMR test assignments.)

Below your selections, a table containing options for each grade of students on your roster is displayed.

6. Continue this procedure based on your assessment type below. Repeat for each rostered grade that you want to test.

Rows in the Assign by Location and Grade table are determined by the grades you have rostered.

Creating a new test assignment table

For each grade you are testing, provide the following:

a. For the Test Group field, select the product and form that identifies the test being used. The corresponding Level field becomes active, defaulting to the level typically administered to this grade.

b. (Optional): You can change the test level using the corresponding Level dropdown list. If you select a level that is at least two off from the standard, a confirmation box opens.

confirm off-level Iowa assignment

c. Click OK to assign the level or Cancel to select a different level or return to the default. For more information about grades and levels, click the More Info button.

Note: For Iowa language assessments Grade 3, Level 9, the Word Analysis and Listening subtests are optional. These tests help determine how well students recognize letters and letter-sound relationships, thus they require audio, either from proctor-led or audio-administered delivery. For self-paced tests without audio, or for remotely administered tests, you can opt out of these two subtests (select Level 9 no WA/L, shown below) or create separate test sessions to include the audio through a different delivery mode or remote system.

Rows in the Assign by Location and Grade table are determined by the grades you have rostered. In the image below, all grades (K-12) have been rostered.

CogAT table for assignments

For each grade you are testing, provide the following:

a. For the Test Group field, select the product and form that identifies the test to be administered.

CogAT test group selection

Note: If you select a Post-Screener Form 7 or 8, the following reminder appears when you save the assignment:

CogAT Post-Screener assignment error message

Click Cancel to select a different test group. Click Continue to retain the Post-Screener test group you just selected.

If you attempt to assign a CogAT Post-Screener in the same test event that already has a CogAT Screener or CogAT Complete assignment, the following error message appears when you attempt to save the new assignment:

Error message for attempting to create post=screener assignmne tin same test event as Screening or Complete

Once you select a valid Test Group for your grade assignment, the corresponding Level and Battery fields become active, defaulting to standard values.

Test Assignment for CogAT, Grade 2 selected

b. (Optional): Change the level using the dropdown list. If you select a level that is not typical for the grade, a confirmation box opens. Click OK to assign the level or Cancel to select a different level or return to the default.

c. (Optional): Select the batteries you want to administer. By default, all three batteries are selected.

Important: You can select Alt Verbal for CogAT levels 5/6, 7, or 8 to omit the Sentence Completion subtest for K - 2 students. Students in grades K - 2 who are testing in one of the six new audio languages will not have a sentence completion portion, so they must use the alternate designations, Alt-V/Languages-Only for screening and post-screener forms, and Alt-Verbal for the CogAT complete. Sentence completion subtests are available for the upper-level audio languages (grades 3 and above, levels 9 and above).
CogAT alternative verbal languages for grades k - 2

d. Click Apply when you have made your selections.

Depending on the assessment type and your location, the following links appear in the Actions column.

– If your location is set to a district level or below, the Test Tickets link becomes active. Click this to create a PDF file for printing student names and I.D. numbers. Shortly before testing begins, distribute as paper slips to help students sign in. (For details, see Print student test tickets.)

– For CogAT post-screener test only, the Eligibility link becomes active. Eligible students have taken the CogAT screening test within the required 30 days prior to taking the post-screener. Click Eligibility to launch the export of a PDF file containing the names of these students.

– Click the newly activated View link to see additional details about the assignment you just created, including:

○ a Students table that includes, for each student, personal identification information and links to a single student's test status and the ability to create an override for the student if the larger group location and grade levels are not optimal for this particular student.

8. To return to the Test Assignment Overview page, select Test Assignments from the Assessments menu.