Iowa Department of Education

Knowledgebase

The knowledgebase is a database of frequently asked questions (FAQs) that have been organized into different categories. Please select a topic that you are interested in to find out additional information. Additionally, you can also search the entire knowledgebase by entering keywords below.

      Advanced Search

Any words All Words Exact phrase

Ordering: Newest first Oldest first Most popular Alphabetical Section/Category Restrict Search To Single Category: All    Adequate Yearly Progress - AYP    Assessment    Attendance and Age    Background Checks    Certified Annual Report    Certified Enrollment    Certified Enrollment / Limited English Proficient Weighting    Certified Enrollment / PSEO FAQ    Certified Enrollment / Supplementary Weighting    Charter Schools Accounting    Coaching Authorization    Competent Private Instruction    Driver's Education    Early Childhood    Educational Excellence Program    Educational Excellence Program / Phase II FAQ    Educational Excellence Program / Phase III FAQ    Educator Quality    Educator Quality / Collective Bargaining    Educator Quality / Evaluation    Educator Quality / Licensure    Educator Quality / Mentoring & Induction    Educator Quality / Other    Educator Quality / Professional Development    Educator Quality / Salary Distribution    Educator Quality / Second Chance Reading    Educator Quality / Second Chance Reading / Academy Application Procedures    Educator Quality / Second Chance Reading / Assessment    Educator Quality / Second Chance Reading / Classroom Procedures    Educator Quality / Second Chance Reading / General    Educator Quality / Second Chance Reading / Strategy Instruction    Educator Quality / Teacher Quality Committee    Employability Skills Assessment Reimbursements    Foreign and Exchange Students (non U.S. Residents)    General Education Development - GED    Gifted and Talented    Gifted and Talented / Budgets    Internet Claims for Reimbursement    Levies and Funds    Levies and Funds / Early Retirement Incentives    Levies and Funds / Instructional Support Program    Levies and Funds / Physical Plant and Equipment (PPEL) Levy    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST)    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Certificate of Need    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Distribution    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Election    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Finance    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Receipt    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Reorganization    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Revenue Purpose Statement    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Sharing Proceeds    Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) / Supplemental Amount    Medicaid    Medicaid / Medicaid Accounting    Medicaid / Medicaid and Early ACCESS    Medicaid / Medicaid and the AEA    Medicaid / Medicaid and the LEA    Milken Family Foundation    No Child Left Behind - NCLB    No Child Left Behind - NCLB / Title I    No Child Left Behind - NCLB / Title II    No Child Left Behind - NCLB / Title III    No Child Left Behind - NCLB / Title IV    No Child Left Behind - NCLB / Title X    Nutrition Programs    Nutrition Programs / CACFP    Nutrition Programs / CACFP / Infant Feeding    Nutrition Programs / Commodity Distribution    Nutrition Programs / Free-Reduced-Price Meal Eligibility-Verification    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Administrative Cost Issues    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Evaluation/End of Year Report    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Food Cost Issues    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Foods    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / General/Funding/Grant Agreement    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Procedural Issues General    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Reporting    Nutrition Programs / Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program / Use of Funds/Allowable Costs General    Open Enrollment    Open Enrollment / Eligibility/Qualification Questions    Open Enrollment / Procedural Questions    Open Enrollment / Timeline Questions    Postsecondary Enrollment Options    Project Lead the Way    School Calendar/Year    School Infrastructure Program    Smoke Free    Special Education Finance    State Class Size Reduction    Student Discipline    Student Transportation    Student Transportation / Bus Drivers    Student Transportation / Bus Routes    Tech Prep Program    Tuition and Fees    Tuition and Fees / Open Enrollment    Tuition and Fees / Special Education Accounting    Uniform Financial Accounting    Unsafe Schools    Vision Iowa School Program    VSA arts of Iowa Close Advanced Search

Title III - All Articles (5)

What about ELL students at the high school level who have just entered the United States and do not speak English. Are they required to take the ITED reading comprehension and math tests?

Secretary Ron Paige's letter of February 20, 2004 provides some flexibilty for "first year students." If a student is in his or her "first year of enrollment in the US" he or she must take the English language proficiency test, but do not have to take the ITED for a reading score. There is no change in math. The students are required to take the math tests.

Is LAS an appropriate measure of English proficiency for ELL students?

LAS is an appropriate tool for placement. In the absence of an English language proficiency test that satisfies NCLB requirements, states have been allowed to use the LAS to measure English language proficiency for this academic year (2003-3004).

Does a reasonable accommodations for an ELL student who has been in the US for 2 years include reading ITBS to student, including reading section of ITBS?

Reading the reading part of the ITBS test is NOT an appropriate accommodation. It changes the construct of the test; a reading test becomes a listening test.

How much time do recently arrived ELL students have before being required to take (A) the district-wide multiple measure and (B) the required science assessment(s)?

A) The new flexibility allows recently arrived ELL (those who have been enrolled in the U.S. schools less than 10 months) for one test administration. Therefore for reading, it is for one administration of the test (the first year). The reading proficiency level from the English language proficiency assessment could be used for reading. Recently arrived ELLs are still required to take the district wide math assessment their first year in the U.S. schools (ITBS/ITED).

B) In the absence of federal guidance, regarding science, it seems that similar processes will apply. As federal guidance are provided, we will update you.

If one holds a bilingual-transitional certificate from the state of Illinois is it recognized in the state of Iowa also?

The rules for Iowa licensure authorize a teacher exchange license for an applicant who has completed a teacher education program in one state who then wishes to teach in Iowa. However, since the person who holds a bilingual-transitional certificate from the state of Illinois has not completed a teacher education program, that person is not eligible for an Iowa teaching license.