Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments

Smarter Balanced offers three types of interim assessments: Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs), Interim Assessment Blocks (IABs), and Focused IABs (FIABs). Figure 1 describes the number of assessed targets and examples of ICAs, current IABs, and FIABs.

Figure 1. Interim Assessments at a Glance

The ICAs measure the same content and the same standards as the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment and may be used to determine the knowledge and skills of a student after a significant period of instruction. They take between three and four hours to administer (like the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment) and provide information about student performance overall (achievement levels) and for each claim in English language arts/literacy (ELA) and mathematics (three levels of performance). The ICA includes a performance task (PT) in each content area and requires local hand scoring of some constructed-response items and PTs. They may be administered as a standardized or nonstandardized assessment. When administered as a standardized assessment, students can become familiar with the testing formats, tools, and question types, which makes it easier for them to demonstrate what they know.

IABs focus on specific domains, areas of a claim, or strands (for example, Measurement and Data, Fractions, Read Informational Text). They can usually be administered in one class period and include between 4 and 18 items depending on grade level and content area. IABs provide information about student performance in three reporting categories: Above Standard, Near Standard, and Below Standard. They may be administered to students in a manner consistent with the sequence of the curriculum and as a standardized or nonstandardized assessment.

FIABs are designed to measure smaller bundles of content to give teachers a better understanding of students’ knowledge and academic performance and provide teachers with precise next steps for instruction. Like IABs, they can be administered in one class period and provide information about student performance in three reporting categories: Above Standard, Near Standard, and Below Standard.

Some common features of the ICAs, IABs, and FIABs are that they contain high-quality items that are placed on the same scale as the summative assessments and use the full array of accessibility resources and supports available on the summative assessments. They use the same item types and formats as the summative assessments, and they include PTs. In addition, each interim assessment type is administered online using the same Test Delivery System as the summative assessments, but they are fixed-form assessments rather than computer adaptive like the summative assessments. The Smarter Balanced Interim Assessments are available in ELA and mathematics and are designed for grades three through eight and high school, but interim assessments may be administered to students in any grade level.