Re: School Year 2019-2020 - Due to the covid-19 pandemic, the spring administration of the ISASP and DLM assessments was cancelled (source: IDOE). Recently released statewide scores for K-3 show dramatic declines in reading proficiency across grade levels, K-3. For Kindergartners, the percentage of students at/above benchmark fell 5% from fall 2019 to fall 2020, for 1st graders the decline was 20%, for 2nd graders 10%, and for 3rd graders 6%. All except Kindergartners made gains from fall 2020 to spring 2021.

Re: School Year 2018-2020 - A new literacy assessment tool was utilized, the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP), with noticeably different results. For more about the ISASP, click here.

School district data includes Ames, Ballard, Collins-Maxwell, Colo-Nesco, Gilbert, Nevada, and Roland-Story

One of the programs that supports grade-level reading is Iowa Reading Corps. Iowa Reading Corps, an evidence-based program, provides one-on-one literacy tutoring to students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade who are just below grade level in reading. The program utilizes trained AmeriCorps members to deliver the service. United Way of Story County was part of the pilot during the 2013-14 school year and partnered with Ames, Ballard, and Nevada school districts. The program has grown with 12 out of the 13 elementary schools in the county now eligible to participate.