How the ITBS ties into No Child Left Behind

In order to measure student performance to ensure that academic programs are in compliance with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, school districts use standardized tests to determine whether or not their pupils match up to government standards of education.

Following being signed into law on January 8, 2002, NCLB has set high standards for what children should be getting from their education. Schools such as Georgia, Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah have used the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to measure their students' proficiency.

According to the University of Iowa College of Education, the main purpose behind the test is to determine students' problem areas and where they can improve in teaching. When schools have a low number of proficient students in math or reading, they are put on the list of schools in need of assistance (SINA). According to the Iowa City Press Citizen, when schools are on the list for two years in a row, they have to allow their students to transfer to institutions that are not SINAs and provide the transportation.