Curriculum & Instruction

The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) measures student achievement and understanding of the Iowa Core Standards in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science. Indicators of student proficiency and growth from grade-to-grade are provided.

FAST assessments are highly efficient assessment tools designed for universal screening, progress monitoring, and program evaluation as part of a Response to Intervention (RtI) or Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) model of service delivery.  Iowa has recently adopted the FAST literacy suite of assessments to assist districts in the implementation of MTSS practices and in meeting the requirements of the Early Literacy Initiative as part of Iowa Code Section 279.68.

Formative Assessment is assessment FOR learning. It is a process used by teachers and students as part of instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of core content. Formative assessment practices provide students with clear learning targets, examples and models of strong and weak work, regular descriptive feedback, and the ability to self-assess, track learning, and set goals.

Summative Assessments are assessments OF learning and are given at a point in time to measure and monitor student learning. They provide the feedback to educators, students, parents, and community members and are used to make adjustments in instructional programs, report student progress, identify and place students, and grade students.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level courses offered by high schools. The courses, curriculum, and optional tests are provided by CollegeBoard and must meet CollegeBoard guidelines and procedures.AP courses are a good way for high school students to access challenging coursework and have the option to gain early credits for college.

To find out if your high school offers AP courses, contact your high school principal or district curriculum director.

A seal of biliteracy is an award given by a district to recognize students who have attained proficiency in two or more languages, one of which is English, by high school graduation. A seal of biliteracy is important because knowing and using more than one language is a critical 21st-century skill. A seal of biliteracy:

• Values language as an asset;
• Recognizes the value of language diversity and cultural identity;
• Prepares students with 21st-century skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society; and
• Provides employers, universities, and grant or scholarship providers with a method to recognize applicants for their dedication to attaining biliteracy.

Work-based learning includes a continuum of structured activities utilizing the partnership between industry and education to engage student learning. Through experiences with industry professionals, participants are able to foster first-hand engagement with in-depth application of academic, technical and professional skills to the tasks required of a given career field while meeting specific learning objectives. Work-based learning is a progression through awareness, exploration, preparation and training to support student learning for future success.Internships provide students with a hands-on opportunity to develop career and professional skills with an industry partner in a workplace setting.

Essential Elements of Work-Based Learning

1. Academic Preparation
2. Partnership Between Education and Industry
3. Academic Follow-up

Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) provides high-quality, comprehensive drop-out prevention and school-to-work transition services for youth in 7th grade through the college level on a statewide basis. iJAG is an independent, statewide 501(c)(3), private nonprofit corporation established in Iowa in 1999 (modeled after the highly successful National JAG program) and was created to assist students with multiple barriers to graduating from high school and/or successfully transitioning from high school to continued education and careers.

MCSD offers all students an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) for each student in grades 8-12. In 2016, House File 2392 redesigned the career and academic planning process with increased emphasis on Career and Technical Education (CTE) shifting from the traditional career planning assessments and inventories to integrating high-quality, high-value, career-related experiences designed to increase student engagement and align students’ interests with local, regional and state labor market needs.