Kentucky Department of Education Chooses Riverside Publishing’s Iowa Tests of Basic Skills as Norm-Referenced Testing Component of the Kentucky Interim Assessment Program
CHICAGO — December 1, 2009 — The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) will look toward Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Riverside Publishing to provide the norm-referenced testing component of Kentucky’s interim assessment program, which will be administered to all students in grades 3–7.
The KDE issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) in June seeking a contractor with demonstrated national expertise and experience in developing, administering, scoring and reporting a proven assessment that provides national comparison data on student performance. The RFP required that the assessment also produce valid and reliable scores at the individual student level.
Riverside Publishing proposed the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills® (ITBS®), along with a cost-effective plan, which allows the Commonwealth to meet the legislative requirements. Riverside will provide user-friendly materials and comprehensive scoring and reporting services for the Spring 2010 and 2011 test administrations.
The ITBS, developed by University of Iowa educational researchers, is built on more empirical research than any other assessment of its kind in the market today. The highly respected test is designed to provide meaningful, reliable and easily interpreted information to educators, parents and students. In addition to its high technical quality, the ITBS is also well-aligned with the Kentucky core content. The ITBS will provide Kentucky districts with an accurate representation of student achievement at a statewide and national level.
Riverside Publishing President Richard Swartz is confident that Riverside will meet the needs of KDE as well as Kentucky’s educators, students and parents.
“Riverside is proud to support Kentucky educators in this important initiative to use reliable data for diagnostic purposes and to make informed instructional decisions,” he said in a statement.
About Riverside Publishing
Riverside Publishing Company is a leading publisher of clinical and educational standardized tests in the United States. Established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 1979, Riverside is also a charter member of the Association of Test Publishers. To learn more about Riverside Publishing and the ITBS, visit www.riversidepublishing.com.
CONTACT:
Katie Goers
Associate eMarketing & Communications Manager, Riverside Publishing
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
630-467-6036
katie.goers@hmhpub.com
Josef Blumenfeld
Vice President, Communications
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
617-351-5432
josef.blumenfeld@hmhpub.com