Iowa Tests

The Iowa Tests, originating from the Laboratory Schools of the University of Iowa, were influential in educational testing. These tests, including the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development, were widely used to assess the skill and achievement levels of elementary and secondary school students.1

Standardized tests, like the Iowa Tests, are administered and scored in a consistent manner. They often feature multiple-choice questions that can be machine-graded, though some may include open-ended questions requiring human evaluation. High-stakes achievement tests, in particular, can have significant consequences, impacting student progression, teacher employment, and school funding. The laboratory schools, where these tests were developed, were founded in 1916 to experiment with curriculum and serve as model schools, but they closed in 1972 due to funding cuts.21