By Kallee Mudd
Starting March 4, Atlantic High School students from grades 9-11 took the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITEDs.) Testing took place March 4, 5, and 7 at 8 a.m. though 10 a.m.
The daily schedule for the week was treated like a two hour late start (good news for the seniors, as they are not required to take ITEDs), and testing times ranged from 15 minutes to 40 minutes. First day of testing was reading and vocabulary, second day was mathematics and social studies, and the last day was science and written expression. “Not fun. Just not fun,” said sophomore Ben Parker.
“I NEVER HAVE TO TAKE THEM AGAIN!” said junior Morgan Munsey.
The ITEDs are a set of tests that freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are required to take every year. They are scored by how much they have learned and to show academic growth. The seminar that shows the most academic growth is to be awarded with a prize put together by principal Heather Mckay using donations from the sponsors of AHS. But how much do they motivate people? According to some people, they don’t have to be bribed with possible prizes to do well during the testing period. According to others, on the other hand, an extra push doesn’t hurt.
The ITED scores also determine how much funding a school can get from the government or how much funding can be taken away. “I take them seriously and I don’t mess around during testing,” said Parker.
“I take them as seriously as I can,” said junior Munsey.
Just this year, the ITEDs were taken in Spring, as they have normally been taken in the Fall.