Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Student Assessments Fastbridge topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council Bluffs to use FastBridge screening for kindergarten; expands progress monitoring K–12
Summary
Board heard that FastBridge will be the approved kindergarten screener and will expand progress monitoring tools for math and reading across K–12 special education goals; kindergarten screening replaces MAP growth for that grade.
District staff told the board the district will use FastBridge as the approved screener for kindergarten and expand its use for progress monitoring under recent Department of Education guidance.
Dr. Matthews said the Department of Education-approved screener list requires an approved tool for kindergarten through sixth grade; the district selected FastBridge for kindergarten math and reading. "For kindergarten, this is what will be our approved screener," Matthews said. She added that FastBridge will also be used for progress monitoring in math and reading for students identified as at risk and that the district is rolling out progress monitoring aligned to Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for kindergarten through 12th grade.
Matthews said FastBridge complements the district's multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) by producing actionable reports at the student, classroom, school and district levels and by linking screeners to evidence-based interventions. She described FastBridge's dual approach — fixed curriculum-based measures and computer-adaptive tests — and said that for kindergarten FastBridge will replace MAP Growth (i.e., it is not an additional statewide test for kindergarten this year).
Staff said the fall screening window is underway and that teacher leaders, instructional coaches and curriculum specialists have received professional learning to support implementation. The district will continue to use MAP Growth for grades 1–6 where appropriate; FastBridge is optional for grades 1–6 beyond the required kindergarten use.
Why it matters: The change affects kindergarten assessment protocols and establishes a uniform progress-monitoring tool tied to interventions and IEP goals; implementation timing and teacher training were presented as mitigations to rollout risk.
No formal board action was taken during the presentation.
