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Board hears questions about FastBridge cost and district move to STAR as state tightens assessment requirements
Summary
Board members questioned the purpose and cost of FastBridge, were told it costs about $3,000 annually for the middle school, and staff said the district plans to move to Renaissance STAR to gain cross‑grade comparability as the state finalizes approved assessment options.
A public question at the North Marion SD 15 work session opened a discussion about the district’s assessment tools, costs and the state’s evolving accountability menu.
Raul asked, “What is FastBridge, and what is the cost to us, and what is the perceived benefit?” Dez replied that FastBridge is a universal screener administered three times per year and estimated the annual cost for the middle school (ELA and math) at about $3,000. “The cost to us for the entire middle school to take it... is, like, $3,000, I think, for the year,” Dez said.
Dez described two benefits: FastBridge provides teachers with diagnostic data about student learning gaps and acts as a predictor aligned to the state assessment to identify students who may need additional support. He said the district plans to move from FastBridge to Renaissance STAR across all schools to allow consistent, comparable data from grade to grade and because STAR is nationally normed.
Dez noted state action: the legislature has directed the state to identify approved assessments, and districts worry some required purchases will not be funded. “There is some hubbub at, like, the district level saying you guys are now mandating a purchase that you're not funding,” Dez said, adding that the district hopes STAR will be among the approved options because the district already purchased STAR literacy through a state learning grant on a multi‑year contract.
School officials framed teaching to the state assessment as appropriate when the assessment reflects state standards: Dez said the tests measure skills deemed necessary for students and that aligning instruction to the standards helps avoid surprising students on test day.
The board did not take a formal procurement action at the work session. Staff said they will continue to monitor the state list of approved assessments and the district’s multi‑year contracts as the state finalizes its accountability requirements.
