Why remote testing is the right move for Iowa

I’ve led a statewide online public school for over a decade, serving families from every part of Iowa—from rural communities to city neighborhoods. Students choose virtual learning because it fits their unique learning needs

What these students all have in common is they learn best at home. And until now, the system didn’t recognize that when it came time to test.

For years, in Iowa, it was mandatory for online learners to show up in person for state assessments. Families have gone to great lengths to comply. We’ve heard from parents who took unpaid time off, drove several hours in a single day, or paid for a hotel room so their child could be rested for an early-morning exam.

Even when the state created multiple regional testing sites to reduce the burden, the stress remained. And for students, especially younger ones, testing under those conditions often meant walking into a strange building and performing under pressure they weren’t used to.

This year, Iowa changed course. A new law allows students in virtual public schools to take their state tests from home. It’s a practical move, a fair one, and long overdue.

With remote testing, students can take assessments where they’re already used to learning—at home, with a familiar routine, using tools and platforms they use every day. We can break the exams across multiple days to reduce fatigue, and we can focus on the actual content instead of the logistics.

Research supports what we’ve seen anecdotally. When students test in familiar surroundings, their scores better reflect what they actually know.

And for anyone wondering about security: the process is tightly managed. Students will use secure browsers, log in through a controlled platform, and be monitored via webcam by certified educators. The proctoring ratio—one teacher for every ten students—is in line with national standards. These are the same tools used in states like California and Idaho, and on national exams for teachers, lawyers, and grad students.

What we’ve seen so far from families is pure relief. Testing at home means they no longer have to rearrange their lives for something that could be done just as effectively, and more equitably, from their living room. It means students can show what they’ve learned without the added strain of travel, unfamiliar environments, and test-day fatigue.

Some changes in education take years to show results. This one will be immediate.

Steve Hoff is the Head of School at Iowa Virtual Academy, a statewide online public school that has been serving students across Iowa since 2012. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in Minnesota and a master’s in educational leadership from Viterbo University in Wisconsin.