Before the new school year begins, it is helpful to take a few steps to organize your school/district common assessments. This article walks through key recommendations for a smoother start to the year.
Recommendation 1: Organize Assessments for the New School Year
Before the new school year begins, decide how you want to organize common assessments for next year. Many teams primarily take one of these two approaches:
Option 1: Reuse existing common assessments
Option 1: Reuse existing common assessments
Some teams choose to reuse the original common assessments rather than creating copies. As a result, the assessment ID/URL remains the same.
This approach can save time, but it is important to consider the tradeoffs.
Pros
The assessment keeps the same assessment ID/link, so any external resources that already include the link do not need to be updated.
Because the exact same questions are being used, teams may find it easier to compare data from one year to the next.
Cons
Any edits made to the original assessment will affect previous student data. Because of this, you will be prompted to create a copy of the assessment.
The assessment may include archived questions that are less accurate or no longer align as well to current standards.
Option 2: Create copies of common assessments (recommended)
Option 2: Create copies of common assessments (recommended)
Pros
Creating a copy allows you to make changes without altering previous student data.
Assessments can be updated to better reflect current standards or instructional goals.
Cons
This approach can take more time upfront because assessments must be copied for the new school year.
If phenomena/questions are updated, it may be harder to clearly compare year-to-year results.
Because copied assessments receive new assessment IDs/links, any external resources with the original links will need to be updated.
💡 Need help deciding which option to use? Reach out to your InnerOrbit Account Manager or click on "Send us a message" in the site chat.
Recommendation 2: Review & Replace Archived Questions
When questions in your assessment are marked as "Archived”, it means:
The question has been updated to better align with standards.
A new, improved version has been created to be more accessible and engaging.
The question has been retired to ensure the highest-quality assessments moving forward.
Before administering assessments for the upcoming school year, we recommend reviewing each assessment and replacing any archived questions.
If your team prioritizes strict year-to-year item comparisons, you may choose to keep certain questions the same — but review carefully before making that decision.
⚠️ Please note: If you choose to replace an archived question, InnerOrbit will prompt you to create a copy of the assessment. This helps preserve previous student data.
💡 Want step-by-step help with archived questions? See Managing Archived Questions in Your Assessments to learn more.
Recommendation 3: Update Pinned Folders for the Upcoming School Year
Pinned folders are shared folders that appear at the top of the "Library" tab for your teachers, making it easier to find school- or district-wide assessments.
Update Folder Names for the Upcoming School Year
If you plan to continue using the same pinned folder from the previous school year, update the folder name so it clearly reflects the upcoming school year.
Clear folder names can help teachers:
Quickly identify the correct assessments
Avoid confusion between current and previous-year materials
Stay organized when multiple shared folders are available
For example, you may want to rename a folder from 2025-2026 District Common Assessments to 2026-2027 District Common Assessments.
💡 Need help renaming a folder? Check out How to Organize Your Assessments Using Folders for step-by-step instructions.
Unpin Previous-Year Folders
If a pinned folder is no longer needed for the upcoming school year, consider unpinning it.
Unpinning older folders can help:
Reduce clutter at the top of the Library
Prevent teachers from opening outdated assessment folders
Make current shared folders easier to find
💡 Want to learn more about pinned folders? Check out How to Make Folders Visible to Your School or District.
Need more help? For additional assistance, click on "Send us a message" in the site chat or email us support@innerorbit.com