Assessments & Testing

Standardized Tests

Standardized testing serves several purposes. Some of these tests help teachers determine how much academic growth or progress students are making in a given subject area. Other tests help teachers determine the most important areas that require an additional or heightened teaching focus. Different types of testing take place throughout the school year. Some of this information comes from standardized testing, which allows us to monitor how a student is performing in a given area as compared to other students in the same grade nationally. Information from these tests help our staff determine how much academic growth is occurring and thus what areas require additional focus.

State Mandated Tests

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) mandates four assessments each year:

Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)

The Illinois State Board of Education requires all Illinois public school students in Grades 3-8 to participate in state-administered testing in reading and math. The current Illinois state achievement test is called the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). The IAR test measures a student’s general Math and English/Language Arts skills.

The IAR assessment includes a rich set of performance-based tasks that reflect some of the most important academic skills that we strive to develop in students. The IAR assessment is given to students in Grades 3 to 8.

What is the Illinois Assessment of Readiness?

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is the Illinois state achievement test. All public school students in grades 3 to 8 must take the IAR. The IAR is given every spring as posted on the District’s standardized testing schedule. The IAR is taken on a computer and is designed to provide information about student progress toward the long-term goal of college and career readiness.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has a section of its website devoted to the IAR. You can access the ISBE website at ISBE IAR Resources.

The National PTA has also posted information for parents about state assessments on its website.

Is IAR testing mandated?

How can parents help to prepare their children for the IAR test?

The IAR/PARCC website offers some suggestions to parents:

Read a combination of fiction and non-fiction aloud or with your child. Look for subjects of interest—from sports heroes to dinosaurs.
Discuss and “do” real-life math with your child. Help him/her know basic math facts.
Discuss the tests with your child to reduce your child’s anxiety. Above all, be positive and encouraging about the tests.
After the test, review the results with your child. Bring the teacher into the discussion as needed.
Provide a quiet, comfortable place for studying at home and make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a nutritious breakfast before a test.

Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS)

ACCESS for ELLs—(Assessing Comprehension & Communication in English State-to-State) for English Language Learners is a standards-based, criterion referenced English language proficiency test designed to measure English language learners' social and academic proficiency in English. It assesses social and instructional English as well as the language associated with language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies within the school context across the four language domains. The ACCESS test is also designed to demonstrate student’s growth toward English proficiency over time.

ISBE requires that school districts administer ACCESS annually to all students in a second language program.

Why is an English Language Proficiency test required?

An English Language Proficiency test is required under No Child Left Behind legislation. Passed in 2001, NCLB indicates that all K-12 English language learners must be assessed annually for English proficiency growth (Title III) and academic progress (Title I).

School districts receiving Title III grant resources will be held accountable under the Annual Measurable Achievement Objectives (AMAOs) provision of NCLB. Last, the Illinois Administrative Code, Part 228, Section 228.15(f) indicates districts shall administer an individual language proficiency assessment to each student identified through the home language survey. This assessment shall take place within four weeks of the student's enrollment in the district, for the purpose of determining the student's eligibility for bilingual education services.

ACCESS, Grades K-8 (all domains, for all ELL students and parent refusals)
(Grade K - paper based, Grades 1-8 - computer based)

All multilingual students will participate in ACCESS testing during the window of January 17 - February 29, 2024. The ACCESS assessment results allow us to make decisions about students’ academic language and to facilitate their language development in Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Math. Their scores reflect proficiency levels between a level 1 (entering) and level 6 (reaching). Students exit multilingual programming when they reach a 4.8 on the ACCESS exam. One tool that empowers us to meet students where they are in their development is the WIDA Can Do Descriptors. Thank you for your support of language development!

Illinois Science Assessment

Illinois school districts are also required to assess student knowledge and skill in Science. The Illinois Science Assessment is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and is used to measure student science mastery.

Students in grades 5 and 8 are required to participate in the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) each spring. The ISA represents Illinois’ commitment to preparing all students for college and careers, including careers in the high-demand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The assessment also satisfies federal accountability requirements.

The online ISA is designed to reflect classroom experiences. The ISA includes questions related to Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science. Students also apply their understanding of Engineering Practices in these domains. More information about the Illinois Learning Standards for Science can be found here.

Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS)

The Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is an observational tool, not a test. This tool is designed to help teachers understand the developmental readiness of children entering kindergarten. KIDS focuses on four key domains domains that most impact long-term student success. The domains are: Approaches to Learning and Self-Regulation; Social and Emotional Development; Language and Literacy Development; and Cognition: Math.

Fitnessgram

In January 2016, the Illinois State Board of Education adopted Part 1, Section 1.425 rules, which require students to be fitness tested. Students are to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Based upon continual self-assessment, fitness testing can help students identify their fitness levels and set goals for improvement. To meet this state requirement, CCSD15 implements Fitnessgram. This resource provides physical education staff fitness tests and other fitness tools to support their students’ achievement of the state fitness goal.

Targeted Grade levels: Grades 3-8

Non State Mandated Tests

Parents/guardians may, however, choose for their children to opt out of District testing that is not state-mandated. These tests are listed below. Parents/guardians can opt out to their school principal.

Although valuable, state tests may not provide required information to make timely decisions about student needs. The District has adopted several additional tests to gather information about student performance during the school year:

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)

Second- through eighth-grade students in all schools will be tested two or three times a year (fall and spring) using the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing system.

The computer-based MAP tests measure individual student achievement in three academic areas: reading, language, and math. Tests dynamically adjust to a student’s performance level, making test scores more accurate. Results are available within 24 hours.

The information provided through MAP testing better enables the district to make appropriate, data-driven decisions at the classroom, school, and district levels. It also allows teachers to make rapid adjustments in instruction to respond to identified student needs.

MAP testing does not replace the state-mandated Illinois Standards Achievement Tests (ISAT). District 15 currently administers other types of assessments, but with the implementation of MAP testing, the necessity for other test instruments will be carefully reviewed. Because MAP provides such specific and timely information, it may eliminate the need for some other tests.

Additional resources for parents:

Map Testing Parent Toolkit - A Guide to NWEA Assessments

Fastbridge

Each year, District 15 carefully monitors each child’s academic progress in reading and math, and social-emotional behavior. Part of this monitoring includes using a series of quick, standardized tests using the FastBridge Assessment System. This data, combined with information from other assessments, is used to guide instruction and assess growth.

All students in K-3 take FastBridge assessments in the fall, winter, and spring of each school year. FastBridge uses brief measures of early literacy and math at the Kindergarten and first-grade levels. These brief assessments provide data on an early learner’s reading and math development. The FastBridge assessments typically take less than 10 minutes per student, but the data gained provides teachers with insights and suggestions to help address each child’s needs.

Fastbridge test results for students in K-3 from the fall, winter, and spring testing periods will be available to parents via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. The results for Spring will be posted at the end of May. When you log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, select "more" from the dropdown window, and then select "Assessments."

In addition to your student’s Composite score, a National Percentile is also provided. This number represents how your child’s score compares to other students in the same grade level across the nation. For example, if your child scored in the 70th percentile, your child scored better than 70% of other students at their grade level across the nation who also took that assessment.

Please see the chart and information below to learn more about which FastBridge assessments your child will take based on their grade level and time of year. You will receive information about your child’s performance three times a year, after each benchmarking period.

Fastbridge Assessments by Grade Level

Kindergarten and Grade 1

Grade Level	Assessment Period/Group	FastBridge Assessments
K - 1^st	Fall/Winter/Spring Given to all students	earlyReading	earlyMath
*Note: Students in self-contained bilingual classrooms complete assessments in Spanish. Students in Dual-Language classrooms are assessed in both English and Spanish.

In kindergarten and first grade, every student completes a group of short early reading and early math tests from the FastBridge assessment system. These assessments are designed to measure and monitor the development of students’ basic reading and math skills. Both the earlyReading and earlyMath assessments are comprised of 12 subtests. Four of these subtests are administered at each benchmark period (fall, winter, spring). These are quick and flexible monitoring tools; the total assessment time for all four subtests is approximately 5-10 minutes per student.

Depending upon your child’s grade level and the benchmark period, reading subtests may include concepts of print, onset sounds, letter sounds, word segmenting, sight words, sentence reading, and reading grade level passages (also called a Reading Curriculum-Based Assessment or R-CBM). Math subtests may include number identification, number sequencing, decomposing, place value, and story problems.

In kindergarten, at the start of each school year, for early reading, students are asked to identify concepts of print, identify the initial sounds in spoken words, name letters from a list, and say letter sounds when shown a list of letters. Around January, students are reassessed on their ability to identify initial sounds in words and state letter sounds. New skills assessed in January include breaking words into syllables and blending letter sounds to read short made-up words (Nonsense Words). Around April, students are reassessed on the ability to state letter sounds from a list, breaking spoken words into syllables, and blending letter sounds to read made-up words. New skills assessed include reading sight words. For students in self-contained bilingual and dual language classrooms, subtests presented at the beginning of the year include concepts of print, onset sounds, letter sounds and syllable reading. In January, the concepts of print subtest is replaced by word segmenting and in April, sight words is replaced by onset sounds.

In kindergarten, at the start of each school year, for early math, students are asked to label numbers from a list, match numbers to their corresponding quantities, and their ability to count, forward and backward (Number Sequence). Around January, students are reassessed on their ability to label numbers from a list and identify numbers that would be needed to complete a sequence. A new skill assessed in January is decomposition. Students are shown a set of food items and are then asked, “I ate ___, how many are left?” Around April, students are reassessed on their ability to label numbers from a list, identify numbers that would be needed to complete a sequence, and on decomposition. For students in self-contained bilingual and dual language classrooms, assessments are translated into Spanish.

In first grade, at the start of each school year, for early reading, students are asked to break words into syllables (Word Segmenting), blending letter sounds to read short made-up words (Nonsense Words), read sight words, and read a short passage with picture supports (Sentence Reading). Around January, students are reassessed on their ability to break words into syllables (Word Segmenting), blend letter sounds to read short made-up words (Nonsense Words), and read sight words. A new skill assessed in January includes a Reading Curriculum Based Measure (R-CBM), which requires the student to read a grade level passage for one minute. The number of words read correctly and any errors are scored. Around April, students are reassessed on their ability to break words into syllables (Word Segmenting), blend letter sounds to read short words (Decodable Words), read sight words, and read a grade-level passage. For students in self-contained bilingual and dual language classrooms, subtests presented at the beginning of the year include word segmenting, sight words, sentence reading and syllable reading. In January and April, sentence reading is replaced by CBM Reading.

In first grade, for math, at the start of each school year, students are asked to label numbers from a list, identify numbers that would be needed to complete a sequence and decomposition. For the number sequencing assessment, students hear numbers and are asked to keep counting, state the number after, or number after. For the decomposition assessment, students are shown a number and a set of dots and are then asked, “How many to make ____?” Around January, students are reassessed on decomposition and their ability to hear numbers and keep counting, state the number before, or number after. A new skill assessed in January is place value. Students are asked to complete a short paper-pencil test where they must identify quantities represented by 1-unit and 10-unit blocks. Around April, students are reassessed on decomposing and place value. A new skill assessed in April is Story Problems. Students are asked to listen to a word problem (sometimes with a picture, and sometimes not) and then solve it (e.g. “There were ___ cookies. A girl ate ___. How many are left?”).

District 15 considers students at the 15th percentile or lower on the NWEA MAP (as well as other factors such as additional testing, previous school experiences, etc.) for Tier 2 reading and/or math intervention support.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

Grade 2

Grade Level	Assessment Period/Group	FastBridge Assessments
2^nd	Fall/Winter/Spring Given to all students	R-CBM aReading	CBM Automaticity aMath
*Note: Students in self-contained bilingual classrooms complete assessments in Spanish. Students in Dual-Language classrooms are assessed in both English and Spanish.

Grade Level

Assessment Period/Group

FastBridge Assessments

2^nd

Fall/Winter/Spring
Given to all students

R-CBM

aReading

CBM Automaticity

aMath

*Note: Students in self-contained bilingual classrooms complete assessments in Spanish. Students in Dual-Language classrooms are assessed in both English and Spanish.

In second grade, all students are tested in the Fall, Winter and Spring for both literacy and math. Literacy assessments include reading grade level passages (also called a Reading Curriculum-Based Assessment or R-CBM), which requires the student to read grade level passages for one minute. The student reads 3 of these passages, for one minute each time. The number of words read correctly and any errors are scored. For the final score, the middle score of words read correctly and the middle score of number of errors is recorded. Also, students complete an untimed, computer-based assessment of 30 questions, which adapts to their skill level. Math assessments include completing a variety of mixed math facts within four minutes as quickly as possible (also called a Math Curriculum Based Assessment or CBMmath Automaticity). The number of correctly answered math problems is recorded. All students in the grade level receive the same questions. Also, students complete an untimed, computer-based assessment of 30 questions, which adapts to their skill level. Total testing time can be 60-80 minutes for both literacy and math combined.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

Grades 3 - 6

Grade Level	Assessment Period/Group	FastBridge Assessments
3^rd	Fall/Winter/Spring Given to all students	R-CBM
3^rd- 5^th	Fall/Spring Given only to students below the 15th %ile on MAP Reading and/or MAP Math Winter Given only to students receiving Reading and/or Math intervention(s)	R-CBM aReading	CBM Automaticity aMath
6^th	Fall Given only to students below the 15th %ile on MAP Reading and/or MAP Math Winter Given only to students receiving Reading and/or Math intervention(s) Spring Given only to students below the 30th %ile on MAP Reading	R-CBM aReading	CBM Automaticity aMath
*Note: Students in self-contained bilingual classrooms complete assessments in Spanish. Students in Dual-Language classrooms are assessed in both English and Spanish.

In third grade, all students are tested in the Fall, Winter and Spring in literacy. The literacy assessment for third grade is reading grade level passages (also called a Reading Curriculum-Based Assessment or R-CBM). Students are required to read grade level passages for one minute. The student reads 3 of these passages, for one minute each time. The number of words read correctly and any errors are scored. For the final score, the middle score of words read correctly and the middle score of number of errors is recorded.

In third grade through sixth grade, students below the 15th %ile on Reading MAP testing, complete additional FastBridge Assessments in the Fall and Spring. The exception is that in the Spring only, sixth grade students below the 30th %ile on Reading MAP complete additional FastBride assessments to help determine possible eligibility for reading intervention support in Junior High. In the Winter, only students receiving intervention complete FastBridge assessments. The literacy assessments for third through sixth grade include reading grade level passages (also called a Reading Curriculum-Based Assessment or R-CBM). Students are required to read grade level passages for one minute. The student reads 3 of these passages, for one minute each time. The number of words read correctly and any errors are scored. For the final score, the middle score of words read correctly and the middle score of number of errors is recorded. Also, students complete an untimed, computer-based assessment of 30 questions, which adapts to their skill level. Total testing time for literacy can be 30-40 minutes.

In third grade through sixth grade, for math, students below the 15th %ile on Math MAP testing, complete additional FastBridge Assessments in the Fall and Spring. In the Winter, only students receiving intervention complete FastBridge assessments. Math assessments include completing a variety of mixed math facts within four minutes as quickly as possible (also called a Math Curriculum Based Assessment or CBMmath Automaticity). The number of correctly answered math problems is recorded. All students in the grade level receive the same questions. Also, students complete an untimed, computer-based assessment of 30 questions, which adapts to their skill level. Total testing time for math can be 30-40 minutes.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

Grades 7 - 8

Grade Level	Assessment Period/Group	FastBridge Assessments
7^th	Fall/Winter Given only to students receiving Reading and/or Math intervention(s) Spring Given only to students below the 30th %ile on MAP Reading	R-CBM aReading	CBM Automaticity aMath
8^th	Fall/Winter/Spring Given only to students receiving Reading and/or Math intervention(s)	R-CBM aReading	CBM Automaticity aMath
*Note: Students in self-contained bilingual classrooms complete assessments in Spanish. Students in Dual-Language classrooms are assessed in both English and Spanish.

Grade Level

Assessment Period/Group

FastBridge Assessments

7^th

Fall/Winter
Given only to students receiving Reading and/or Math intervention(s)

Spring
Given only to students below the 30th %ile on MAP Reading

R-CBM

aReading

CBM Automaticity

aMath

8^th

Fall/Winter/Spring
Given only to students receiving Reading and/or Math intervention(s)

R-CBM

aReading

CBM Automaticity

aMath

*Note: Students in self-contained bilingual classrooms complete assessments in Spanish. Students in Dual-Language classrooms are assessed in both English and Spanish.

In seventh grade and eighth grade, only students receiving intervention complete FastBridge Assessments for literacy and/or math in the Fall, Winter and Spring. The exception is that in the Spring only, seventh grade students below the 30th %ile on Reading MAP complete additional FastBridge assessments to help determine possible eligibility for reading intervention support in eight grade. Literacy assessments include reading grade level passages (also called a Reading Curriculum-Based Assessment or R-CBM). Students are required to read grade level passages for one minute. The student reads 3 of these passages, for one minute each time. The number of words read correctly and any errors are scored. For the final score, the middle score of words read correctly and the middle score of number of errors is recorded. Also, students complete an untimed, computer-based assessment of 30 questions, which adapts to their skill level. Math assessments include completing a variety of mixed math facts within four minutes as quickly as possible (also called a Math Curriculum Based Assessment or CBMmath Automaticity). The number of correctly answered math problems is recorded. All students in the grade level receive the same questions. Also, students complete an untimed, computer-based assessment of 30 questions, which adapts to their skill level. Total testing time can be 60-80 minutes for literacy and math assessments combined.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher with any questions or concerns.

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM)

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

District 15 also administers the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) to targeted students in Grades 2 and 4. CogAT measures verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative aptitude areas.

Individual tests may be administered if additional information is needed to provide an appropriate educational program. Individual evaluations may include a psychological examination as part of a case study evaluation. Parent permission is required for this type of evaluation.

Targeted Grades 2 & 4 (full battery)

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)

The Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) alternate assessment is administered to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. The DLM assessment measures academic achievement for students who are eligible for this alternate assessment. The test includes English language arts, mathematics, and science.

Each test includes questions from one or more of the standards that your child’s teacher uses for instruction during the school year. During the spring assessment window, the number of tests and the approximate length of time for testing may vary depending on the subject, the grade level, and each student’s individual needs. The materials used in testing can be adapted to your child’s needs.

LAS Links

Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) is the provider of LAS Links which helps identify and monitor the progress of English language learners. LAS Links is a research-based, English and Spanish proficiency assessment that measures the speaking, listening, reading, writing, and comprehension skills. With the District’s continued implementation of the biliteracy model, LAS Links Español provides evidence of Spanish language proficiency for both native and non-native speakers of Spanish in all four language domains (speaking, listening, reading, and writing). LAS Links also offers English language proficiency assessments, which can be used to measure whether English learners are meeting state-specific criteria. LAS Links aligns with several standards including the WIDA and College and Career Readiness Standards.

Other individually administered tests

Other individually administered tests may be required if additional information is needed to provide more targeted educational programming for a child. For example, a variety of processed-based assessments are used, including the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System, Oral Language Assessment, Words Their Way Inventory, and additional classroom-based assessments.

hen needed, individual evaluations may also include psychological or educational assessment as part of a case study evaluation for specialized educational services. Parent permission is required for this type of evaluation.

Please be certain your child has adequate sleep prior to testing and encourage your child to do their best when taking the tests. The opportunity for making up tests is limited, so it is important that you schedule doctor appointments or important family commitments when students are not involved in standardized testing.

No single test can provide a complete picture of a child's achievement. Classroom performance, teacher observation, and other tests help provide additional information about your child. Questions about your child's test results should be directed to their teacher or the school principal.