Assessment In District 29


The District 29 team employs state of the art technology to assess the educational needs of our students and to evaluate the effectiveness of our instructional programs, including:


ISAT TESTING
The Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) measures individual student achievement relative to the Illinois Learning Standards. The results provide parents, teachers, and schools with  one measure of student learning and performance.

For the 2011-2012 school year, the ISAT will be administered March 5th through March 16th, 2012. The following areas will be tested:

2011-2012 ISAT
Grades and Subjects Tested

Grade 3
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Grade 4
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Grade 5
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Grade 6
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Grade 7
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Grade 8
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• indicates that students are tested


For more general information on the ISAT tests, please refer to the Illinois State Board of Education's Assessment Website.
 
 
ISAT results are typically delivered to school districts early in the fall. Individual student reports will be mailed to parents shortly thereafter. If you have specific questions about you child's ISAT results, please contact Dr. Edward J. Stange, Ph.D., Asst Supt./Dir of Student Services@ 847.881.9453.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
District #29 has replaced the annual academic assessment of students via the Terra Nova/Cat6 assessments with an bi-annual assessment utilizing the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) tests. MAP tests are state-aligned computerized adaptive tests that accurately reflect the instructional level of each student and measure growth over time.

These assessments are tailored to each individual student via a state-of-the-art computer adaptive program that provides standardized results data irrespective of the child's age or grade. They are more cost effective, time-efficient, and useful for instructional planning and monitoring student's academic growth over time than the Terra Nova/Cat6 assessment system.

All 3rd through 8th grade students will participate in MAP testing in fall of 2011 and spring of 2012. THE FALL 2011 TESTING WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2011. THE SPRING 2012 TESTING WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE WEEK OF APRIL 9, 2012.

MAP testing provides parents with:
-data regarding the annual academic growth of their child in the areas of reading, mathematics, and language usage
-a comparison of their child's performance with that of a typical Sunset Ridge student, as well as a national sample of same-aged peers
-lexile data that will link parents to appropriate reading materials based on their child's instructional reading level

MAP testing provides teachers with:
-data regarding the annual academic growth of each student in the areas of reading, mathematics, and language usage
-a comparison of each student's performance with that of a typical Sunset Ridge student, as well as a national sample of same-aged peers
-lexile data that will link teachers to appropriate reading materials based on the instructional reading level
-a list of specific instructional skills that students have mastered, are still learning, and have yet to learn
-linkages to instructional materials to help in designing effective instructional programs
-data to determine the appropriate time for a student to advance through the levels of a given curriculum
-data to determine the effectiveness of a given instructional program

For more general information regarding the MAP testing program, please visit the Northwest Evaluation Association's Website.

If you have specific questions about your child's 2009 MAP test results, please contact Dr. Edward J. Stange, Ph.D., Asst Supt./Dir of Student Services@ 847.881.9453.

Curriculum-Based Measurement
District 29 staff frequently utilize curriculum-based measurements in reading, mathematics, and written language to monitor the academic growth and learning of students throughout their educational experience.

When CBM is used, each child is tested briefly. The tests generally last from 1 to 5 minutes. The teacher counts the number of correct and incorrect responses made in the time allotted to find the child’s score. For example, in reading, the child may be asked to read aloud for one minute. Each child’s scores are recorded on a graph and compared to the expected performance on the content for that year, based on local and national sampling data. The graph allows the teacher, parents, and students themselves, to see quickly how the child's performance compares to expectations.

Based on data obtained from CBMs, in combination with other standardized assessment data and teacher input, students may receive addition support in reading, mathematics, and/or written language from the Student Services Department. These supports are available across all grade-levels and are not contingent upon eligibility for special education services under the Individuals With Disabilities Act (IDEIA).

For more general information regarding Curriculum Based Measurement, please visit www.studentprogress.org/families.asp



Last Modified on October 20, 2011