IAR ISA DLMAA Notification Letter

As mandated by the United States Department of Education, public school districts in the State of Illinois are required to assess all students for the purpose of educational accountability. Students will be assessed in the achievement areas of English Language Arts/Literacy (ELA/L) and Mathematics. Fifth and Eighth grade students will also be assessed in the achievement areas of Science.

Students enrolled in third through eighth grade will be completing the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) assessments during the period beginning Wednesday, March 4 and ending Friday, April 17.

The IAR assessment is an online group-administered achievement test designed to measure student proficiency relative to the Illinois Learning Standards. Additional information concerning the IAR Assessment including test format, sample test items, and notes about scoring is available online at https://il.mypearsonsupport.com/practice-items/

Fifth and eighth grade students will be administered the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) during the period beginning Wednesday, March 4 and ending Friday, April 17.

The ISA assessment is designed to assess the Next Generation Science Standards which were adopted by ISBE in 2014. The ISA will be administered through an online platform and the estimated testing time is approximately three hours. Assessment content will include physical science, life science, earth/space science and engineering. ISA Assessment practice is also available online at https://il.mypearsonsupport.com/practice-items/

Alternatively, students with most significant cognitive disabilities in grades three through eleven will complete the Dynamic Learning Maps – Alternative Assessment (DLM-AA) within the Wednesday, March 11 through Wednesday, May 6 window.

The DLM-AA measures student performance on standards aligned to the Common Core Essential Elements. Additional information concerning the DLM-AA is available online at dynamic learning maps.org.

Individual students are not engaged in assessment during the entire test window. Schools will communicate additional information before the test windows open. Please encourage your child to demonstrate his or her academic knowledge and skills through these tests.

Thank you for your positive support of our district during the administration of these important assessments. If you have additional questions regarding the IAR, ISA, or DLM-AA assessments, please contact your school’s principal.