Assessment
Joliet Public Schools District 86 is dedicated to the important role assessment has in the learning process and overall educational experience for all students. Improving student learning is essential in the assessment process. Teachers and administrators are extensively trained in creating, providing, and evaluating assessments. Multiple sources of assessment data are used when determining the needs for individual students. As a stakeholder in your child’s education, we are committed to sharing assessment data with you and working together to assure all information known about your child is utilized to gain the greatest level of achievement. As we support our mission to nurture students who are learners for life, we value our partnership which involves you in the assessment process. Given assessment data, gathered throughout the year, we are able to jointly design education opportunities, support the greatest gains in student achievement, and meet the needs of your child.
Essential Questions
As curriculum and assessments are designed and analyzed, these four questions must be addressed by all stakeholders:
- What do we expect students to learn?
- How will we know if they have learned it?
- How do we respond when students experience difficulty in learning?
- How do we respond when students do learn?
Stakeholder Impact
- Students - Develop themselves as a learner, clearly knowing what they have mastered, what learning still needs to occur, and how to advocate for support, instruction, and services.
- Parents -Know their child as a learner, supporting them on the path to academic success given clearly defined areas of strengths and opportunities.
- Teachers - Insight into classroom instruction, strategic planning for individual and group needs based on results, and a clear vision of academic mastery as well as areas of instruction that need to be revisited and improved given students' results.
- Administrators - Ability to see impact of curriculum and staff development based on student performance, opportunity to develop strategic improvement plans, and staying focused on continuous improvement within all professional learning communities.
- Community - An intentionally transparent view of how students are performing in the Joliet learning community.
Local and State Level Assessments
Local assessments are intended to test students on their knowledge of the curriculum, monitor their progress, assess their achievement, and enable the District to modify existing programs and develop new programs aligned with specific student needs.
Classroom Teacher Created Assessment
Teacher created assessment used in individual classrooms to measure student progress and inform your child's teacher on the effectiveness of instruction.
Content/Grade Level Assessment
Content area or grade level team created assessment used in all classrooms across a grade level or content area to measure student progress and inform the teacher and the team on the effectiveness of instruction for your child.
Illinois State Assessments of Accountability
Access
ACCESS for ELLs Online is a computer-based, adaptive test that responds to student performance and may be administered in group or individual settings. This assessment is given annually to students in grades 1-12. Educators use ACCESS results, along with other WIDA resources to make decisions about students' proficiency with English in academic contexts and to facilitate their language development. Click here for more information on ACCESS for ELLs.
Dynamic Learning Maps Alternate Assessment (DLM-AA)
Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) assessments are for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities for whom general state assessments are not appropriate, even with accommodations. DLM assessments offer these students a way to show what they know and can do in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science.
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is the state assessment and accountability measure for Illinois students enrolled in a public school district. IAR assesses the New Illinois Learning Standards incorporating the Common Core and will be administered in English Language Arts and Mathematics to all students in grades 3-8.
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness Parent Portal is now available for parents/guardians. The Parent Portal provides parents and guardians online access to their child's performance on the IAR test for English Language Arts/Literacy, and Mathematics.
The IAR Parent Portal User Guide is available and has information on how to create an account, log in to the account, and add claim codes to access student score reports and videos of Individual Student Reports (ISRs). The portal will also allow parents/guardians to track their student's scores form year to year, beginning with the spring 2021 results. The unique access code can be found on each student's ISR.
Illinois Science Assessment (ISA)
Illinois will administer a science assessment to students enrolled in a public school district in grades 5, 8, and 11. The assessment will be administered in an online format and is aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards for Science, incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which were adopted in 2014. Click here for more information on the Illinois Science Assessment.
KIDS: Every Illinois Child Ready for Kindergarten
The Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is a REQUIRED observational tool designed to help teachers, administrators, families, and policymakers better understand the developmental readiness of children entering Kindergarten. All Kindergarten students are measured on fourteen readiness indicators in the month of October.
KIDS offers a series of short videos aligned with the required measures of the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS). The videos feature real families sharing ways to support their 3- to 5-year-olds as they develop social-emotional, math, and literacy skills. Use the videos and tip sheets here to boost your child's learning at home...maybe even while you're checking off items on your "to-do" list! Want to know more about KIDS? Watch the KIDS Introduction Video in English or in Spanish.
National Assessments
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Our children take tests for everything, but the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - also called The Nation's Report Card - is unique. When our children participate in NAEP, they are helping to inform decisions about how to improve education in your state and in our country. The participation of your child can and often does lead to change.
PSAT
The PSAT is a great primer for the SAT, and even the ACT, but it's more than just a trial run. PSAT scores are used to identify National Merit Scholars and award merit scholarships. More than 3.4 million high school students (mostly juniors and sophomores) take this nationwide, multiple choice test every year.
Your child doesn't need to study for the PSAT 8/9. The best way they can prepare is to pay attention in class and do their homework. The test is meant to assess the skills they are currently learning in school. See what kinds of questions are on the PSAT 8/9.