Common Assessments

IAR – The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is a computer-based state assessment and accountability measure for all students in Grades 3 to 8. It assesses students’ knowledge and skills in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, as outlined in the Illinois Learning Standards (incorporating Common Core). The test is designed to provide critical information about student progress toward the long-term goal of college and career readiness. All District 97 students in grades 3 to 8 must take the IAR each spring.

MAP – The Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), developed by NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association.), is a computerized adaptive test, given to students in grades 2-8, that measures a child's academic growth from year to year in the areas of mathematics, reading, and language usage. In the MAP system, the difficulty of the test is adjusted to the student's performance. The difficulty of each question is based on how well the student has answered all of the questions up to that point. As the student answers correctly, the questions become more difficult. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier.

llinois State Science Assessment – The Illinois Science Assessment is designed to measure student learning on the new Illinois Science Standards incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) that were adopted in 2014. For grades 5 and 8, test items are aligned to physical science, life science, earth/space science and engineering.

Dynamic Learning Maps – The Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) is an alternate assessment that offers an innovative way for all students with significant cognitive disabilities in grades 3-8 to demonstrate their learning throughout the school year via the DLM Alternate Assessment System.

Assessing Comprehension & Communication in English State to State (ACCESS) – 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.

Kindergarten Readiness Screener – The Kindergarten Readiness Screener is administered to incoming kindergarten students to assist in determining a student’s readiness in beginning Kindergarten. The readiness skills assessed are vocabulary, letter identification, visual discrimination, phonemic awareness, comprehension & interpretation and mathematical knowledge.