In 2019 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) replaced the previous annual student academic assessment protocol (PARCC) with the IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) test.  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 students in grades 3-8.  In District 29 the IAR assessment is administered in an online format. For more information about the IAR, please visit https://www.isbe.net/iar

Measures of Academic Progress (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.

• 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

• 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

The MAP tests are administered to all students in grades 3-8 in the fall (September) and Spring (May). Please 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 MAP test results, please contact your child’s teacher or advisor.

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