EXPLORE (www.actstudent.org/explore/tests/index.html)

The EXPLORE Test given to the 8th Grade in December and 9th Grade in October, includes four multiple-choice tests. Your skills in these subjects will make a big difference in school and in your career.

English - The EXPLORE English Test measures your understanding of standard written English-punctuation, grammar and usage, sentence structure, understanding of the use of strategy, organization and style in writing.

Math - The EXPLORE Math Test measures your mathematical reasoning. The test focuses on your ability to reason in math rather than on how well you have memorized formulas or can do involved computations.

Reading - The EXPLORE Reading Test measures your ability to understand written material from different school subjects. The skills measured include referring to details in the passage, drawing conclusions, and making comparisons and generalizations. The passages are typical of materials you might read in school.

Science - The EXPLORE Science Test measures your scientific reasoning skills and your ability to understand scientific information and draw conclusions from it. Six sets of scientific information are presented in one of three formats:
data representation - graphs, tables, and other forms
research summaries - descriptions of several related experiments
or conflicting viewpoints - two or more hypotheses that are inconsistent with one another

PSAT/NMSQT (www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html)

PSAT/NMSQT given in October to sophmores and juniors stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It is a standardized test that provides first hand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test™.

The PSAT/NMSQT measures critical reading skills, math problem-solving skills and writing skills.

PLAN (www.actstudent.org/plan)

The PLAN Test given in October is valuable for all sophomores. PLAN serves as the midpoint check of academic progress in high school. The PLAN Test includes four multiple-choice tests.

English - The PLAN English Test measures your understanding of standard written English-punctuation, grammar and usage, sentence structure, understanding of the use of strategy, organization and style in writing.

Math - The PLAN Math Test measures your mathematical reasoning. The skills tested are those you learn in the first and second year high school courses (pre-algebra, first-year algebra and plane geometry).

Reading - The PLAN Reading Test measures your reading comprehension by focusing on skills such as: referring to details in a passage, drawing conclusions and making comparisons and generalizations.

Science - The PLAN Science Test measures your scientific reasoning skills, based on material that is typically taught in first and second year high school general science courses. The material includes topics in biology, chemistry, physics, geology, astronomy, and meteorology.

PSAE (www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/psae/htm)

Spring of 2008 the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) measured the achievement of grade 11 students relative to the Illinois Learning Standards for reading, math, science and writing.

The PSAE included two days of testing: the ACT Plus Writing on Day 1, which included the ACT battery of four multiple-choice tests, (english, math, reading and science) and a 30-minute constructed-response writing test with a single prompt question; and the WorkKeys exam on Day 2, which included an ISBE-developed science assessment, and two WorkKeys assessments (applied math and reading for information). 

 PSAE Parent Brochure