Formative Assessments for Learning

• Standards-based grading
• Portfolio (digital and hard copy)
• Performance-based
• Benchmark assessment
• Coaching, cueing, prompting, and questioning
• Supportive, purposeful
• Focused on student growth
• Curriculum and classroom-based instructional assessment
• Part of the learning process
• Student/teacher partnership
• Dialogue journals, learning logs
• Self-assessment
• Collaborative, Reflective

Summative Assessments for Learning

• Criteria for work and expectations (exemplars)
• Benchmark Portfolio (digital, hard copy)
• End of unit interviews, conversations, and presentations
• Products, performances, and projects with rubrics
• Self-assessment
• Writing reflections
• Recorded presentations and explanations
• Collaborative Practice in Online Platforms

NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Grades K-11
Grades K through 11 students will be assessed three times a year: fall, winter, and spring.
NWEA MAP is a computerized, adaptive assessment measuring student performance and Reading and Math growth. Tests present students with engaging, age-appropriate content. Adaptive assessments adjust the difficulty of questions as the student responds correctly or incorrectly. The result is detailed information on each student, including instructional level and performance at state and local standards. Students take this assessment three times per year.

NWEA MAP Reading Fluency Grades K-5
Grades K-5 will be assessed three times a year: fall, winter, and spring. Depending on student performance, this assessment may be administered additional times. MAP® Reading Fluency™ is an online, adaptive assessment that efficiently measures oral reading fluency, comprehension, and foundational skills.

CollegeBoard PSAT/NMSQT Grades 10 and 11 - Fall
Students can take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of 10th and 11th grade. The PSAT/NMSQT also automatically screens students for the National Merit® Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships, further supporting their academic journey. To prepare, full-length adaptive digital PSAT/NMSQT practice is available on the Bluebook™ app. More resources are available at the Official Digital SAT Prep on Khan Academy.

PreACT Secure Grades 8, 9, and 10 - Fall
PreACT® assessments offer 8th, 9th, and 10th graders an early experience with ACT test items, provide a predicted ACT test score, and offer a wealth of information to help students get the start they need to be college-ready. Anchored on the ACT college and career readiness standards, PreACT assessments help educators, students, and parents identify areas of academic strength and opportunity. Students may opt to have their information shared with colleges and scholarship agencies when they take PreACT 8/9, PreACT, or PreACT Secure, providing greater opportunities for recruitment and scholarship awards.

ACT Grade 11 - Spring
The ACT is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. ACT, a nonprofit organization of the same name, administers it. The ACT covers four academic skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning. It also offers an optional direct writing test.

Illinois Assessment of Readiness Grades 3 -8 - Spring
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is the state assessment and accountability measure for Illinois students enrolled in a public school district. It assesses the Illinois Learning Standards incorporating the Common Core and will be administered in English language arts and mathematics to all students in grades 3-8.

Illinois Science Assessment Grades 5 and 8 - Spring
In compliance with federal testing requirements, Illinois will administer a science assessment to students in grades 5 and 8 enrolled in a public school district. Students scheduled to take the state alternate assessment (DLM-AA) are not required to take the ISA. The Illinois Science Assessment aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards and the Illinois Learning Standards for Science.

FitnessGRAM - If Applicable
FITNESSGRAM® enables schools to access and monitor student fitness levels. Six fitness tests from the FITNESSGRAM® battery were selected to assess three areas of physical fitness: body composition, aerobic capacity, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility.

ACCESS for English Language Learners - If Applicable
ACCESS is taken annually by English learners in kindergarten through grade 12. Educators use ACCESS results, along with other WIDA resources, to make decisions about students' English academic language and to facilitate their language development. Students' scores reflect proficiency levels ranging from Level 1 (Entering) to Level 6 (Reaching).

CogAT® Test (Cognitive Abilities Test) Grade 2 - Spring
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a group-administered aptitude test for grades K-12 that estimates students’ reasoning and problem-solving skills. Unlike assessment tests, which measure what a student has already learned, aptitude tests are designed to measure intellectual ability, focusing on analytic and problem-solving skills rather than specific knowledge.

ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages® (AAPPL) Grades 9-12 if Applicable - Spring
The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) assesses standards-based language learning across the three modes of communication (Interpersonal, Presentational, and Interpretive) defined by the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning. The AAPPL assesses Interpersonal Listening/Speaking, Presentational Writing, Interpretive Reading, and Interpretive Listening, and ratings are assigned according to the ACTFL Performance Descriptors for Language Learners. The four components of the test take approximately two hours to complete.

ISBE KIDS Kindergarten First Trimester
The Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is an observational tool designed to help teachers, administrators, families, and policymakers better understand kindergarten children's developmental readiness.

The Dynamic Learning Maps-Alternate Assessment - If Applicable - Spring
The Dynamic Learning Maps-Alternate Assessment (DLM-AA) is the required state assessment for students in grades 3-11 with the most significant cognitive disabilities. As determined by the IEP, students with the most significant cognitive disabilities may take the DLM if participation in the state’s regular assessments is not appropriate, even with accommodations.