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State Mandated Assessments

State mandated assessments include:

  • KIDS Assessment
  • Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)
  • Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS)
  • Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)
  • Illinois Science Assessment 

Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) Assessment

What is the KIDS Assessment?
The Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is an observational tool to measure the developmental readiness of children entering kindergarten in four domains—Approaches to Learning and Self-Regulation; Social and Emotional Development; Language and Literacy Development; Cognition: Math. KIDS was implemented for the first time across school districts statewide in 2017-18. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires all kindergarten teachers to evaluate students’ development on at least 14 measures within the first 40 days of school. The 14 measures provide a means, at an aggregate level, to begin to understand in a general way the learning and support needs of an incoming cohort of kindergarten children.

When is the KIDS Assessment administered?
Teachers collect evidence of students’ developmental levels during the first 40 days of school. The assessment is not repeated.

When are results available?
Results are not made available to parents or to the school at the individual student level. The state summarizes the data and reports the overall percentage of students demonstrating kindergarten readiness in each developmental level for the school.

For more information about the KIDS Assessment - click here

Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)

What is the IAR?
The IAR has replaced the PARCC test. It is a federally mandated assessment designed to measure student college and career readiness in the areas of Language Arts and Mathematics. There are two types of test items on the IAR exam; performance based tasks which require written / typed responses and multiple choice test items. Students in District 31 will take the IAR exam on their iPads or Chromebooks.

Who takes the IAR and when are these tests taken?
All students in grades 3 through 8 take the IAR in spring.

When are the results available?
Parents will receive the results of the IAR test in the mail in the fall of the following school year. Information on how to interpret the results will be provided.

For more information about the IAR assessment - click here.

Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS)

What is ACCESS for ELLs®?
ACCESS for ELLs® 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 of speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Who needs to take ACCESS for ELLs® and when do they take it?
All public school districts are required to assess annually all identified English Language Learners (ELLs)/Limited English Proficient (LEP) students in grades K-12 using the ACCESS for ELLs® assessment until the students test as English language proficient. This includes all identified students whose parents have refused language support services. All LEP students must be tested until they achieve the state prescribed minimum score to be considered English language proficient. Most students take the assessment in February. The ACCESS is given in several sessions and can take 1.5 to 4 hours to complete.

When are results available?
Parents will receive the results of the ACCESS test in the mail in the fall of the following school year.

For more information about the ACCESS - click here

Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM)

What is the DLM?
The DLM is an alternative assessment to the state assessment of readiness for students who have significant disabilities which prevent them from participating in a traditional standardized assessment even when given accommodations. The DLM assesses students in Language Arts and Mathematics.

Who takes the DLM and when do they take it?
Students in grades 3 through 8 with significant cognitive impairments take the DLM. There is a six week window for completion of the assessment in the spring.

When are the results available?
Parents will receive the results of the DLM in the mail in the fall of the following school year.

Illinois Science Assessment (ISA)

What is the ISA?
The Illinois Science Assessment is a computer based test that measures mastery of science standards.

Who takes the ISA and when do they take it?
Students in Illinois are required to take this assessment in the 5th and 8th grades and it is administered in the spring. The entire assessment takes approximately 90 minutes to complete.

When are the results available?
Parents will receive the results of the ISA in the mail in the fall of the following school year.

For more information about the ISA - click here