Assessments

aimsweb®Plus is administered to screen the early literacy and early math skills of Kindergarten and 1st Grade students. 

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)is a standardized aptitude test that measures a student’s general and specific cognitive abilities. It measures learning, reasoning and problem-solving skills in three areas: verbal, quantitative and nonverbal. The assessment is given to assist in placement for gifted and talented services. Third grade takes the three-part test on verbal, non-verbal and quantitative assessments, fifth grade takes the three-part test on verbal, non-verbal and quantitative assessments. Students in fourth, sixth, and seventh grades may take sections of the CogAT during a review of their math and/or ELA course placement. Please visit placement information on processes and identification for math and placement information for English Language Arts on our  Gifted and Talented web pages for more details.

Please view the  CogAT FAQ for additional information about the assessment.

A video provides additional information on Understanding Your Child's Test Results. 

This sample report provides definitions for each section.

The Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment Systems  (F&P) is used to determine each st

udent’s independent and instructional reading levels. Teachers are able to observe student reading behaviors one-on-one, and engage in comprehension conversations that go beyond retelling. Teachers use these assessments to target support for students. This assessment is administered three times a year in grades 1 through 5*. Please note that due to the pandemic, this assessment is not being conducted in 2020-21.

 

Designed by Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assess what students know and shows what they’re ready to learn next. These standardized, computer-based assessments adjust to each student’s response to accurately measure performance.District 28 uses math and reading MAP assessments three times a year in grades 2-8. This assessment helps the district evaluate curriculum and monitor student growth. The tests are also nationally normed to provide a perspective on student performance as it relates to national averages.

 

View the family toolkit

Understand your student's report A key to the student report for parents.

The On-Demand Writing assessments are used to assess student progress as writers. The On-Demand Writing assessments help teachers establish clear goals tied to learning that have been aligned to the standards. 

The Behavior and Emotional Screening System (BESS) is completed by teachers for all students twice a year in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. The universal tool is designed to quickly and systematically assess the behavioral and emotional strengths and risks of students.

Words Their Way is a word study program, focused on supporting student skills in spelling, phonics and vocabulary. This assessment helps teachers identify student spelling developmental stages and help students achieve mastery in recognizing, spelling, and defining specific words. This assessment is given three times a year in grades 1-3 and once a year in grades 4 and 5. More information.

ACCESS is a group of summative English language proficiency assessments. The assessments measure students' academic, English language skills in four language domains: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing. The assessment is given annually to students identified as English Learners. More information.

The Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) is designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities and is an individualized test. It assesses academic progress in English language arts, mathematics and science.

Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) replaced PARCC in 2019 as the state’s assessment and accountability measure for public school students. There are two parts: English language arts and mathematics. The assessments are given to all students in grades 3 through 8. Find out more about IAR from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Illinois Science Assessment
The Illinois Science Assessment is given to students in grades 5 and 8. The test is being revised in 2019 and is intended to be aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards for Science incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards. More information.

The Illinois Snapshot of Early Literacy is a reading performance inventory for early literacy skills. It provides a snapshot of students’ literacy strengths and competencies and assists the classroom teacher in developing lessons that meet each child’s needs.

The Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) is an observational tool designed to help teachers, administrators, families understand the developmental readiness of children entering kindergarten. More information