ISAT Scoring Changes: Fewer Crystal Lake, Cary Students Likely to Meet, Exceed Standards
Arbitrary "cut" scores are changing to align ISAT scores with ACT and PARCC assessments. That means students' and schools' performance grades are likely to drop in the categories of English and math.
Don't be surprised if your son or daughter drops from "exceeds standards" to "meets standards" or from "meets" to "below" standards in the upcoming Illinois Standard Achievement Tests. The Illinois State Board of Education in January approved new cut scores that will help align the ISAT results with those of the Prairie State Achievement Exam — colloquially called the ACT test — given to 11th graders, and establish a foundation for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam set to debut in the 2014-15 school year. In recent weeks, elementary school children throughout the area took the ISATs. The higher expectations of the new ISAT cut scores will mean fewer students are expected to meet or exceed standards…