Illinois board of education decides not to change state assessment

After greater than a 12 months of heated debate, the Illinois state board of education has determined not to transfer ahead with proposed modifications to the state’s present standardized take a look at, saying it should rethink altering the end-of-year examination as soon as faculties return to normalcy after the pandemic. 

The state board of education introduced final April that it was taking a look at altering the state’s present assessment system. After the coronavirus pandemic interrupted faculties throughout the state, the board thought-about altering the assessment to gather information on how a lot studying college students misplaced over the past two college years. 

The unique proposal referred to as for a gradual alternative of the Illinois Assessment of Readiness examination, or the end-of-year assessment, by 2025 — when the state’s contract with Pearson, the creators of the IAR, ends. With each contracts probably overlapping, the state board of education anticipated 20% of the state’s pupil inhabitants to take each exams. 

Under that proposal, the state would have contracted an organization for nearly $300 million over 5 years to create an assessment that might take a look at Illinois college students in third via eighth grade 3 times a 12 months. The state additionally needed to administer an non-compulsory take a look at for college kids in kindergarten via second grade. 

At the state board’s May board assembly on Wednesday, state superintendent Carmen Ayala stated the state board determined to maintain off contemplating modifications as a result of many faculties are nonetheless rebounding from the toll that the pandemic has taken on studying in lecture rooms.

The state board will “continue our focus in supporting students’ academic and social emotional recovery from the pandemic and working toward closing any equity gaps for our students,” Ayala stated.

After board member Donna Leak requested Ayala what the state board might do to pace up reporting assessment outcomes to college districts, Ayala stated she is going to work with the state’s present vendor to report outcomes to college districts sooner. School district leaders, directors, and educators have stated it takes too lengthy for districts to get assessment outcomes.

Leak additionally requested if the state board might restrict the quantity of checks administered through the college 12 months. Ayala stated interim assessments are administered by native college districts, not the state. A majority of the state’s 852 districts use interim assessments. Chicago used the Measure of Progress assessment till the district ended its contract with NWEA — the administrator of MAP— final 12 months.

Roger Eddy, together with different board members, applauded Ayala for getting suggestions from college districts and educators on how to enhance the state system and stated they hope to use that suggestions sooner or later.

“If we were to prioritize all the comments and feedback that we received, you’d hit the nail on the head for what I think most educators would like from their assessment system, which would be more timely results,” stated Eddy. 

The state board’s determination to desk modifications to assessments got here every week after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the “Too Young To Test” invoice final week. The new regulation will stop the state board of education from requiring standardized assessments for college kids in kindergarten to second grade except for diagnostic or screening functions. The invoice was advocated for by Illinois Families for Public Schools and different advocacy teams who had been involved about testing early learners. 

School leaders, educators, and advocates had been not happy with the state’s present end-of-year assessment as a result of outcomes are reported the following college 12 months and testing takes time away from curriculum. 

Many had been additionally involved about rising the quantity of checks given yearly. Some spoke about what they want to see in any new state assessment system through the public portion of the assembly on Wednesday morning.

Cynthia Riseman Lund, legislative director of the Illinois Federation of Teachers, stated an excessive amount of time is being taken away from studying within the classroom due to the quantity of testing in faculties. 

“In too many school districts across Illinois — especially in school districts with higher community poverty rates who serve black and brown students — our members decry the overuse and misuse of these types of interim tests,” stated Riseman Lund. “When districts purchase interim tests to prepare for the summative state tests, the results are harmful to students’ work and to teaching and learning.”

John Burkey, president of the Illinois’ Large Unit District Association, stated assessments are essential, however they want to be higher. Burkey additionally advocated for the board to assist districts to buy or develop interim assessments so “they can get quality student assessment on individual students.”

Samantha Smylie is the state education reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago, overlaying college districts throughout the state, laws, particular education, and the state board of education. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.