Standards, Assessment, and Accountability
ISBE Assessment
General information on all subjects tested, test dates, statewide results, interactive test sample questions, guides for parents and teachers, study materials for students, sample student work, and other resources.
ISBE Curriculum and Instruction
The key entry point for a wide variety of high quality instructional materials and general information about teaching to the Learning Standards and testing for mastery in the classroom.
Grading the Systems: The guide to state standards, tests, and accountability policies
Published in 2004 by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and Accountability Works, this report looks at six elements of K-12 accountability systems in 30 different states. Each state is rated on standards, test content, alignment of tests to standards, test rigor, testing trustworthiness and openness, and accountability policies.
Education Trust
'Dispelling the Myth' - this national study of the achievement gap identifies characteristics of high poverty/high performance schools.
Education Week
Each year Education Week publishes Quality Counts, a compendium of stories and graphics that analyze report card data and standards-based reform in the 50 states. It includes detailed analysis and "grades" for the quality of education in Illinois.
Just for the Kids
Based in Texas, Just for the Kids is developing report cards for every state with an emphasis on disseminating "best practices" that raise student achievement. Illinois data is expected to become available in 2004. The Illinois Business Roundtable and Illinois State Board of Education are supporting this effort.
School Results
The Broad Foundation, Just for the Kids, Standard and Poor’s, and the U.S. Department of Education are building a national report card that reports school and district data required by No Child Left Behind in an interactive, comparable format. Illinois data is expected to be available by Summer 2004.
Value-added Assessment: An Accountability Revolution
Describes the importance and use of assessment as a tool for monitoring student progress. Cites a University of Tennessee study emphasizing that value-added assessment informs parents, students, teachers, administrators, and communities of the progress of their students.
Princeton Review
Princeton Review awards Illinois an "A" on Test Quality and a "B-" on Alignment with Standards. The Review ranks Illinois in 17th place overall among state assessment systems.
http://www.homeroom.com/Irp/INDEX.asp
Princeton Review’s "Illinois Assessment Advisor" gives excellent descriptions of the state tests, with answers to questions parents and students often ask and links to ISBE’s test preparation materials.
Go to this site and select "IL" from "Select a State".