What Students Should Know
Illinois Learning Standards (ILS)
define what all students in all Illinois public schools should know and be able to do in the seven
core areas as a result of their elementary and secondary schooling. The Illinois Learning Standards
have not changed since their adoption in 1997. You can see them from a school’s test results pages
or other places in the IIRC by clicking on What Students Should Know in the blue bar at the top
of the page and then on Learning Standards.
Performance Descriptors are detailed descriptions and examples that were developed by Illinois teachers for Illinois teachers to enhance the ILS and to serve as resources to help teachers determine local performance expectations at each grade level. See the performance descriptors from any place in the IIRC by clicking on What Students Should Know and then on Performance Descriptors.
Assessment Frameworks identify those elements of the Illinois Learning Standards that will appear on the state tests in all subject areas at all grades starting in 2006. The expectations are similar to those being tested in 2004 and 2005. Assessment Frameworks are always accessible by clicking on What Students Should Know and then on Assessment Frameworks.
Standard Sets The standard sets are logical subsets of test items from a given ISAT test that are broken out separately to assess student skills in particular areas. From an ISAT results page for a school, click on 'Standard Sets' in the Test Results bar to see how students in that school performed on the standard sets for any subject at any grade level.
In the Classroom provides activities for use by teachers in helping allstudents meet or exceed the standards.