A balanced system of assessments is an integral part of CPS's well-rounded instructional program for all students. Assessments effectively measure what a student has learned and monitor student progress towards college and career readiness.
CPS administers different types of assessments over the course of the school year to provide a comprehensive picture of student progress. Some assessments guide improvements in ongoing instruction and enable schools to offer appropriate supports to address individual student needs. Standardized test scores, together with other factors, inform grade promotion decisions and determine student eligibility for specific schools and programs. Additionally, some assessments are mandated for school funding.
Preparing Students for Success on Assessments
Students may find testing stressful. Teachers should discuss upcoming assessments with their students to help them prepare academically and socio-emotionally for a successful test-taking experience.
Parents can find applicable test dates for their student in the Assessment Calendar. If you know your student will not be in attendance on test dates, contact your school.
These tips can help you prepare your child for testing:
- Talk about the test date with your student a few days in advance and show him or her the date on a calendar
- Each following day, talk a little more about testing, so your child becomes more familiar with the idea
- Mention that some questions might be easy and some might be hard, and that it's okay if he or she doesn't know all the answers
- Make sure your child gets a good night's rest and eats a good breakfast before the test
- When your child comes home from school after a test, don't pressure him or her with questions—most children will talk about their experience without prompting when they feel ready
Alternative Testing
Contact your school to learn if your student qualifies for alternative testing.
CPS Assessment Calendar
Learn more about which assessments are optional, which are required, and testing dates by grade level for pre-K through grade 12. Brief overviews of the purpose of each assessment are also provided.
Assessment Fact Sheets
The CPS assessment system helps provide educators and families with valuable information to help advance learning for all students, including:
- Baseline – to understand where students start the year
- Formative – to make ongoing adjustments to curriculum and instruction to better support students over the course of the year
- Growth – to monitor and measure progress over the course of the year
- Achievement - to understand student mastery of grade-level standards by the end of the year
For a better understanding of the purpose of specific tests, explore the Assessment Fact Sheets.
K-2 Assessments
| Assessment | Report |
|---|---|
| REACH Performance Tasks | REACH Performance Tasks Fact Sheet |
| i-Ready | i-Ready Assessment Suite Fact Sheet |
| ACCESS | ACCESS Fact Sheet |
| Screening for English Language Proficiency | EL Screener Fact Sheet |
| Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) | KIDS Fact Sheet |
3-8 Assessments
| Assessment | Report |
|---|---|
| Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) | ISA Fact Sheet |
| Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) | IAR Fact Sheet |
| REACH Performance Tasks | Reach Performance Tasks Fact Sheet |
| ACCESS | ACCESS Fact Sheet |
| Screening for English Language Proficiency | EL Screener Fact Sheet |
| Dynamic Learning Maps-Alternate Assessment (DLM-AA) | DLM-AA Fact Sheet |
| Algebra Exit Exam | |
| Algebra Exit Exam Blueprint | Middle Grades Algebra Blueprint |
| Star 360 Assessment Suite | Star 360 Assessment Suite Fact Sheet |
| High School Admissions Test | High School Admissions Test Fact Sheet |
High School Assessments
| Assessment | Report |
|---|---|
| REACH Performance Tasks | Reach Performance Tasks Fact Sheet |
| ACCESS | ACCESS Fact Sheet |
| Screening for English Language Proficiency | EL Screener Fact Sheet |
| Dynamic Learning Maps-Alternate Assessment (DLM-AA) | DLM-AA Fact Sheet |
| SAT Suite of Assessments | SAT Suite of Assessments Fact Sheet |
| Star 360 Assessment Suite | Star 360 Assessment Suite Fact Sheet |
| Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) | ISA Fact Sheet |