District and State Student Assessments
The student testing season is upon us. The State and school district require students to take certain standardized tests throughout the school year to measure students’ learning. Tests include STAR 360, ACCESS, and Illinois Assessment of Readiness Assessments.
Students did a great job completing the District-wide STAR 360 assessments during the second trimester, from January through early February. These assessments included Early Literacy (Grades K–1), STAR Reading (Grades 2–8), and STAR Mathematics (Grades 2–8).
The STAR 360 assessments are administered three times each year: Beginning of Year (September 2–19, 2025), Mid-Year (January 12–February 3, 2026), and End of Year (May 6–22, 2026). The results help teachers and parents monitor student growth throughout the school year and identify areas for improvement.
This month, over 3,500 of our bilingual, English as a Second Language (ESL), and English Learner (EL) students are required to take the annual English language proficiency assessment, ACCESS. Students will be tested through the end of February.
In addition to the STAR 360 and ACCESS assessments, students in grades 3–8 will take the annual federally required assessments this spring. The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) for students in grades 3–8 will be administered in March, and the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) for fifth- and eighth-grade students will be given in April. The IAR measures student growth and proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics in alignment with the Illinois Learning Standards, while the ISA assesses proficiency in Science.
I encourage families to support their children by helping them work hard and prepare throughout the year for these assessments. Students should get a good night’s sleep before testing days, eat a well-balanced breakfast, and do their best during each exam. Letters with preparation tips and practice questions were sent home last month from school principals.
If you ever have a question, comment, concern, or compliment about one of our schools or the District, send a Let’s Talk message at https://www.joliet86.org/o/jps/page/joliet-public-schools-district-86-lets-talk or go to our website www.joliet86.org and click on Let’s Talk at the top of the page.