At the end of the 2019-2020 school year, students did not have to take standardized assessments due to the coronavirus pandemic. During this school year, although the pandemic continues, there have not been any signs to suggest the tests will be canceled again.
Recently, IDOE released guidance for schools to share with parents to inform them these assessments must happen in-person. The guidance included the following strategies to administer the test in-person during the pandemic:
- Bringing students onsite for 1:1 or small group testing.
- Administering tests for remote learners at different times than onsite learners.
- Administering tests at a secure, alternative location using IDOE’s Homebound Students guidance
- Administering tests to groups of students on different days.
For remote students, the choice to participate will ultimately be in the hands of the parents. If parents do not bring their children to campus or opt-in for in-person learning, these students will not take the test which will leave schools with an incomplete picture of student data.
However, teachers are still providing assessments and some districts are administering NWEA MAP which some students were able to take remotely. Although some students might not take ILEARN or IREAD-3, if it happens this spring, schools will not be totally in the dark about their students’ academic performance.
If we opt out, will our student’s grade or grade level be affected?