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Volume 5, Issue 7

February 21, 2014

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Dear Parent or Guardian:

We will be giving your child state-required achievement tests on March 3 rd – 14th. Students in grades three, four, five, six, seven, and eight will be tested in reading and mathematics. In addition, students in grades four and seven will also be tested in science. The tests are a part of the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) program, and are being given to all eligible students. The results of state tests will be reported to you on the School Report Card by the end of October. We will review state test results along with other information to help us improve our school program. In addition, you will receive information about your child’s performance on the state tests he or she took.

You can help your child do his or her best on the test by: Making sure, if possible, that your child attends school on the days of testing; Making sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before testing: Providing breakfast or have your child eat breakfast at school on the mornings of testing; Reminding your child to ask the teacher questions if he or she does not understand the test directions; Letting your child know that you have confidence in his or her ability to do his or her best; and Advising your child not to worry about the test-just do the best he or she can.

Please call your child’s teacher if you want additional information or have further questions about the test. We look forward to sharing the ISAT results with you this fall.

As a reminder, the 2014 Illinois 5Essentials Survey that I wrote about in the February newsletter should be opening soon. You may take the survey on-line at https://illinois.5-essentials.org/2013. The survey window will remain open until March 31st. This survey, required to be implemented this school year by legislation passed in 2011, represents the first attempt by the state to administer a statewide survey of learning conditions to teachers, students, and parents. Statewide summary results will be shared with ISBE this summer. School-level results will be sent to schools this summer and will be part of the 2014 school report cards, typically released by ISBE at the end of October. Federal Race to the Top funds are covering the cost of the survey. Thank you for helping us meet the state requirement by taking this survey.

Hope you have a great March!

Sincerely,Bill James