Illinois Practice Tests
Illinois Practice Books and Flashcards
ISA·
Illinois's State Tests at a Glance
In grades 3 through 8, Illinois students take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) in English language arts and math every year, and the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) in grades 5 and 8. The tests are given online, and paper tests are used only for students who need a paper-based accommodation. English learners may take the math and science tests in Spanish. Each section is taken in one sitting and the sections are given in order; the IAR sections are strictly timed. Testing takes place in the spring.
English Language Arts
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | Two sections online; a written essay in each section; Section 1 is a literary analysis task or a narrative writing task (each student is assigned one form at random), and Section 2 is a research simulation task | 75 minutes per section | Reading literary text, reading informational text, vocabulary, written expression, and knowledge of language and conventions; the two essays together count for about half of the score |
| Grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 | Two sections online; a written essay in each section; Section 1 is a literary analysis task or a narrative writing task (each student is assigned one form at random), and Section 2 is a research simulation task | 90 minutes per section | Reading literary text, reading informational text, vocabulary, written expression, and knowledge of language and conventions; the two essays together count for about half of the score |
Students read real fiction and nonfiction passages and multimedia, answer questions about them, and write about what they read. Some schools are also selected to give a third ELA section as a field test. Schools are advised to give a student no more than two IAR sections in one day.
Mathematics
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 | Three sections online; no calculator; ruler provided | 60 minutes per section, 180 minutes in all | Major content (39%), additional and supporting content (19%), reasoning (19%), modeling (23%) |
| Grade 4 | Three sections online; no calculator; ruler and protractor provided | 60 minutes per section, 180 minutes in all | Major content (40 to 44%), additional and supporting content (14 to 17%), reasoning (19%), modeling (23%) |
| Grade 5 | Three sections online; no calculator; ruler and protractor provided; reference sheet | 60 minutes per section, 180 minutes in all | Major content (39%), additional and supporting content (19%), reasoning (19%), modeling (23%) |
| Grades 6 and 7 | Three sections online; Section 1 has a no-calculator part and then a calculator part; calculator in Sections 2 and 3 (four-function with square root and percent); ruler and protractor provided; reference sheet | 60 minutes per section, 180 minutes in all | Major content (39%), additional and supporting content (19%), reasoning (19%), modeling (23%) |
| Grade 8 | Three sections online; no calculator in Section 1; scientific calculator in Sections 2 and 3; ruler provided; reference sheet | 60 minutes per section, 180 minutes in all | Major content (39%), additional and supporting content (19%), reasoning (19%), modeling (23%) |
Questions include selected-response, fill-in and constructed-response items spread through the sections, and the test is scored by points rather than by number of questions. Where a calculator is allowed, one is built into the online test, and students may bring their own if it meets the state's calculator policy.
Science
| Grade | Format | Time | What’s tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 5 and 8 | Three sections online; multiple-choice and technology-enhanced questions plus constructed responses, grouped in clusters built around a common phenomenon; calculator allowed (four-function at grade 5, scientific at grade 8) | Up to 90 minutes per section; students take about 40 to 45 minutes per section on average | Earth and space science, life science, physical science (30 to 35% of items each) |
The ISA is aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards for Science, which incorporate the Next Generation Science Standards. The grade 5 test covers the standards for grades 3, 4 and 5, and the grade 8 test covers the middle school standards. A section that is started must be finished on the same school day.