February 6, 2008
Spring 2008 IAA Update
Test Materials
IAA test materials will arrive
on or before February 26 in school and districts. Materials
will be delivered
to the testing school location designated in ISBE’s
Student Information System (SIS). The Spring 2008 Implementation
Manual is also available on the IAA Web site at www.isbe.net/assessment/iaa.htm.
Additional materials
Additional materials can
be ordered beginning February 26 on Pearson’s Assessment Network at www.pearsonaccess.com/il.
The password and user ID sent by Pearson in mid-October
is needed to access the system. Materials will be sent
to the location where the initial shipment is delivered.
Materials must be ordered three days prior to the start
of the school/district’s test window.
Test Book Ratio
In an effort to reduce the number of secure materials
in schools and districts, Pearson will send one test
booklet for every two students enrolled in a grade at
a school. Sharing test booklets is encouraged in classrooms
with multiple students per grade. Every test booklet
must be accounted for and returned to Pearson via the
FedEx pick-up on April 17. Questions on test materials
should be directed to Pearson at 800/627-7990 State Code
814 or at iaa_pearson@support.pearson.com
Teacher Resource Guide
The guide has been updated for
the spring test to include suggested bibliographic references,
material lists and
illustrations for use with the reading, mathematics,
science and writing tasks. Sample tasks are included
in the guide, which is posted on the IAA Web site at www.isbe.net/assessment/iaa.htm.
Online Scoring
Student scores must be submitted
through Pearson’s
online system. Coordinators will receive an e-mail February
26 with the information needed to establish teacher accounts
for entering scores online. The final date to submit
scores is April 11. An online scoring guide for teachers
and coordinators will be posted at www.isbe.net/assessment/iaa.htm.
Online scoring questions should be directed to Pearson
at 888/234-4849 or support@schoolsuccess.net.
Online Scoring Webinars
Pearson will hold Online Scoring Webinars prior to the
spring test administration. This is the same system used
for entering scores for the fall 2007 pilot. Pearson
will distribute information on how to register for these
sessions.
Coordinator Trainings (3 sessions)
- February 20: (2 sessions) 9:00 – 10:00 and
1:00 – 2:00
- February 21: 3:00 – 4:00
Teacher Trainings (6 sessions)
- February 25: 3:00 – 4:00
- February 26: (2 sessions)
9:00 – 10:00 and 3:00 – 4:00
- February 27:
3:00 – 4:00
- February 28: (2 sessions) 9:00 – 10:00
and 3:00 – 4:00
Test Content Alignment
Results from the fall 2007 pilot revealed that coverage
of the Illinois Learning Standards needed to be expanded.
To address this need, additional tasks were added to
reading, mathematics and science. As a result, reading
now has 11 tasks, math 12 and science 8. Two of the tasks
are embedded field test items. Writing has six tasks,
including one field test item.
Specific not General
The fall pilot showed that
specific tasks provided the most information about the
student’s knowledge
and skills. In addition, fall surveys conducted of teachers
and coordinators by ISBE and Pearson reflected there
was confusion in the field about which tasks were general
and which were specific. To eliminate this confusion
and to get the best information possible, all tasks are
now specific. In response to pilot testing data, the
teacher-selected task has been eliminated in all subjects.
For general information about the IAA, contact Marilyn
Leveque at mleveque@isbe.net or 217/782-4823.
back to 2008 Archive
Illinois State Board of Education
100 North First Street
Springfield, IL 62777
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