February 7, 2011
Snow Days and the 2011 ISAT Test Windows
Because this school year has been particularly bad regarding the use of snow days, the Illinois State Board of Education is allowing districts and other facilities that conduct ISAT testing to do the following.
You may begin your two-week test window one week later than its normal start. This applies to the early, regular, and late test window. The pick up day for the early, regular, and late test windows has been moved to the Tuesday following the last day of the revised two week window (New pick up day) - see the fifth bullet below for more information about pick up days.
The original and revised test schedules are as follows:
EARLY WINDOW
Original Early Window: February 21 – March 4
Revised Early Window: February 28 – March 11
New pick up day – March 15
REGULAR WINDOW
Original Regular Window: February 28 – March 11
Revised Regular Window: March 7 – March 18
New pick up day – March 22
LATE WINDOW
Original Late Window: March 7 – March 18
Revised Late Window: March 14 – March 25
New pick up day – March 29
For example, the original regular ISAT window is February 28 – March 11. Those districts testing in the regular test window may now test students from March 7 through March 18. This allows you to start testing one week later (March 7) and complete your two-week test window one week later (March 18). The pick up day for the regular window is moved to the following Tuesday (March 22).
Points of clarification:
- This new test schedule affects ONLY ISAT. 2011 test schedules for IAA and PSAE are not changed.
- Starting your test window one week later is your choice. You may choose to test in your original window and NOT follow the revised schedule as listed above. However, all schools within a district must test on the same schedule, either on the original schedule or the revised schedule.
- You do NOT have to notify ISBE or Pearson if you decide to adopt the revised window and test one week later. You may simply test one week later on the revised schedule.
- The test materials will arrive on the shipment schedule for your test window as indicated in the 2011 ISAT and IAA Reference Guide and the 2011 District and School Coordination Manual.
- The new pick up day for each window is listed above. However, if you test on the original schedule for your window, you may contact Pearson for an earlier pick up day as long as you contact them 72 hours in advance of when you would like the new pick up day. See page 25 of the District and School Coordination Manual for information about arranging a different pick up day.
- If you test on the Revised Schedule, you must have your materials picked up on the Tuesday following the last day of your Revised Schedule.
- The ISAT test window is still two weeks. With the revised schedule, you may start your two-week test window one week later.
- The test window during which you are scheduled to test (early, regular, or late) cannot be changed at this point. Hence, you may shift your two-week test window only one week later. For example, those who applied to test on the early window may shift their test window one week later, February 28 to March 11. Early window testers may NOT decide to test on the revised regular window (March 7 to March 18) or either of the late windows.
- All districts and facilities that conduct ISAT testing may participate in this new test schedule. You do NOT need to have taken a certain number of snow days to qualify.
- If you have any questions, please call the Student Assessment Division at 217-782-4823 or toll free at 866-317-6034.
ISBE Contact:
Student Assessment
Illinois State Board of Education
100 North First Street
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
Phone: 217.782.4823
Fax: 217.782.6097
www.isbe.net/assessment/psae.htm
