The Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) for seniors will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 5. There will be two testing sessions: the first from periods one through four and the second from periods six through nine. Testing sessions and locations are based on students’ last names. If a student’s last name begins with A-L, they will take the exam in the first session. Otherwise, the student will attend the second session.

During their session, students will be excused from their classes. If a lunch period is present during their testing session, they may be excused from their fifth period to have lunch.

The exam consists of three untimed sections. Although students have unlimited time to take it, each section initially is 45 minutes long. After the three 45 minute sections, if students would like to finish or review their previous sections, they may do so. A unique code will be provided to activate the exam.

During the test, students will have access to built-in accommodations, a calculator, text-to-speech and line reader features. If students would like to utilize this tool, they should bring their own headphones.

A reflection of Illinois’ dedication, the test was created to prepare students for college and future careers. In addition to recognizing students’ understandings of the STEM fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics which are becoming more in-demand, the test also meets federal accountability requirements, allowing administrators to analyze results and adapt the broad curriculum at the school and district level. The test is mandatory for all 11th graders but did not take place last spring, and therefore must be made up.

On the day of the test, make sure to bring all necessary materials: a District 219 Chromebook, a Chromebook charger and headphones (optional). Students are required to bring their D219 Chromebooks as this will be the only way to access the exam.