New standards for ISAT testing in Illinois | News

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (KFVS)- Mrs. Kerley, a seventh grade science teacher, begins each class period with a question for her students at West Frankfort.

Questions are taken from the ISAT practice test to better prepare them for when that exam hits their desk.

"They'll tell me, Mrs. Kerley, I remember seeing that question, we did that on the question of the day," says Kerley.

But for her students, those questions may get a little trickier to solve.

As the state raises the standards for ISATS, they'll align better with common core state standards, which will in turn give teachers an earlier indicator of where a student might need a little extra help.

This puts a little more stress on educators.

"It causes some confusion for professionals as to which direction we should go in preparation for that," says Kerley.

Teachers say the higher expectations of the new scores will cause a downward shift in the number of students who meet or exceed standards.

But according to principal Charley Cass, the change will better prepare students for the future.

"There is going to be some transition, some gap there that will have to addressed, if you want to test well when the ISATS come around," says Cass.

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