Schools

The Chicago Board of Education adopted revised standards to its promotion policy for elementary school students last month. The revision is the result of changes in the way Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) publishers will report test scores this year. The new standards are comparable to the previously used standards.

In the middle of May, the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) administered a new version of the ITBS created in 2000 to all students in grades three through eight. Publishers of the ITBS provide new versions of the test every three to four years. Use of the new form reduces the number of security breaches and the likelihood for both teachers and students to become overly familiar with the specific items in the tests.

While the new test measures skills similar to those of the previous one, the specific content is different. When the new test was developed, the publishers also established new standards to define the “national average” performance levels.

Following the advice of the ITBS developers, the Board voted that CPS will no longer report grade equivalents. Instead CPS will use national percentile rankings.

“The grade equivalents are no longer used in large districts across the country,” said Michael Scott, Chicago Board of Education president. “The percentiles will provide an up-to-date national comparison for CPS students and schools.”

“The new format and new norms will provide improved testing and the most accurate information on student performance available,” said Arne Duncan, CPS chief executive officer. “Since we can convert previous test results to the new norms, we will also be able to report accurate trend data at the same time as we release spring results.”

Effective now, students in the third, sixth and eighth grades—the benchmark grades—will be promoted to the next grade if they possess the knowledge and skills appropriate to their grade levels as demonstrated by their performance on multiple measures including the ITBS and, as appropriate, the assessment of other factors, such as classroom grades and attendance.

Students at the benchmark grades whose scores are at or above the 35th national percentile ranking will be automatically promoted to the next grade level. Those students who score below the 35th national percentile ranking (NPR), but fall between the 24th to 34th NPR will also have classroom grades and attendance rate along with other criteria considered. Additionally, students who fall within the range will be required to attend summer school and satisfactorily complete it.

Students who fall below the promotion criteria range or have a failing final report card grade in reading or mathematics or have more than 20 days of unexcused absences will only be considered for promotion after retesting in August, satisfactory completion of and suitable attendance rate in summer schools.

The Chicago Public Schools is the third largest school system in the U.S. and second largest employer in Illinois with 45,000 employees. It has 596 elementary and high schools and more than 435,000 students.