March Is the Month for ISAT

by Donna Wine

March 01, 2010

In March each year students in grades 3 and 4 here at Chebanse Elementary take the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). The ISAT measures individual student achievement as it relates to the Illinois Learning Standards. Third graders take tests in reading, math and writing. Fourth graders are tested in reading, math and science. The results give parents, teachers, and schools one measure of student and school performance.

Parents are often concerned about how to help students do their best on the test. Here are a few tips:

Be sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast before taking the test.
Try to make the morning of the test a pleasant one. Avoid arguments the night before testing and the morning of the test.
Be certain your child wears comfortable clothes to school.
Get your child to school on time the day of the test.
Don't be overly anxious about test scores, but encourage your child to take tests seriously.
Remind your child to listen carefully to the instructions from the teacher and to read the directions and answer each question carefully.

Teachers in all grades here at Chebanse Elementary work hard all year to help prepare students for the ISAT. A student's BEST test preparation is keeping up every day with classroom work and homework.