Standards/Performance: Illinois Learning Standards (ILS)

Adopted in 1997 and with minor revisions made in 2004, the Illinois Learning Standards (ILS), generally speaking, are academic standards that define what Illinois students from kindergarten through 12th grade in public schools should know or be able to do as a result of their elementary and secondary education. The ILS sets those standards in the seven core subject areas of English language arts, mathematics, science, social science, physical development and health, fine arts, and foreign languages. The standards are for all students.

Developed in a collaborative effort by Illinois educators, community members, and business people, the learning standards provide the foundation in evaluating student peformance and provide direction for instructional choices at the local level. Assessments such as the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) and Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) are administered to measure students' achievement in meeting or exceeding certain (not all) Illinois State Standards. It is the responsibility of local schools and communities to determine the methods and materials to utilize in teaching the knowledge and/or skills students should have.

Illinois Learning Standards Framework

There are seven subject areas that make up the framework of the ILS: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Physical Development and Health, Fine Arts, and Foreign Languages. Each subject area is composed of 3 components that define the essential knowledge and skills for that area.

1.) Goals - Goals are very broad statements defining the purpose, importance, and what is intended to be achieved within that learning area.

2.) Learning Standards - Learning Standards specifically state the knowledge and/or skills necessary to reach the intended goals.

3.) Benchmarks - Benchmarks are progress indicators that serve as the basis or reference point of measuring students' achievement over time. They describe what students should know or be able to do at the early elementary, late elementary, middle/junior high, early high school, and late high school phases. Benchmarks in early grades represent basic skills and build in complexity as they move from one level to the next.

The focus is on the results and not in how the results are achieved.

Performance Standards

Performance Standards indicate how well students perform to meet the standards. Performance standards are composed of four elements: performance descriptors, performance levels, assessment tasks, and performance examples.

Performance Descriptors and Classroom Assessments

Performance descriptors and classroom assessments were created by Illinois teachers for Illinois teachers to improve and expand the ILS by providing teachers with resources to help further define and evaluate local performance expectations at each grade level.

Additional information regarding performance descriptors and classroom expectations may be found at the Illinois State Board of Education's Classroom Assessments and Performance Descriptors website.

Scoring Rubrics

A rubric is a set of rules that provides direction in how to score assessment/test tasks or activities. A useful rubric originates from the careful analysis of existing performances which vary in quality. In other words, it serves as a fair and consistent scoring guide to evaluate student performance in subjective assessments.