Students in fifth and eighth grades at East Alton School District 13 will participate in the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) from March 10 to March 12. The ISA is aligned with the state’s updated science learning standards and is intended to help families understand students’ academic performance and readiness for college. According to district officials, “The ISA represents Illinois’ commitment to preparing all students for college and careers, including in the high-demand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The assessment also satisfies federal accountability requirements.”
The assessment consists of three sections administered over three days. Results from the ISA provide school administrators with data that can guide curriculum decisions at both the school and district levels.
District staff encourage parents to discuss the importance of doing well on the test with their children but emphasize that it is only one measure of student progress. “Students’ attendance, classroom work, homework, projects, performance on local tests, participation in sports and extracurricular activities, and contributions to the school’s climate and culture all help them grow and learn,” according to district communication.
Makeup testing will begin on March 16 for students who miss any part of the scheduled assessment.
Families are reminded that students must have working headphones for use during testing. The district also offers advice for test preparation: ensuring adequate sleep before testing days, maintaining a positive attitude, avoiding stress before bedtime, waking up early enough to avoid rushing on test mornings, and talking with children about what they learned after completing the assessment.
East Alton School District 13 serves Madison County through its schools: East Alton Middle School, Eastwood Elementary School, and Washington Elementary School. More information about these schools can be found at https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/.
The district enrolled 770 students during the 2019-2020 school year across grades pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in East Alton and Madison County. Additional demographic data shows that 87.5 percent of students are White, 9.6 percent are Black, and 0.9 percent are Hispanic (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).
There are 53 teachers in East Alton School District 13 with an average salary of $55,361 before pension contributions; most teachers are women (83.1 percent), while men make up 16.9 percent of staff (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). No teacher had more than ten absences in a school year.
In terms of spending, the district allocated $18,471 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $14,222,932 (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).
Chronic truancy remains an issue within the district: In the 2020 school year there were 152 chronically truant students—19.8 percent of enrollment—compared to a statewide average chronic truancy rate of 9.6 percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The state defines “chronically truant” as missing five percent or more of mandated school days without valid excuse.
For further questions regarding ISA testing or other concerns, families may contact either Eastwood or EAMS offices directly.
