By Illinois Radio Network
BLOOMINGTON – Switching to the SAT should get Illinois schools back on the right side of the law with federal education officials.
Illinois offered the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, to different high school classes at different times of the year in different districts. Federal rules say one achievement test for all kids.
The Chicago Tribune detailed terse letters between federal education officials and the Illinois State Board of Education. The U.S. Department of Education placed the state on “high-risk status” because of the discrepancies, which could lead to Illinois losing federal dollars.
Mark Jontry, the regional superintendent in McLean County, said Illinois plans to replace the PARCC test with the SAT college admissions test and that should get Illinois back on the right side of the law.
“We’ve got this agreement to use the SAT going forward,” Jontry said. “I think everybody is going to embrace the opportunity to use (the SAT) and get meaningful data.”
Jontry said with all of the intricacies involved in testing, no one should be surprised there were problems with the PARCC.
Jontry said not only will the SAT meet federal testing requirements, but it should get students to “buy in” and take the test seriously.
