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It explains that the previous benchmarks were overly restrictive in ELA and math and set too low in science, causing misidentified students and schools and misdirected resources. The document details how the Illinois State Board of Education aligned performance levels with college and career readiness expectations, using ACT-linked measures and research evidence.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":20,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/exam/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/right-sizing-illinois-benchmarks-for-proficiency-frequently-asked-questions/537419/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/right-sizing-illinois-benchmarks-for-proficiency-frequently-asked-questions/537419.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"SANS","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-12","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why is Illinois changing its proficiency benchmarks?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Illinois is changing its proficiency benchmarks because the prior targets did not match classroom performance. In ELA and math, the benchmarks were too restrictive, and in science, they were set too low, creating serious misalignment in proficiency labels.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What new unified performance levels will be used?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"All state assessments will use four unified performance levels: Above Proficient, Proficient, Approaching Proficient, and Below Proficient. The proficiency benchmark will align with rigorous measures tied to college and career expectations.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How did ISBE set the new performance levels?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"ISBE aligned the performance levels to real college and career readiness expectations, including ACT benchmarks and data on college placement requirements and success probability. Educators considered how each grade connects vertically to the grades above and to postsecondary outcomes.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},537419,1791663967,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":19,"category_name":20,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":144,"read_time":41,"preview_page_count":4},962090760505,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Right-Sizing Illinois’ Benchmarks for Proficiency Frequently Asked Questions  \nOverview  \n1. Why is the state changing its proficiency benchmarks?  \nIllinois’ benchmarks for proficiency in English language arts and math were among the most restrictive in the country and did not reflect the reality of student performance in the classroom. For example, in 4th grade math, Illinois had the most difficult-to-reach proficiency benchmark in the nation. For every other grade and subject, our proficiency benchmarks ranked among the top four most restrictive. This meant that students who were succeeding in school—passing Advanced Placement and dual credit courses, taking on leadership roles, and enrolling in college—were often still labeled “not proficient” on the state assessment.  \nIn science, we faced the opposite issue—the benchmark was set too low. Far more students were being labeled \"proficient\" than what educators observed in classrooms. This misalignment made it difficult to identify where deeper support was needed.  \nThis misalignment has serious, real-world consequences. Inaccurate proficiency data leads to the wrong students and the wrong schools being identified for additional support, misdirecting state resources and taxpayer dollars. This change is about better aligning our proficiency benchmarks with research-backed indicators of college and career readiness.  \n2. What are the new, unified performance levels?  \nAll state assessments will now use four unified performance levels: Above Proficient, Proficient, Approaching Proficient, and Below Proficient. This change will bring clarity and consistency across assessments for families and educators alike. The benchmark for proficiency – or the lowest score needed to be considered “proficient” – will also now align to other rigorous and trusted measures of student achievement and real postsecondary expectations.  \nProcess  \n3. How did ISBE consider college and career expectations in setting the performance levels?  \nIllinois’new performance levels align to real college and career readiness expectations. The new performance levels are designed to ensure that “proficient” means a student is truly on track for success after high school. Educators considered how each grade level connects to the one above it, leading to the ultimate goal of college and career readiness. The ACT benchmarks, to which all other grades are vertically aligned, are directly linked to post-secondary success data. Educators participating in the performance level setting considered data on Illinois college placement requirements, such as the ACT score needed for a student to place into English Composition I or Intermediate Algebra at Illinois colleges and universities, as well as the probability of getting a C or higher in credit-bearing coursework. For example:  \n• Eastern Illinois University uses a minimum score of 18 to place students into English Composition I.  \n• A math score of 19 gives students a 63% chance of earning a C or higher in college credit-bearing math coursework.  \nEducators also considered alignment to career readiness, such as the ACT score that would likely earn a student a Silver level National Career Readiness Certificate.  \nAligned expectations from elementary through high school give better, more meaningful college and career readiness signals for students and families.  \n4. Was this decision based on research?  \nYes. This decision is grounded in national studies from the National Assessment of Educational Progress comparing state benchmarks, as well as national benchmarks for college readiness, real college placement and success probability from Illinois colleges and universities, and actual student outcomes.  \nTake, for example, an actual 2022 Naperville North High School graduate with a 3.9 GPA, seven AP classes, two industry certifications, participation in athletics and marching band, and volunteer experience. Despite these achievements, the state assessment labeled them “not ","cbCaihD6YY3QMnwD","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaihD6YY3QMnwD","pdf",502558,12,"English","# Overview\n## Why is the state changing its proficiency benchmarks?\n## What are the new, unified performance levels?\n# Process\n## How did ISBE consider college and career expectations in setting the performance levels?\n## Was this decision based on research?\n## Why were Illinois’ benchmarks misaligned in the first place?","[{\"question\":\"Why is Illinois changing its proficiency benchmarks?\",\"answer\":\"Illinois is changing its proficiency benchmarks because the prior targets did not match classroom performance. In ELA and math, the benchmarks were too restrictive, and in science, they were set too low, creating serious misalignment in proficiency labels.\"},{\"question\":\"What new unified performance levels will be used?\",\"answer\":\"All state assessments will use four unified performance levels: Above Proficient, Proficient, Approaching Proficient, and Below Proficient. The proficiency benchmark will align with rigorous measures tied to college and career expectations.\"},{\"question\":\"How did ISBE set the new performance levels?\",\"answer\":\"ISBE aligned the performance levels to real college and career readiness expectations, including ACT benchmarks and data on college placement requirements and success probability. Educators considered how each grade connects vertically to the grades above and to postsecondary outcomes.\"}]","Right-Sizing Illinois’ Benchmarks for Proficiency - Frequently Asked Questions | PDF",1791604622]