Testing

STANDARDIZED TESTING

All Thornton Fractional High School District 215 students are required to participate in assessments mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Taking the high school state accountability test is a condition to receive a regular high school diploma. 

Required State Testing

Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, Illinois will transition to the ACT as the state's federally required high-school accountability assessment. ISBE has created an FAQ that addresses some of the questions families may have regarding this change.

The Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) state accountability and testing program includes: 

Freshman Year:  

  • preACT Secure in the spring 

Sophomore Year 

  • preACT Secure in the spring

Junior Year 

  • ACT in the spring as part of ISBE’s high school accountability testing for English, mathematics, reading, science, and writing.

 Optional Standardized Testing

The following tests are administered annually to Thornton Fractional South students during the school day (fees and registration are the responsibility of each student/family): 

  • Advanced Placement Tests (AP) - The tests are offered to qualified students who want to earn college credit. College Board offers these exams throughout two weeks in May. There is a charge for each test taken. Students will access resources, registration, and test prep resources through College Board’s AP Classroom website. 

  • PSAT/NMSQT in the fall (the PSAT/NMSQT is the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Students who score exceptionally high on this exam may qualify for national recognition and scholarships) 

Thornton Fractional high schools may serve as a test site for the national version of the following tests (fees, registration, and transportation are the responsibility of each student/family):   

  • Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) - Students interested in registering for a National Saturday SAT test or ordering score reports should do so online at the College Board SAT website. The website includes testing dates, fees, locations, and instructions for testing and score reports. 

American College Test (ACT) - Students interested in registering for a National Saturday ACT test should do so online at the ACT website.  The website includes testing dates, fees, locations, and instructions for testing and score reports.