House Resolution Seeks to Reassess PARCC

An Illinois house resolution introduced by State Rep. Scott Drury, D-Highwood seeks to call on the Illinois State Board of Education to reconsider its use of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam and review alternatives.

The PARCC exam, which replaced the ISAT, is being administered to Illinois students in grades 3-9 this year for the first time. At most schools, two parts of the exam are to be given - one in March and another in May.

House Joint Resolution 58 sets forth numerous concerns with the PARCC exam, including reports that computer glitches have prevented some students from accessing the test at all.

Drury stated that he filed the Joint Resolution in response to concerns raised by numerous constituents and a local school board, as well as the fact that the computer-based exam failed to function properly at his daughter’s school.

“As a parent, I was extremely disappointed to learn that a day of class-time was wasted because the students could not access the exam,”he said. “Given the numerous and serious concerns surrounding the PARCC exam and its failure to properly function, the Board of Education owes it to the public to determine whether it truly is the best exam to evaluate our children’s educational progress or whether better alternatives exist.”

Drury indicated the resolution has already received bipartisan support.