Assessment

The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science with an optional 40-minute writing test.  ACT results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the United States.

The ACT is offered at testing locations throughout the country, including OPRFHS. You must register through ACT, not the high school, to take the test. Click here to visit the ACT website, which has the most up-to-date information about test dates, registration deadlines, and fees.

For inquiries regarding ACT Testing, please contact OPRFHS Testing Specialist, Kimberly Asbury, at 708-434-3517 or kasbury@oprfhs.org.  

2023-2024 Test Dates
The dates below are subject to cancelation due to unexpected school closure. If this is the case, you will be informed. If your test date is canceled and you need assistance changing your test site, contact ACT at 319-337-1270.

NOTE: Doors open at 7:30 a.m. Doors close at 8:00 a.m.

Registration

• Register online: This is the fastest method. You will know immediately if your preferred test center has space for you to test, and you also can print your admission ticket from the website.  

  • If you plan to take the ACT at a national or international test center, sign up online by creating or logging into your ACT Web Account.

  • If you are requesting extended time or other accommodations (special testing) for the first time, sign up online by creating or logging in to your ACT Web Account or register by mail in addition to completing the application request and submitting required documentation. Please contact your case manager or counselor for more information.

  • If you missed the late registration deadline, you can request standby testing online.

• Register by mail:

  The packet will be sent via U.S. mail, FedEx, or comparable service.  Allow 7-10 working days for delivery.  Please note that packets do not include code listings.  Test centers and colleges are listed only online.

  • Click here to request a register-by-mail packet. You may request only one packet if:
    • You are younger than 13 years old.
    • You are an individual student.
    • You do not have a credit card or serialized voucher/waiver to pay the fee.

Fee Waiver
If you cannot afford the registration fee for the ACT, with or without the writing test, you may be eligible for an ACT Fee Waiver.  For more information about the eligibility requirements and to obtain a fee waiver, contact your counselor.  If you receive an ACT Fee Waiver Form, follow the Student Directions on it for your registration method.  

OPRFHS has adopted the PSAT 8/9 (for freshmen) and PSAT 10 (for sophomores) to create an aligned series of tests that will help prepare our students for their college admissions test. PSAT tests are structured in the same way and contain questions in the same content and skill areas as the SAT; the questions get more complex and address deeper knowledge and skills from PSAT 8/9 to PSAT 10 to the SAT. This series of tests will give parents, students, and high school staff useful information about each student’s progress toward college and career readiness. The District will pay the cost of the tests in freshman and sophomore year; the state pays for testing in the junior year.

The PSAT 8/9 test date for 2023-2024 is Tuesday, April 9, 2024.  No registration for the test is required.

Click here for free test prep resources.

No classes will meet on April 9, 2024, except for our TEAM program, which will meet as usual. The day will be used for school-wide testing of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.  This is a non-attendance day for seniors.

Testing will begin at 8:00 am. Students will be dismissed early from school upon the conclusion of the test. Most students will finish by 1:00 pm. 

Please contact Mrs. Kimberly Asbury (kasbury@oprfhs.org) if you have any questions about the PSAT 8/9.

Testing accommodations for IEP/504 students: College Board requires that for the PSAT 8/9, the school submit an application requesting test accommodations for students with IEP or 504 provisions related to standardized testing. If you have questions about your child's IEP or 504 testing accommodations, please contact Carin Lucas (clucas@oprfhs.org). 

Students whose accommodations allow them to listen to an audio version of the test will test over two days due to the length of the extended time for this accommodation. Testing for these students with two day testing will be completed in a testing window, and students will be excused from their classes while they are completing the test.

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) requires the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) to be given to juniors and is scheduled for Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Students must bring their school Chromebook fully charged. Click here for acceptable calculators allowed.

The Illinois Science Assessmet (ISA) helps families understand how well students are performing academically and see whether they are on track to succeed in college. It also satisfies federal accountability requirements.

The ISA is designed to reflect classroom experiences and can seem more like instruction than a test. Students do not simply select an answer and fill in the bubble of a multiple-choice test. Rather, the ISA pushes students to apply their knowledge when they give answers, thus better preparing them for higher education and a career. 

The ISA is a three-hour long online assessment. The results provide administrators with important data to help them make broad curriculum decisions at the school and district levels. Classroom educators will not use the results to make teaching adjustments year-to-year for individual students.

We encourage you to talk with your children about the importance of doing their best on the ISA, while communicating that the assessment yields only one piece of information about them and their school’s 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.

OPRFHS is working with the Center for Prevention Research and Development at the University of Illinois to conduct a survey of sophomore and senior students. The purpose of the Illinois Youth Survey is to better understand Illinois youth risk and protective behaviors as they related to student problems and academic success.

This questionnaire asks about:

• personal use of alcohol and other drugs, perception of risks, where accessed, consequences of use, approval or disapproval of use
• students' feelings about their school experience
• family and personal characteristics
• family communication about substance use
• feeling about self and moods
• student health behaviors – food intake, exercise, height and weight

More information about the survey is available at this link: https://tinyurl.com/IYS-Survey

Questions can be directed to Kristen McKee, Coordinator of Learning Analytics Support: kmckee@oprfhs.org; 708.434.3225

Illinois Youth Survey Results

• Comparative statistics for 2006-2020
• Surveys and follow-up reports:
  • 2006
  • 2008
  • 2010
  • 2012
  • 2014
  • 2016
  • 2018
  • 2020
  • 2022

Per the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), all public high school juniors must take the SAT School Day in order to earn a high school diploma, unless the student has an IEP that specifies the DLM-Alternate Assessment.

The Illinois SAT School Day date is Tuesday, April 9, 2024. The test will include the essay portion. Makeup testing will take place on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Students approved by College Board for double time accommodations will test over two days.

No registration is required. All juniors will automatically be registered for the test through the State of Illinois. 

For students with IEP or 504 Plans, OPRFHS has submitted requests for testing accommodations to College Board and will implement all approved testing accommodations. Please contact Carin Lucas (clucas@oprfhs.org) if you have any questions about your child's test accommodations.

Click here for the SAT School Day Student Guide. Students should read the SAT Terms and Conditions on pages 51-56.

Things to Bring on Exam Day

• School ID or State ID
• At least two No. 2 pencils with erasers
• Calculator (list of College Board approved calculators here)
• Epinephrine auto-injectors or asthma inhaler for those who require one
• Water bottle (water fountains will be closed)
• Backpack to hold these items

Things to Leave at Home on Exam Day

• Cell phones are not allowed in the testing room.
  • Cell phones should be locked in lockers or left at home.
  • If students bring cellphones, they will be asked to turn them in to the proctor before test begins.
  • Students should not be using cell phones during breaks. 
  • Please reinforce this important information with your student.
• Any device, including digital watches, that can be used to record, transmit, receive, or play back audio, photographic, text, or video content
• Audio players/recorders, tablets, laptops, notebooks, Google Glass, or any other personal computing devices
• iPods or other MP3 players
• iPads or other tablet devices
• Laptops, notebooks, PDAs, or any other personal computing devices
• Any texting device
• Cameras or any other photographic equipment
• Timers of any type
• Protractors, compasses, rulers
• Highlighters, colored pens, colored pencils, mechanical pencils
• Pamphlets or papers of any kind
• Dictionaries or other books—no exceptions, even if English is not your first language
• Food (except for during breaks), unless approved by the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities

The SAT is an assessment of your academic readiness for college.  There are two ways to take the SAT, and both scores are accepted by all U.S. colleges and universities:

• SAT School Day (required): Offered to juniors during a specific school day every spring, the SAT School Day test is a graduation requirement. Students are automatically registered through the State of Illinois, and there is no fee. For more information about SAT School Day at OPRFHS, see the next drop-down menu.
• SAT National Testing: Students may take the SAT additional times via SAT National Test dates and locations. To learn more about SAT National Testing registration and fees click here. Students with free and reduce status may qualify for a fee waiver.  Please note that taking a National SAT does not fulfill the state graduation requirement.

Click here to visit the SAT website, which has the most up-to-date information about test dates, registration deadlines, and fees.

For inquiries regarding SAT Testing, please contact OPRFHS Testing Specialist, Kimberly Asbury, at 708-434-3517 or kasbury@oprfhs.org.  

2023-2024 Test Dates
The dates below are subject to cancelation due to unexpected school closure. If this is the case, you will be informed. If your test date is canceled and you need assistance changing your test site, contact College Board at 866-756-7346.

NOTE: Doors open at 7:45 am. Doors close at 8:15 am.

Registration

• Register online: Online registration is the quickest and easiest way to register.  You can choose your test date and test center in real time, receive immediate registration confirmation, and get 24-hour access to registration for printing or correcting your admission ticket. 
• Register by mail: You will need to register by mail if you are paying by check or money order, are registering for Sunday testing for the first time due to a religious observance, or cannot upload a digital photo as part of the online registration process.  To register by mail, you need The Paper Registration Guide for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests, which is available from your counselor or counselor's secretary.
• Applying for accommodations: If you have a documented disability, you may be eligible for testing accommodations.
  • Contact your case manager or counselor to submit a request for accommodations online.  
  • When registering online for the SAT, you are prompted to enter your unique SSD Eligibility Code.  This code is located in the upper right-hand corner of your Eligibility Letter, which you receive when your accommodations are approved.  
  • If you choose to register by mail, include a copy of your Eligibility Letter with your registration and payment.  
  • For further information, you can visit College Board's SSD Student Page.
• Home-schooled student registration: Home-schooled students can register online or by mail.  
  • When prompted for a high school code, enter 970000.  
  • Students schooled at home who do not have acceptable photo identification should download and print out a Student ID Form.  Complete the form and take it to a notary public for validation.  A current photo must be attached to the form, in the area indicated, before the form is notarized.  This form must be dated and is good for only one year.  You will be asked to sign the Student ID Form again at the test center.

Fee Waivers
Click here for information or see your Counselor for assistance.

The 2023-2024 Preliminary SAT (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) is an optional test given on Saturday, October 14, 2023, and is open to juniors and sophomores only.  The PSAT/NMSQT will be administered in a new digital format that will provide an overall easier testing experience for students.  

This assessment has the same content and format as the SAT School Day test that all juniors are required to take in the spring.  For juniors, the PSAT/NMSQT also serves as the entrance test for scholarship and recognition programs run by the National Merit® Corporation and the National Hispanic Recognition Program.  Learn more about the National Merit® Scholarship Program by clicking here.  A guide to National Merit® Scholarship is available by clicking here.

Registration will open Monday,  August 14, and close Wednesday, September 6.  Contact Kimberly Asbury (kasbury@oprfhs.org) if you have any questions.

Registration Steps:

Registration is only available via Total Registration here:  www.TotalRegistration.net/PSAT/143245

If you are a home schooled student and would like to take the PSAT/NMSQT, please contact Kimberly Asbury for approval.  Home schooled students will need a valid State ID, driver license, or passport to be admitted in the building.

Student room assignment will be shared one week prior to test day.  Exam begins at 8:00 am.  Doors open at 7:45 am.  Most students will finish the exam at 11:00 am. 

How to prepare for the exam

• Free SAT practice is available at www.khanacademy.org. Students who take a PSAT test can link their results on Khan Academy and get personalized study recommendations, tutorials, and practice items.
• Read the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide.

What to bring on exam day

• School ID
• Two No. 2 pencils with erasers
• An approved calculator from this list
• Student ID or State ID, driver license, passport
• A watch without an audible alarm
• Extra batteries and backup equipment—you’ll have to ask for permission to access them. They cannot be on your desk during the test.
• A drink or snacks for your break

What not to bring

• Any devices, including digital watches, that can be used to record, transmit, receive, or play back audio, photographic, text, or video content (with the exception of CD players used for Language with Listening Subject Tests only)
• Audio players/recorders, tablets, laptops, notebooks, Google Glass, or any other personal computing devices
• iPods or other MP3 players including AirPods and other listening devices
• iPads or other tablet devices
• Laptops, notebooks, PDAs or any other personal computing devices
• Any texting device
• Cameras or any other photographic equipment
• Separate timers of any type
• Protractors, compasses, rulers
• Highlighters, colored pens, colored pencils, mechanical pencils
• Pamphlets or papers of any kind
• Dictionaries or other books—there are no exceptions, even if English is not your first language
• Food or drinks (except for during breaks), unless approved by the College Board’s Services for Students with Disabilities. Learn more about testing with accommodations.

Testing Accommodations 
Any student with College Board approved accommodations will receive those accommodations during the test. Contact Carin Lucas (clucas@oprfhs.org) if you have any questions about testing accommodations for your student.

OPRFHS has adopted the PSAT 8/9 (for freshmen) and PSAT 10 (for sophomores) to create an aligned series of tests that will help prepare our students for their college admissions test. PSAT tests are structured in the same way and contain questions in the same content and skill areas as the SAT; the questions get more complex and address deeper knowledge and skills from PSAT 8/9 to PSAT 10 to the SAT.

This series of tests will give parents, students, and high school staff useful information about each student’s progress toward college and career readiness. The district will pay the cost of the tests in freshman and sophomore year; the state pays for testing in the junior year.

The PSAT 10 test date for 2023-2024 is April 9, 2024. No registration for the test is required.

Click here for free test prep resources.

No classes will meet on April 9, 2024, except for our TEAM program, which will meet as usual. The day will be used for school-wide testing of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.  This is a non-attendance day for seniors.

Testing will begin at 8:00 am. Students will be dismissed early from school upon the conclusion of the test. Most students will complete testing by 1:00 pm.

Please contact Mrs. Kimberly Asbury (kasbury@oprfhs.org) if you have any questions about the PSAT 10.

Testing accommodations for IEP/504 students: College Board requires that for the PSAT 10, the school submit an application requesting test accommodations for students with IEP or 504 provisions related to standardized testing. If you have questions about your child's IEP or 504 testing accommodations, please contact Carin Lucas (clucas@oprfhs.org). 

Students whose accommodations allow them to listen to an audio version of the test will test over two days due to the length of the extended time for this accommodation. Testing for these students with two day testing will be completed in a testing window, and students will be excused from their classes while they are completing the test.

STAR is a computer-adaptive test, which means each question's level of difficulty is adjusted in real time depending on the student’s earlier responses.  If a student answers a question correctly, the system raises the level of difficulty of the next question.  If a student answers a question incorrectly, the difficulty level is lowered. 

STAR Reading assessments are scored on a scale of 0-1400, based on the number of correct answers compared to the difficulty level of the questions asked. STAR also provides a national percentile rank, which compares scores to grade-level peers throughout the country. 

What is the purpose of using STAR assessments?
To help monitor students on their path to college and career readiness and determine who may need additional support and instruction to access grade-level curriculum.  Teachers may use STAR assessment data to gain insight to guide and personalize instruction. We also use the data to monitor student growth within our reading and math intervention programs.

How can students prepare for the STAR assessments?
The assessment requires no specific preparation since it determines what skills a student has already acquired. 

How can I find my student’s STAR scores?
STAR scores are in Skyward Family Access and provide the date of the test, scale score, and percentile information.  

Click here and here for more information about STAR assessments.

OPRFHS contracts with test preparation companies to provide evening and Saturday classes for juniors and seniors who are interested in becoming better prepared for the PSAT, ACT, or SAT.  Letters are emailed to guardians of juniors and seniors notifying them of test prep opportunities.  Information about test prep programs also appears in the student bulletin and in the parent newsletter.  There is a tuition charge (which varies according to program) for these classes, and need-based financial aid may be available.  Please contact the Testing Specialist Kimberly Asbury or your student's counselor if you have questions about test preparation. 

College Board: SAT Suite of Assessments
Includes descriptions and practice items for SAT, PSAT, PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9. There are seven full-length SAT practice tests you can download and score at home.

Khan Academy Free Online SAT Prep
Provides full-length practice SATs with tutorials. Any student with prior results from a PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, or PSAT 8/9 can link the results to Khan Academy and get a personalized study plan to address areas for improvement. Click here for step-by-step directions.

ExcelEdge Inc. offers three prep courses:  

Sign-up is required to participate in these test-prep courses.  For more information, check out the ExcelEdge Inc. letter and flyer.

 SAT 1600 Course Prep for SAT School Day Test on April 9, 2024

• In-person sessions at OPRFHS (choose one):
  • Session 1: Thursdays, 4 - 6 p.m. Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, March 7 (practice SAT 5:30 - 9 p.m.), and 14.
  • Session 2: Thursdays, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, March 7 (practice SAT 5:30 - 9 p.m.), and 14.

• Cost: $345

• To register: At the Bookstore during business hours or through the Web Store.

• Registration closes January 14, 2024. 

ACT 36 Course Prep for National ACT on April 13, 2024

• In-person sessions at OPRFHS: Saturdays 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24, March 2, 9 (practice ACT 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.), and 16.

• Cost: $360

• To register: At the Bookstore during business hours or through the Web Store.

• Registration closes January 8, 2024. 

If you have any questions about either course, please feel free to contact ExcelEdge Inc. at info@exceledgeinc.com or 219-838-0740.  If you have questions about registration, please email Mrs. Asbury at kasbury@oprfhs.org.

3. PSAT 1520 - Registration Now Closed
PSAT 1520 prepares 11th grade students for the PSAT/NMSQT to achieve the National Merit Scholarship. The key areas of focus are Reading, Writing and Language, and Mathematics. HURRY!  Registration closes August 14; course begins August 22 and runs through October 3.  See email sent to parents on July 10 for detailed information, or click on the links below:

Letter about PSAT 1520 Course Prep

Register now through the RevTrak Web Store or the ExcelEdge website

Cost: $335.  See counselor if student qualifies for a fee waiver for scholarship opportunity.

Revolution Prep
Offers six-week online ACT or SAT prep courses. Register at www.revolutionprep.com or call 877-738-7737.