Evanston Township High School uses various tests to provide information about student performance and as a measure of how the school district is doing as a whole. During the school year, the following tests are administered as part of this program.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP): Developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), MAP is a computer adaptive assessment tool. The test is untimed and dynamically adjusts to the performance level of each student by choosing items that are moderately challenging for that student — at, above, or below the student’s registered grade level. Reading and math scores from this test are used to help make placement decisions.

Incoming freshmen who attend District 65 schools will take the MAP test at their middle school during 8th grade and District 65 will provide test scores to ETHS. For students enrolled at a non-District 65 school, placement testing will be offered at District 202. For detailed information please refer to the ETHS Placement Testing FAQ page. Students transferring into ETHS are given the MAP test upon registration and are placed into courses based on MAP scores and transcripts. For more information about MAP testing, please visit: www.nwea.org/assessments/map/.

STAR Reading and Math: These computer-adaptive reading and math assessments give students, teachers, and administrators accurate, reliable and valid information about students quickly. The information received is designed to allow teachers, students and administrators to make good decisions about instruction and intervention. These computer-based assessments offer individualized instructional tools based on skill deficits to help students grow academically. STAR Reading and Math assessment information is available online at: www.renaissance.com/products/star-assessments.

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams: Advanced Placement (AP) courses offer college-level curriculum to high school students. ETHS offers AP courses that are connected directly to a wide variety of college majors and careers. Most colleges and universities in the U.S. offer college credit, placement out of introductory courses, or both, for qualifying AP Exam scores. AP exams are administered at ETHS over a two-week period in May. Visit the Advanced Placement (AP) Exams page for complete details.

College Entrance Exams (ACT, SAT): While the courses students take and the grades students receive are generally the most important criteria for college admission, the test results of the ACT^® (administered by ACT, Inc.) or the SAT (administered by College Board) are also considered. ETHS is a testing center for the ACT and SAT, and both tests are offered on select Saturdays throughout the year. Visit the College Entrance Exams page for complete details.

Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, the State of Illinois chose to return to the ACT as the state-administered college entrance exam. This is a change from the SAT that has been administered for the past 8 years.

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT): This exam is digital and administered to juniors on a designated day each October. In addition to serving as a practice test for the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT is used to qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program, National Scholarship Service, and the National Hispanic Recognition Program. Visit the PSAT/NMSQT page for complete details.

ACT: This exam is a graduation requirement by the State of Illinois. Beginning in April 2025, it will be administered digitally. Only the state-administered ACT, taken on a school day, meets IL the graduation requirement.

preACT: Beginning in April 2025, Grade 10 students will take the preACT Secure and grade 9 students will take the preACT 9 Secure. More information is expected from the Illinois State Board of Education about these exams.

K-12 Standards Common Assessments. Every academic department requires students to complete common assessments, which are designed by ETHS to address one or more standard that is central to each subject area. The assessments are complex tasks that are part of the curriculum such as writing a research paper, designing a scientific experiment, or creating a personal-fitness portfolio. All students in a particular course take the same assessment. Teachers use assessment results to provide feedback to the student about whether or not their work is below standards, meets standards, or exceeds standards. The results are also used by teachers to modify curriculum and instruction to help students improve their work in the future.

Reading Competency. Students not meeting the reading competency requirement as incoming freshmen must take literacy coursework. Reading students who reach the required level by the end of freshman year do not have to take additional courses. Freshmen not meeting the level by the end of freshman year will take additional literacy coursework.