Understanding the New IAR Cut Scores from Illinois State Board of Education

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has officially updated cut scores for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), and the ACT® beginning in the 2025–2026 school year.

For Illinois district leaders and campus administrators, this is more than a technical recalibration. It directly affects:

• Proficiency rates
• Accountability reporting
• School report cards
• Acceleration eligibility
• How families interpret student performance
  

Understanding what changed, and why, is critical before trying to draw conclusions from this year’s data.

Why Did ISBE Change the Cut Scores?

ISBE stated that Illinois previously had the 4th highest comparable standard of proficiency in the nation, meaning students had to clear a higher bar to be labeled “Proficient” compared to almost other states. In short, Illinois’ benchmarks were considered overly harsh relative to peer states.

At the same time, broader indicators told a different story:

• Illinois students performed above the national average on NAEP.
• Graduation rates were at historic highs.
• College enrollment remained strong.
  

ISBE’s position was that proficiency labels were not fully reflecting actual student readiness.

The Core Goals Behind the Change

ISBE’s updates were designed to create greater consistency across Illinois’ assessment system, what ISBE referred to as “right-sizing.”

First, the goal was to create equivalent expectations across grade levels and subjects, ensuring that IAR, ISA, and ACT® benchmarks align more coherently from elementary through high school.

Second, ISBE standardized performance level naming. Previously, labels varied across assessments. Now, all state tests use the same four performance levels:

• Below Proficient
• Approaching Proficient
• Proficient
• Above Proficient

This alignment is intended to make results easier to interpret across subjects and grade bands and provide families with clearer, more accurate indicators of student readiness.

What Scores Changed and How Much?

To understand the impact of ISBE’s recalibration, it helps to look directly at the updated Proficient benchmarks for IAR (ELA and Math) and ISA (Science).

New Aligned Benchmarks for Proficiency

IAR (ELA & Math) & ISA (Science)

What This Means for Schools

IAR ELA & Math: Proficiency Became More Attainable

Across every grade level, the Proficient cut score for IAR ELA and Math was lowered.

• Grade 3 Math decreased by 18 points.
• Grade 3 ELA decreased by 15 points.
• Upper grades experienced smaller, steady decreases.
  

Impact: More students will likely be classified as Proficient in ELA and math under the new benchmarks. However, it’s important to note that ISBE maintains the assessments themselves did not become easier. The Illinois Learning Standards remain unchanged, and the rigor of the tests remains intact. What shifted is the score required to earn the Proficient label, not the expectations for mastery.

ISA Science: The Bar Moved Higher

Science moved in the opposite direction. For Grades 5 and 8, the Proficient benchmark increased by 13 points. The Above Proficient threshold rose even more substantially and increased by 23 points.

Impact: Science proficiency just became harder to reach. Districts should anticipate potential dips in reported science proficiency rates, even if instructional quality and student performance remain steady. This shift is a recalibration of classification, but its effects will be very real in accountability reporting.

ACT® Scores: Why Comparisons Are Complicated

Illinois transitioned from the SAT® to the ACT® in the same year benchmarks were recalibrated. That creates a challenge: There is now no clean SAT®-to-ACT® comparison baseline from year to year for Illinois students.

Additional Context

• ISBE’s new ACT® proficiency benchmarks are lower than ACT’s® own college readiness benchmarks.
• This means more students may appear “Proficient” under Illinois’ definitions than under ACT’s® traditional readiness standards.
  

ISBE’s counterpoint is that more Illinois students are attending college than are classified as “Proficient” under prior benchmarks.

Possible rebuttals include:

• College matriculation rates may reflect broader access policies.
• Postsecondary standards may have shifted.
• Students may enroll in college without being fully college-ready.
  

To make a true comparison, districts would need:

• The percentage of students proficient under the final SAT® year (using College Board benchmarks)
• The percentage proficient under the first ACT® year (using ACT’s® official benchmarks, not ISBE’s adjusted ones)
• This hypothetical comparison would assume that College Board and ACT’s college readiness benchmarks are more or less equivalent.
  

Without that side-by-side analysis, direct readiness comparisons remain murky.

How Should Schools Adjust?

With benchmarks shifting in different directions across subjects, district and campus leaders will need a thoughtful, strategic response. Here are three key priorities to have moving forward: 

1. Prioritize Science Early

Science will likely present the greatest challenge under the new benchmarks. Higher Proficient thresholds in Grades 5 and 8 raise expectations in already high-stakes years. The ACT® also includes science, and some educators and students may be less familiar with its item types and rigor. Districts should act early to reduce the risk of proficiency declines by strengthening science instruction and intervention systems.

Key focus areas include:

• Strengthening core science instruction
• Embedding standards-aligned practice consistently
• Getting familiar with digital testing formats for a subject like science can be especially tricky, particularly for younger students who may still be learning some computer basics
  

2. Maintain Rigor in ELA and Math

Although IAR cut scores for ELA and math were lowered, the assessments themselves did not become easier. The Illinois Learning Standards remain unchanged, and expectations for mastery are still rigorous. Higher reported proficiency rates should not lead to reduced instructional intensity, as sustained growth requires consistent, data-driven practices.

Schools should continue to emphasize:

• Strong formative assessment systems
• Targeted remediation aligned to standards
• Ongoing progress monitoring
• Structured intervention cycles

3. Focus on Mastery – Not Just Proficiency Labels

Cut score shifts may cause sudden increases or decreases in reported proficiency that reflect reclassification rather than true performance changes. Maintaining a steady focus on standards mastery ensures long-term success regardless of where benchmarks are set.

District leaders should:

• Analyze growth alongside proficiency data
• Monitor subgroup performance carefully
• Maintain consistent instructional rigor
• Communicate clearly with families about changes in results

Preparing for 2026–2027

With science benchmarks becoming more demanding and ACT® expectations entering the equation, preparation must be intentional and strategic.

Schools may consider:

• Illinois Learning Standards-aligned science practice for Grades 5, 8, and high school biology
• PreACT® and ACT® practice that mirrors item types and rigor
• Adaptive intervention tools that identify precise skill gaps
• Real-time progress monitoring and reporting
  

Even with recalibrated benchmarks, proficiency gains do not happen automatically. They require:

• Consistent practice
• Targeted remediation
• Data-driven instruction
• Ongoing progress monitoring

Ready to Strengthen Your Assessment Strategy?

As schools adjust to updated proficiency benchmarks, especially in science, having the right systems in place matters. Progress Learning supports districts with:

• Standards-aligned items for daily practice
• A 200,000+ item bank for custom or pre-built assessments
• Targeted remediation and adaptive intervention
• Real-time progress monitoring and reporting
• PreACT® and ACT® practice tests
  

Whether you’re preparing for higher science expectations or maintaining growth in ELA and math, Progress Learning helps schools turn assessment data into actionable next steps. Get in touch below to see how.