911ÖÆÆ·³§

SAT Testing 

(Updated March 2021)

911ÖÆÆ·³§ will be administering the SAT in-person for all Grade 11 students on April 13, 2021. There will be no school for freshmen, sophomores, and seniors on this day.  If a current Grade 11 student does not feel comfortable coming into the building for in-person testing at this time, they will be required to test in the spring of their senior year in order to meet the graduation requirement. 

SAT for Grade 11

911ÖÆÆ·³§ juniors will take a state-administered SAT exam at 911ÖÆÆ·³§ during the school day on April 13, 2021. The State of Illinois requires all students in grade 11 to take this mandatory assessment, which is a graduation requirement. The redesigned SAT focuses on skills and knowledge that are essential for college and career readiness and success. The SAT is a college admission test. The test includes two components: evidence-based reading and writing and mathematics.

Students with an approved IEP or 504 Accommodations Plan will receive the testing accommodations stated on their plan.

911ÖÆÆ·³§ will be prioritizing health and wellness of all students and staff during SAT testing. All students are required to self-certify via my 911ÖÆÆ·³§ before coming into the building. Students who do not complete the self-certification will be required to self-certify and have their temperature checked by 911ÖÆÆ·³§ Safety Staff before they are allowed to enter the building. If a student experiences symptoms during testing, including but not limited to a runny nose, headache, sore throat, cough, or a fever, they will be escorted from their testing room to the Health Annex and parents will be notified if their student needs to leave the building. Any students who need to leave testing due to health concerns will be able to retake the SAT during the makeup date on either April 27 or May 18. We encourage students who experience seasonal allergies to plan accordingly. 

Students will receive an email later this week with their room assignment and the preferred entrance that is closest to their testing room. No food will be allowed during testing.

Please remind your students that cell phones are prohibited in the testing room. If a student has a cell phone with them and it goes off, College Board requires them to be removed from the testing room and will invalidate their test scores. In an effort to limit shared materials, we ask that you remind your student to bring two #2 pencils and their own calculator. Other than this, students should bring as little as possible with them to the testing rooms.

A helpful tip that you can use to prepare your student for the exam and reduce anxiety is to consider changing their sleep schedule now. We recommend that students start going to sleep earlier throughout the week. We also recommend that students eat breakfast the morning of the exam and drink plenty of water. 

In addition, students can utilize the 911ÖÆÆ·³§ in advance of the test. Families can practice mindfulness together as well to prepare as we welcome students back into the building. On the morning of the test, we will be doing a brief mindfulness activity, as research shows this supports focus, performance and reducing anxiety. 

A grab-and-go lunch will be provided to all students once testing is complete.

SAT for Grade 12

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has waived the SAT graduation requirement for all grade 12 students. According to ISBE the diploma requirement update for Grade 12 Students:  Public Act 101-643 makes all current 12th-grade students eligible for graduation regardless of whether that student took the SAT in 11th grade. Exemption paperwork for current grade 12 students who do not test is not required to be submitted to ISBE.

Test Preparation

Test preparation resources are available on the Testing & Exams page of the 911ÖÆÆ·³§ website.

Free, individualized test prep is available for students via .

In early August, it was announced that 911ÖÆÆ·³§ will not be a test site for either the ACT or SAT assessments through December 2020 due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19. 911ÖÆÆ·³§ understands that canceling or rescheduling assessment dates may cause difficulties for some students. The guiding principles of the 911ÖÆÆ·³§ Reopening Plan include maintaining a healthy and safe environment for all students and staff; maintaining our commitment to equity; and providing consistency and stability for all students and staff.

Currently, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is planning for an April 13 administration of the SAT for all grade 11 students. See the for more information, how to contact College Board Customer Service, and how to .

ACT

See the for information, how to contact customer service, and frequently asked questions. You will also find information about test center cancellations and how to .

As a result of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities are being flexible with their testing requirements, decision deadlines, and waiving standardized test scores from the application process for the high school class of 2021. Currently, over 1,450 accredited four-year colleges and universities recognize that many students will not be able to access the SAT and ACT tests that are traditionally required in the admission process. According to , three-fifths of four-year colleges and universities are test-optional for the Fall 2021 admissions.

• Visit for a list of test-optional colleges. 
• Check college websites to get the most accurate information on their policies and deadlines.