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An individual’s performance on a test is evaluated against an established standard. The passing score for each test is established by ISBE based on the professional judgments and recommendations of Illinois educators regarding the acceptable minimal level of performance for educators.
ISBE periodically reviews passing scores. The required total test and minimum allowable scores may be changed as a result of Board action. Examinees will be advised via their score reports of any change to the requirement.
All test scores are reported using a range from 100 to 300 with a total test score of 240 or higher required for passing.
For the Basic Skills test, the total test score is based on your performance on the entire test, including the number of multiple-choice test questions you answer correctly and the score you receive on your writing assignment. The multiple-choice test questions will represent approximately 85 percent of your total test score, and the writing assignment will represent approximately 15 percent of your total test score. To pass the Basic Skills test, you must achieve a scaled total test score of 240 or higher, and you must score at or above each of the minimum allowable test subarea scores.
Currently, the minimum allowable scores for each subarea of the Basic Skills test are:
| Reading Comprehension: |
50% of questions correct |
| Language Arts: |
50% of questions correct |
| Mathematics: |
35% of questions correct |
| Writing: |
Score of 5 out of 12 |
If any of your test subarea scores do not meet the minimum allowable score for the subarea, you will not pass the Basic Skills test, regardless of how high your total test score may be. Conversely, if you achieve the minimum allowable score in each subarea but do not achieve a total test score of 240 or higher, you will not pass the test.
Passing scores for all ICTS tests may be accepted as part of an application for certification for up to ten years.
The ten-year period will be calculated from the date the test was taken and passed to the date of receipt of the
application by ISBE. Except as provided below, scores more than ten years old will not
be accepted as part of an application.
- An individual who has taken and passed the Basic Skills test as a requirement for admission to an Illinois-approved educator preparation program will not need to retake the test when applying for a certificate.
- An individual who has taken and passed the Basic Skills test and has been issued a certificate on the basis of those test scores after July 1, 1988, does not need to retake the Basic Skills test when seeking a subsequent certificate.
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Retaking the ICTS