IAR practice test 2027
In Illinois, the grades 3-8 test is the IAR, short for Illinois Assessment of Readiness. Here’s what we could confirm about the 2027 test, and a free math practice set for each grade.
Free practice by grade
A set of math questions in the style of the IAR for each grade, in the online formats state tests use, marked as soon as it’s done.
The test in 2027
- Who gives it
- Illinois. Pearson delivers it (TestNav, the Family Portal and reporting); items come from New Meridian.
- When
- Online March 1 - April 16, 2027; paper March 1 - April 2, 2027.
- What it checks
- Illinois Learning Standards (Common Core).
- How it’s taken
- Taken on a computer.
- Calculators
- No calculator in grades 3-5. Grades 6-7 use a four-function calculator with square root and percent, and grade 8 a scientific calculator, on the calculator sections. Online tests have an embedded calculator for those sections.
Scores and results
A scale score and one of four levels. ISBE replaced the old five IAR levels with these four in 2025 and lowered the proficient cut.
The levels, lowest first:
- Below Proficient
- Approaching Proficient
- Proficient
- Above Proficient
When results come: For spring 2026, electronic Individual Student Reports went to districts in July, the Family Portal opened July 31, 2026, and paper reports reached districts in the last week of August.
What’s changing
New performance levels and cut scores from 2025. IAR is still the grades 3-8 test for spring 2027, but ISBE is redesigning its assessment system and its IAR page is marked archived, so the test may change after 2026-27.
Official practice
The state’s own practice is the best way to see what the real test looks like.
- Official IAR practice tests (il.mypearsonsupport.com)
- Released IAR questions (resources.newmeridiancorp.org)
The sets here aren’t real IAR questions: Thena writes every one in code, in the style of the test, and never copies a state’s own.
Questions about the IAR
When is the IAR in 2027?
Online March 1 - April 16, 2027; paper March 1 - April 2, 2027.
Is a calculator allowed on the IAR math test?
No calculator in grades 3-5. Grades 6-7 use a four-function calculator with square root and percent, and grade 8 a scientific calculator, on the calculator sections. Online tests have an embedded calculator for those sections.
How is the IAR scored?
A scale score and one of four levels. ISBE replaced the old five IAR levels with these four in 2025 and lowered the proficient cut. The levels, lowest first: Below Proficient, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, Above Proficient.
When do families get the results?
For spring 2026, electronic Individual Student Reports went to districts in July, the Family Portal opened July 31, 2026, and paper reports reached districts in the last week of August.
Are there official IAR practice tests?
Yes. The state has official practice online, linked below. The sets on this page are made fresh each time, so they can be done as often as you like.
Where these facts come from
Checked on November 3, 2026, on these pages. Anything this page leaves out, we couldn’t yet confirm on the state’s own pages: they have the latest.
- isbe.net: isbe.net/iar
- isbe.net: isbe.net/Pages/Assessment.aspx
- isbe.net: isbe.net/Documents/State-Assessment-Dates-2026-27.pdf
- il.mypearsonsupport.com: il.mypearsonsupport.com/resources/training-resources/Math%20Calculator%20Policy.pdf
See Thena explain the ones they missed
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