Illinois schools begin PARCC testing in March. (Photo courtesy Facebook/PARCC)

By Eric Stock 

BLOOMINGTON – It's not uncommon for students to have anxiety before taking a test. But it's the teachers and administrators who are jittery about new standardized tests which are about to begin in Illinois. 

Teachers are preparing to give the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) tests in a few weeks. 

"(Teachers) have concerns and pressures about making sure the kids are well prepared as they get to the tests," District 87 Superintendent Barry Reilly said. "Making sure they are able to sit young children down to a device and make sure they understand how to navigate through it. All of that will make them very nervous. "

Reilly told WJBC's Dan Swaney he's concerned the online testing could have some bugs – or last-minute updates. 

"I'm concerned about things that are out of their control such as updates that might come about in certain software that we have no control over," Reilly said. "The timing of that can cause some problems and disruption."

The tests are for students in grades three through 12 and are intended to measure writing and analytical skills. There will be a second second of tests done in late April and May. 

Reilly said some might consider it 'over-testing' but schools have to follow the rules.  

"(Teachers) share concerns about the amount of testing that's done, certainly we hear rumbling that we do to much testing," Reilly said. "It's what's required of us, that comes not only from the state level but also the federal level." 

The PARCC tests replace the I-SAT tests as Illinois' standardized tests to adhere to national Common Core standards. 

PODCAST: Listen to Dan Swaney and Colleen Reynolds' interview with Reilly on WJBC. 
Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].