January 21, 2022
Re: International Schools’ Assessments (ISAs)
Dear Parents,
In our effort to continuously improve instruction and learning at HIS, we will be administering theInternational Schools’ Assessment (ISA) for students Grade 3-5 February 7-8, 2022 and grades
6-10 on February 14-16, 2022. While our teachers assess what students know and can do on adaily basis, ISA provides HIS with diagnostic information about our students’ academic abilities incomparison to external proficiency scales. This is the only external standardized assessment, apartfrom the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Exams for Grade 12, that isimplemented at HIS.
What is the ISA?
International Schools’ Assessment is an annual assessment developed by The Australian Council
for Educational Research (ACER) and that has been specially developed to measure skills inmathematical literacy, reading and writing of students in international schools. An online
assessment in science, for grades 6-10, is also part of the battery of assessments.
ISA is based on the internationally endorsed reading and mathematical literacy frameworks of theProgramme for International Student Assessment, developed by the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development. The ISA reports provide descriptive information about what
students know and can do. The results are equated from year to year so they can be used to trackchanges over time at the individual and school level. ISA is not a test that students “pass” or “fail”
and it will not be used for purposes other than providing data to the school, parents, and students
about learning.
Who uses the ISA?
Worldwide, over 70,000 students from 333 international schools participate in the assessment. A
growing number of international schools in Japan now use the ISA.
How do the assessments work?
Students complete an online reading literacy test, a mathematical literacy test and two writing
tests. The questions include: selected-response, written short-responses, and written
extended-response tasks. Secondary students will also take a scientific literacy test. The tests will
be taken in conditions that are familiar to our students, in grade level or homeroom groups asappropriate.

HIS will provide an international education that promotes integrity, excellence, cultural sensitivity and a lifelong commitment to peaceand a sustainable planet.

3-49-1, Kurakake, Asakita-ku, Hiroshima 739-1743, Japan
Tel: +81-82-843-4111 Fax: +81-82-843-6399 E-mail: hisadmin@hiroshima-is.ac.jp Web page: http://www.hiroshima–is.ac.jp

How will HIS use the results?
As a school, we will analyse all data about the general patterns of performance and use these as
another tool for which we monitor and modify our educational programs at individual, cohort andschool levels. The data will be an indicator of progress that will be used to evaluate ourinstructional programs on a yearly basis.
How can I help my child prepare for the ISAs?
Students at HIS do not ‘prepare’ for the tests, since they are consistent with what students learn ona regular basis. Cramming is not appropriate for the ISAs as it measures skill, not content. A goodnight’s sleep and a healthy breakfast are the best ways to prepare.
What information will I receive as a parent?
You will receive guidance on understanding and interpreting scores and all information about yourchild in an individual and comprehensive ISA report. This will give you a detailed record of yourchild’s performance in mathematical literacy, reading literacy and writing, and science (grades6-10).
If you have any questions concerning the ISA at HIS, please feel free to contact Marisa Villarreal,Primary Vice Principal or Damian Rentoule, Principal. You may also wish to visit the websites of
ISA (http://www.acer.edu.au/isa) and/or ACER (www.acer.edu.au), for further information.
Sincerely,
Damian Rentoule
Principal

Marisa Villarreal
Primary Vice Principal

HIS will provide an international education that promotes integrity, excellence, cultural sensitivity and a lifelong commitment to peaceand a sustainable planet.

3-49-1, Kurakake, Asakita-ku, Hiroshima 739-1743, Japan
Tel: +81-82-843-4111 Fax: +81-82-843-6399 E-mail: hisadmin@hiroshima-is.ac.jp Web page: http://www.hiroshima–is.ac.jp