This lesson will guide you through Creating an On the Fly Assessment, Creating a Manual Setup Assessment, and Creating a Hybrid Assessment. To review the technology needed for scanning or online testing, use our help manuals for Assessment Scanning and Online Testing.
Use this as a guide to facilitate the training in a computer lab. Show the videos before users log in or view one video at time so users can follow along.
Before You Get Started
- All users will need to be logged into their own Illuminate account
- Lightning Grader plugin must be installed to the device expected to scan, if not using Chrome as a preferred browser
- A document camera connected by USB cord must be plugged into the device to scan answer sheets or a web camera within the device or plugged in may also scan.
- For Manual Setup assessments, have available a digital and paper copy of a teacher-created assessment to create to show both online testing and scanning features available
Creating an On the Fly Assessment
Navigation: Assessments > Create a New Assessment > Select On the Fly > Type the number of questions > Select Okay
- Only need an answer sheet for students and answer key to questions to retrieve results
- On the Fly is geared towards formative assessments such as quick checks for understanding, exit tickets, and/or pop quizzes
Step 1: Scan Answer Keys
- Answer key can contain multiple answer choices such as A, C (either A or C is correct), AB (both A and B when bubbled is correct), or even the combination of such as AB, C (either AB or C is correct)
Step 2: Scan Student Responses
- Scan student responses in Teacher or Student mode
- Select Show to see incorrect answer choices quickly
Step 3: Save and View Results
- Save results and view basic reports such as overall performance summary, score distribution, and response frequency
- Once navigated away, results will disappear.
- To save results, align standards and generate additional reporting, select Save as an Assessment
- Use Illuminate Gradebook? Select Push to Gradebook to create an assignment with the results
- Need to scan more? Select Step 2 Scan Student Responses to continue scanning
For more information, visit the lesson Create an On the Fly Assessment in our Assessments Manual help manual.
Creating a Manual Setup Assessment
Navigation: Assessments > Create a New Assessment > Select Manual Setup > Type the number of questions > Select Okay
- Assessment can be administered online if students have access to Illuminate Home Connection Student Portal or administered by scanning using a bubble sheet
- Manual Setup is not an itembank assessment using pre-constructed items, but an assessment that is already completed and users have the answer key or information ready in-hand
- Examples would include teacher-made quizzes, curriculum assessments, etc.
New Assessment Information

The following information is required when creating an assessment:
- Title (1) must be entered in order for assessment to save and be stored in the Assessment List
All other options are considered optional, but helpful in organizing and locating the assessment in the Assessment List:
- Provide a Description (2) about the assessment, goals, administration instructions, etc.; This is especially helpful if sharing the assessment with others and communicating assessment procedures and directions; This also displays on the student's landing page in the student portal prior to beginning the assessment.
- Assign a Local Identifier (3) which would be a unique code, serial number or character such 1201 or HIST4
- First Date Administered (4) and Academic Year (5)* will generate by default to the date and year the assessment is being created
- Apply a Subject (6)*, Scope (7)*, and Grade Level(s) (8)* to the assessment based on the assessment's design
- Illuminate Home Connection Portal users can choose if the assessment is available and displayed in the Student and Parent Portal (9)
- Select a Performance Band Set (10) to apply to the assessment. The district default will always apply unless changed
- Save (11) once completed and ready to move forward preparing the assessment for administration
*Illuminate Best Practice is to select tags to the assessment to maximize the use and efficiency of the search within the Assessment List
Assessment Dashboard
After the Assessment Information has been saved, by default you will directed to Answer Key to enter an answer key.
The following is available in the Assessment Dashboard and are optional to add to the assessment:
- For more in depth data analysis, select Standards (13) that are being assessed and align the standards to items or questions in Standards Alignment (14)
- Have a digital copy of the assessment available and upload to attach a copy of the assessment using Materials (15)
- Share (16) the assessment with colleagues based on your visibility and if they can view and download, can administer, and/or can edit the assessment you are sharing
To start administration, select Administration (17). This is where you can print answer sheets, enter/edit scores manually, or assign the assessment online
Once the assessment has been created, visit Overview (18) to see the assessment's design and various Reports when student data is available.
For more information, visit the lesson Create a Manual Assessment in our Assessments help manual.
Creating a Hybrid Assessment
Attach a File

Navigation: When in a previously created Manual Assessment, select Setup, then Materials
- Make sure to have a digital copy of the assessment easily available
- Attaching the materials is helpful to organize materials within Illuminate, but also have the document or materials display for students while taking a manual setup assessment online
To attach the materials, do the following:
- Select Upload to attach a file, then a pop-up window will appear
- Drag and Drop files into the pop-up window or click the window to be directed to your device
- Find and attach the files as appropriate
- Confirm any changes by selecting Attach
For more information, visit the lesson Add an Attachment to an Assessment in our Assessments help manual.
Inline Booklet

Navigation: When in a previously created Manual Assessment and materials have been attached, select Administration, then Online Testing
- This step is only necessary if wanting to administer the assessment online
- Permissions are required for users to use online testing
- Additional information and settings will need to be selected when assigning the assessment to students
In order for students to see the attached materials for online administration, please do the following:
- Select Show in Online Testing - Administration Settings
- Select the Inline Booklet dropdown and choose the appropriate material to display
- Select Save to save changes made to the roster
For more information, visit the lesson Creating a Hybrid Assessment in our Assessments help manual. For online testing support, visit the Online Testing help manual.
Additional Resources
Want to Expand on Assessment Creation? Check out Create and Manage Assessment Versions with LiG!
Ready for more assessment features? Visit Assessment Reports!