Vice Chair of the Board Dr. Donna S. Leak (2023) | Illinois State Board of education
Vice Chair of the Board Dr. Donna S. Leak (2023) | Illinois State Board of education
That's according to a NW Illinois News analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 52% of Lee County's 1,676 public high school students failed the ELA portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and have "minimal (or) incomplete… understanding of the knowledge and skills relative to Illinois Learning Standards."
Students can achieve four proficiencies in their subjects (partially met, approaching, meets, and exceeds standards). This report concludes students who partially met or approached the standards have failed in the subject.
Paw Paw Elementary School (62.1%), Ashton-Franklin Center Elementary School (61.8%) and Ashton-Franklin Center High School (58.5%) had the highest failure rates in Lee County. Meanwhile, Paw Paw Junior High School (48.5%) and Amboy Central Elementary School (38.8%) had the lowest.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 54% in 2021 to 52.0% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in three Lee County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Ashton-Franklin Center Elementary School (61.8%).
Data shows that the highest failure rates growths were seen in Christian County (72.5%), Hancock County (73.8%), Cook County (74.1%), White County (74.1%), and Morgan County (76.7%).
Amboy Junior High School, Paw Paw Junior High School, and Amboy Central Elementary School were the Lee County high schools to see improvements between 2021 and 2023.
Statewide, 39.9% of Illinois students failed the 2023 state English exam, down from 64% in 2019.
The SAT test is administered to Illinois high school sophomores "to fulfill the requirement that students take an assessment for college and career readiness in order to receive a regular high school diploma."
| High School | # of Students | Failing % in 2021 | Failing % in 2022 | Failing % in 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paw Paw Elementary School | 29 | 58.6% | 60.5% | 62.1% |
| Ashton-Franklin Center Elementary School | 152 | 61.4% | 58.8% | 61.8% |
| Ashton-Franklin Center High School | 70 | 50% | 60.7% | 58.5% |
| Reagan Middle School | 544 | 51.1% | 53.3% | 52.9% |
| Jefferson Elementary School | 162 | 46.2% | 53.4% | 51.8% |
| Amboy Junior High School | 212 | 57.2% | 52.3% | 51.4% |
| Madison School | 369 | 58% | 46.4% | 49.1% |
| Paw Paw Junior High School | 35 | 67.5% | 59.4% | 48.5% |
| Amboy Central Elementary School | 103 | 47.7% | 46.5% | 38.8% |
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