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 South Central Reporter analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 39% of Montgomery County's 1,604 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.
Nokomis Junior/Senior High School (60.3%), Russell Elementary School (48.6%) and North Elementary School (45.6%) had the highest failure rates in Montgomery County. Meanwhile, Hillsboro Junior High School (30.4%) and Litchfield Middle School (23.2%) had the lowest.
Of nine Montgomery County high schools, eight, including Russell Elementary School, North Elementary School, and Raymond Grade School had passing rates of more than 50%.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 47.5% in 2021 to 39.0% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in two Montgomery County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Russell Elementary School (48.6%).
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%).
J.D. Colt Elementary School, Lincolnwood Junior High School, Hillsboro Junior High School, and Litchfield Middle School were the Montgomery 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nokomis Junior/Senior High School | 131 | 57.9% | 61.6% | 60.3% |
| Russell Elementary School | 187 | 52.3% | 43.4% | 48.6% |
| North Elementary School | 112 | 53.9% | 43.6% | 45.6% |
| Raymond Grade School | 86 | 45% | 56.2% | 45.3% |
| Beckemeyer Elementary School | 306 | 46.8% | 48.7% | 42.5% |
| J.D. Colt Elementary School | 92 | 45.8% | 42.2% | 39.2% |
| Lincolnwood Junior High School | 97 | 54.6% | 54% | 38.2% |
| Hillsboro Junior High School | 343 | 42.9% | 35.7% | 30.4% |
| Litchfield Middle School | 250 | 42.5% | 41.6% | 23.2% |
Alerts Sign-up