Chair of the Board Dr. Steven Isoye (2023) | Illinois State Board of education
Chair of the Board Dr. Steven Isoye (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, 47.7% of Fayette County's 1,108 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.
St. Elmo Junior High School (69.7%), Brownstown Elementary School (53.9%) and Vandalia Junior High School (51.7%) had the highest failure rates in Fayette County. Meanwhile, Ramsey Elementary School (27.1%) and Brownstown Junior High School (24.5%) had the lowest.
Of eight Fayette County high schools, five, including Vandalia Elementary School, St. Elmo Elementary School, and Ramsey High School had passing rates of more than 50%.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 54.4% in 2021 to 47.7% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in two Fayette County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Vandalia Elementary School (49%).
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%).
St. Elmo Elementary School, Ramsey High School, and Ramsey Elementary School were the Fayette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Elmo Junior High School | 56 | 66.1% | 74.6% | 69.7% |
| Brownstown Elementary School | 115 | 62.6% | 51.9% | 53.9% |
| Vandalia Junior High School | 509 | 56.8% | 57.7% | 51.7% |
| Vandalia Elementary School | 100 | 54.8% | 44.1% | 49% |
| St. Elmo Elementary School | 109 | 62.8% | 52.3% | 44.1% |
| Ramsey High School | 88 | 42.2% | 41.6% | 37.5% |
| Ramsey Elementary School | 74 | 39% | 35.8% | 27.1% |
| Brownstown Junior High School | 57 | 26% | 32.8% | 24.5% |
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