South Central Reporter

In the 2022-23 school year, 27.6% of the students in Gillespie Community Unit School District 7 passed the ELA portion of the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 467 students in Gillespie Community Unit School District 7 who took the ELA portion of the test, approximately 129 (27.6%) passed.

The percentage of Gillespie Community Unit School District 7 students who met or exceeded expectations on the IAR increased by 6.2% compared to the previous school year.

Gillespie Community Unit School District 7 roughly covers three schools within Macoupin County and has a main office in Gillespie.

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) assesses the progress of students in grades 3-8 in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics.

Illinois has approved a new budget for 2025 that increases funds for K-12 education to $8.6 billion, $350 million above last year’s budget. Lawmakers also approved a new bill that creates a statewide child tax credit, which allows families to receive $300 per child under 17 years. This comes after a similar aid was granted from the federal government, as part of the American Rescue Plan.

School	District	Students who met standards (%)	Students who exceed standards (%)
Ben-Gil Elementary School	Gillespie Community Unit School District 7	29.1%	3%
Gillespie Middle School	Gillespie Community Unit School District 7	22.3%	0.9%