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 Southern Illinois News analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 56.5% of Hardin County's 230 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.
Of two Hardin County schools, Hardin County Junior High School (64.1%) had the highest failure rate in the county. Meanwhile, Hardin County Elementary School (47%) had the lowest.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 61.7% in 2021 to 56.5% in 2023.
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%).
Hardin County Elementary School was the only high school in the county 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County Junior High School | 128 | 63.3% | 64.3% | 64.1% |
| Hardin County Elementary School | 102 | 59.4% | 54.2% | 47% |
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