Illinois State Board of education | 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)
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, 51.7% of Johnson County's 725 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.
Buncombe Consolidated School (58.6%) had the highest failure rates in Johnson County. Meanwhile, Vienna Elementary School District 55 (43.6%) had the lowest.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 51.9% in 2021 to 51.7% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in two Johnson County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Goreville Elementary School (57.1%).
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%).
New Simpson Hill School District 32 and Vienna Elementary School District 55 were the Johnson 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buncombe Consolidated School | 41 | 57.1% | 57.9% | 58.6% |
| Goreville Elementary School | 261 | 52.8% | 51.5% | 57.1% |
| New Simpson Hill School District 32 | 125 | 58% | 57.4% | 54.4% |
| Cypress Elementary School | 62 | 60.6% | 61.9% | 50% |
| Vienna Elementary School District 55 | 236 | 44.9% | 44.4% | 43.6% |
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