Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) records show that 50 percent of Cairo Junior/Senior High School's (CJSHS) 2015 graduating class enrolled in college within 12 months of graduation.
The 2015 state average for students in public schools was 70 percent.
For CJSHS, its college enrollment rate marks an improvement over 2014, when 34.4 percent of its graduates chose post-secondary education.
The data, collected by the National Student Clearinghouse, includes two- and four-year colleges.
Enrollment at CJSHS in 2015 was 204; 20 (9.8 percent) were seniors.
Also according to ISBE, 10 percent of CJSHS seniors were "college ready" in 2015, versus an average of 46 percent statewide.
All students who score a 21 on the ACT qualify as "college ready."
Among high schools in Southeast Illinois, the class of 2015 college readiness rates at Carterville High School (61.5 percent), Vienna High School (47.4 percent), Sesser-Valier High School (37 percent), Pope County High School (34.1 percent), Hardin County High School (31.4 percent), Christopher High (27.5 percent) and Zeigler-Royalton High School (36.8 percent) were all higher than at CJSHS.
CJSHS students did better on English (15 percent) and worse on science (5 percent), math (5 percent) and reading (5 percent).
Zero percent of CJSHS students were college ready in all four subjects, according to ISBE.
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