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) | Illinois State Board of education
That's according to a SE Illinois News analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 44.1% of Hamilton County's 487 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 three Hamilton County schools, Hamilton County Junior/Senior High School (47.4%) had the highest failure rate in the county. Meanwhile, East Side Elementary School (41%) had the lowest.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 53.3% in 2021 to 44.1% in 2023.
The failure rate increased at one Hamilton County high school in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Hamilton County Junior/Senior High School (47.4%).
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%).
Dahlgren Elementary School and East Side Elementary School were the only high schools 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County Junior/Senior High School | 179 | 48.2% | 45.7% | 47.4% |
| Dahlgren Elementary School | 84 | 51.9% | 46.8% | 45.2% |
| East Side Elementary School | 224 | 56.9% | 47% | 41% |
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