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 East Central Reporter analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 44.5% of Shelby County's 1,228 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.
Windsor Junior and Senior High School (61.4%), Gregory Intermediate School (59.7%) and Stewardson-Strasburg Elementary School (56.4%) had the highest failure rates in Shelby County. Meanwhile, Cowden-Herrick Grade School (34.3%) and Cowden-Herrick Junior/Senior High School (27.2%) had the lowest.
Of nine Shelby County high schools, six, including Main Street Elementary School, Windsor Elementary School, and Okaw Valley Middle School had passing rates of more than 50%.
Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 49.1% in 2021 to 44.5% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in four Shelby County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Stewardson-Strasburg Elementary School (56.4%).
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%).
Moulton Elementary School, Cowden-Herrick Grade School, and Cowden-Herrick Junior/Senior High School were the Shelby 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windsor Junior and Senior High School | 44 | 63% | 59.5% | 61.4% |
| Gregory Intermediate School | 144 | 57% | 51.9% | 59.7% |
| Stewardson-Strasburg Elementary School | 165 | 36.7% | 48.2% | 56.4% |
| Main Street Elementary School | 110 | 44.6% | 48.1% | 49.1% |
| Windsor Elementary School | 92 | 51.7% | 53.5% | 46.8% |
| Okaw Valley Middle School | 111 | 51.4% | 60.7% | 45% |
| Moulton Elementary School | 422 | 46.1% | 38.4% | 35.7% |
| Cowden-Herrick Grade School | 70 | 54.1% | 42% | 34.3% |
| Cowden-Herrick Junior/Senior High School | 70 | 65.7% | 44.3% | 27.2% |
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