Chief Education Officer Jason Helfer (2023) | Illinois State Board of education
Chief Education Officer Jason Helfer (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, 52.4% of Coles County's 2,473 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.
Lake Crest Elementary School (61.8%), Jefferson Elementary School (58.6%) and Mattoon Middle School (54.5%) had the highest failure rates in Coles County. Meanwhile, Carl Sandburg Elementary School (45.6%) and Charleston Middle School (44.8%) had the lowest.
Countywide, English test failure rates rose from 52.2% in 2021 to 52.4% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in four Coles County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Lake Crest Elementary School (61.8%).
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%).
Carl Sandburg Elementary School was the only Coles County high school 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Crest Elementary School | 115 | 57.6% | 46.8% | 61.8% |
| Jefferson Elementary School | 519 | 54.4% | 57.6% | 58.6% |
| Mattoon Middle School | 616 | 51.3% | 54% | 54.5% |
| Riddle Elementary School | 324 | 54.7% | 48.3% | 51.3% |
| Ashmore Elementary School | 32 | 53.1% | 55.5% | 50% |
| Arland D. Williams Junior Elementary School | 307 | 51.8% | 48.9% | 48.9% |
| Carl Sandburg Elementary School | 167 | 47.1% | 46.2% | 45.6% |
| Charleston Middle School | 393 | 49.6% | 51.2% | 44.8% |
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