East Central Reporter

Blaine Wilhour, a state representative for Illinois House District 110, emphasized the need for Illinois to return to fundamental educational practices to enhance student outcomes and better prepare children for future success. He conveyed this message in a Facebook post on March 28.

"Only 30% of fourth graders are reading at grade level in Illinois," said Wilhour, according to Facebook. "We need to get back to the basics to improve outcomes for our students and ensure Illinois children are set up for future success."

According to Wilhour, an editorial from the Chicago Tribune highlighted Louisiana's achievements in improving student literacy. He believes that Illinois educators can draw lessons from Louisiana, where student literacy has significantly improved over five years, moving from 50th place in 2019 to 16th in 2024. Louisiana utilizes an evidence-based science of reading model focusing on phonics, comprehension, and phonemic awareness. The state also provides "master teacher" mentors to support educators. The editorial board commends the 2024 Comprehensive Literacy Plan for incorporating elements of Louisiana's approach but notes a lack of incentives for districts to adopt additional training requirements and assessment protocols that could further improve students' reading comprehension.

Screenshot of State Rep. Blaine WIlhour's March 28 Facebook post | State Representative Blaine Wilhour's Facebook page

The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report card indicates that Illinois fourth-grade students had an average reading score of 215, aligning with the national average. However, this represents a decline of two points from 2023 and four points from 2022. Thirty percent of fourth graders in Illinois performed at or above the NAEP proficient level, a decrease of three percent from 2022 and one percent from 2003. Additionally, fifty-nine percent of students performed at or above the NAEP basic level. For eighth-grade students in Illinois, the average reading score was 262, surpassing the national average of 257. Thirty-three percent of eighth graders performed at or above the NAEP proficient level in 2024, exceeding the national average of twenty-nine percent. Last year, seventy percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP basic level.

Wilhour has represented the people of the 110th District since 2019. A lifelong resident of Illinois, he served in the Illinois Army National Guard from 1999-2005 and was deployed to Europe in 2002 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to his official biography. His political career includes serving on the Fayette County Board. He is also a managing partner at his family’s post-frame construction company in Effingham County.