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 Rock Island Today analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 57.7% of Mercer County's 904 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.
Matherville Intermediate School (65.1%), New Boston Elementary School (61.8%) and Sherrard Elementary School (59%) had the highest failure rates in Mercer County. Meanwhile, Mercer County Junior High School (54.1%) and Winola Elementary School (46.5%) had the lowest.
Countywide, English test failure rates rose from 56.1% in 2021 to 57.7% in 2023.
The failure rate rose in four Mercer County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at New Boston 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%).
Winola Elementary School was the only Mercer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matherville Intermediate School | 189 | 65.3% | 60.2% | 65.1% |
| New Boston Elementary School | 76 | 56.1% | 45.6% | 61.8% |
| Sherrard Elementary School | 95 | 42.9% | 57.8% | 59% |
| Apollo Elementary School | 179 | 56.3% | 63.8% | 58.6% |
| Mercer County Junior High School | 281 | 52% | 46.7% | 54.1% |
| Winola Elementary School | 84 | 58.5% | 50.6% | 46.5% |
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