State Report Card 2024: Find Out How Arlington Heights Schools Fared
SPRINGFIELD, IL — Public schools in Illinois showed a mix of record-breaking achievements and continuing challenges in annual Illinois Report Card data released this week by state education officials.
The 2023-24 school year saw the highest-ever graduation rate and a record performance in literacy for elementary schoolers in Illinois, though proficiency rates for high school students continue to lag.
Here is a look at how school districts in Arlington Heights fared:
Arlington Heights School District 25
Township High School District 214
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the achievements of Black students and state spending on career and technical development had contributed to the 87.7 percent graduation rate, the highest in 14 years.
"These milestones demonstrate that our investments in students are delivering real results as Illinois continues to bounce back stronger from the challenges set by the pandemic," Pritzker said in a statement.
Nearly 41 percent of Illinois students in 3rd to 8th grade met or exceeded English standards, up from previous years and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
"Illinois has seen tremendous, nation-leading recovery in English language arts, thanks to the talented teachers, principals, and superintendents in schools across the state who have worked diligently to implement shifts in their literacy practices," said Tony Sanders, the state superintendent of education.
Black students led these gains with a 26 percent increase in proficiency, with improvements also noted among English learners, low-income students and those with individualized education plans, according to ISBE's data.
"Our educators, students, and families should feel incredibly proud of how we have come together in the wake of the pandemic not just to recover but to emerge even stronger," Sanders said. In math, however, progress has been slower, with just 28 percent of students in grades 3-8 meeting state math standards last year. Proficiency in math remains below pre-pandemic levels across race, ethnicity and income groups.
ISBE officials this year announced plans to implement a statewide math and numeracy plan, aiming for more evidence-based math instruction and prioritizing resources for foundational math skills.
The Illinois Report Card also showed a positive shift in attendance, with chronic absenteeism decreasing from 28.3 percent to 26.3 percent statewide.
High school students, however, continue to have the highest rates of absenteeism — defined as students who miss at least 10 percent of the school year regardless of their excuse — a factor ISBE connects to lower academic performance and graduation rates.
According to state officials, there are more teachers in the workforce than ever before but the state still has a shortage, especially ones who are bilingual or who work in special education or somewhere other than the suburbs.
Meanwhile, the state's accountability system, which emphasizes graduation rates over academic growth in high schools, has faced scrutiny.
Currently, year-over-year growth counts for half of the "accountability" score for elementary and middle schools — but not for high schools, where graduation rates have a greater rate in the scoring rubric.
Starting next year, ISBE officials said they plan to include a growth metric in high school assessments to provide a clearer picture of academic progress, an adjustment officials hope will encourage schools to focus more on improvements in both student proficiency and graduation rates.
Patch Editor Jonah Meadows contributed to this report.
