Grade school districts in Ohio and Ottawa ranked among Illinois' highest for reading aptitude, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

More than 84.9 percent of teachers stay at Putnam County High School year to year, according to the 2018 three-year average in the latest Illinois schools report card.

In a year when 85 percent of Putnam County High School seniors graduated on time, 39 percent of those who attended Illinois community colleges had to enroll in remedial courses.

The truancy rate at Putnam County High School rose to 6 percent during the 2017-18 school year, according to a Illinois Valley Times analysis of the latest Illinois schools report card.

The truancy rate at Putnam County High School rose to 2 percent during the 2016-17 school year, according to a Illinois Valley Times analysis of the latest Illinois schools report card.

More than 79.1 percent of teachers stay at Putnam County High School year to year, according to the 2017 three-year average in the latest Illinois schools report card.

About 89 percent of ninth graders in 2017 were on track to graduate at a school where the four-year graduation rate was 82 percent that year, according to the latest Illinois schools report card by the Illinois State Board of Education.

In a year when 82 percent of Putnam County High School seniors graduated on time, 38 percent of those who attended Illinois community colleges had to enroll in remedial courses.

State residents enrolled at Christian Life College face among the lowest cost of attending four-year in-state colleges and universities in the U.S., according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

State residents enrolled at Illinois Institute of Technology face among the steepest cost of attending four-year in-state colleges and universities in the U.S., according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

Residents in Illinois face some of the steepest cost of attending in-state colleges and universities in the U.S., according to a Higher Education Tribune analysis of federal data.

School districts in Morris, Utica and Braceville were among those in Illinois that paid the least in penalties since 2005 for spiking employee salaries to boost outgoing teachers' retirement benefits, according to data obtained from the Teache

Grade school districts in Ohio and La Salle ranked among Illinois' top 100 for reading aptitude, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Despite dismal student performance on annual exams covering math and reading, high school graduation rates remain high across the region, according to a Illinois Valley Times analysis of 2016 data from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Several area high school basketball teams were in action during the week of Thanksgiving.

Athletes in Action tracks players with ties to communities within the Illinois Valley Times coverage area as they compete at the collegiate level. The following football players will compete during the week of Nov. 5 to Nov. 11.

Athletes in Action tracks players with ties to communities within the Illinois Valley Times coverage area as they compete at the collegiate level. The following football players will compete during the week of Oct. 29 to Nov. 4.

Athletes in Action tracks players with ties to communities within the Illinois Valley Times coverage area as they compete at the collegiate level. The following football players will compete during the week of Oct. 22 to Oct. 28.

Athletes in Action tracks players with ties to communities within the Illinois Valley Times coverage area as they compete at the collegiate level. The following football players will compete during the week of Oct. 15 to Oct. 21.

Athletes in Action tracks players with ties to communities within the Illinois Valley Times coverage area as they compete at the collegiate level. The following football players will compete during the week of Oct. 8 to Oct. 14.