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.
Of the 18 schools analyzed in Bureau, LaSalle, Putnam and Grundy counties, Putnam County High School showed the greatest disparity. In a year when 83 percent of seniors graduated on time, just 2 percent of students actually passed annual tests that the state uses to determine who is "ready for the next level."
The end-of-year tests known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, are administered to third- through eighth-graders in Illinois, testing them based on Common Core standards. High schoolers also took the tests through 2016.
A composite score combines the results of the subject tests. Students whose scores either meet or exceed expectations are considered "ready for the next level."
Schools' graduation fraud index shows the difference between the composite passing rate and the graduation rate.
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Illinois Valley schools graduation fraud index
Illinois Valley high school | School district | City | Annual exam pass rate (%) | Graduation rate (%) | Graduation fraud index |
Putnam County High School | Putnam County Cusd 535 | Granville | 2.2 | 83.1 | -80.9 |
Serena High School | Serena Cusd 2 | Serena | 11.4 | 88.7 | -77.3 |
La Moille High School | La Moille Cusd 303 | La Moille | 22.2 | 95.5 | -73.3 |
Seneca High School | Seneca Twp Hsd 160 | Seneca | 21.2 | 93.4 | -72.2 |
Morris Community High School | Morris Chsd 101 | Morris | 24.4 | 92.2 | -67.8 |
Minooka Community High School | Minooka Chsd 111 | Minooka | 24.6 | 91.5 | -66.9 |
La Salle-Peru Township High School | La Salle-Peru Twp Hsd 120 | La Salle | 19 | 85.3 | -66.3 |
DePue High School | Depue Usd 103 | Depue | 15.1 | 77.8 | -62.7 |
Bureau Valley High School | Bureau Valley Cusd 340 | Manlius | 30.8 | 88.1 | -57.3 |
Coal City High School | Coal City Cusd 1 | Coal City | 34 | 88.7 | -54.7 |
Mendota Township High School | Mendota Twp Hsd 280 | Mendota | 32.5 | 87.1 | -54.6 |
Gardner-South Wilmington Township H S | Gardner S Wilmington Twp Hsd 73 | Gardner | 31.3 | 83.3 | -52 |
Ottawa Township High School | Ottawa Twp Hsd 140 | Ottawa | 33.7 | 83.6 | -49.9 |
Hall High School | Hall Hsd 502 | Spring Valley | 27.1 | 74.1 | -47 |
Princeton High School | Princeton Hsd 500 | Princeton | 38.1 | 82.4 | -44.3 |
Leland High School | Leland Cusd 1 | Leland | 52.9 | 96 | -43.1 |
Earlville Jr/Sr High School | Earlville Cusd 9 | Earlville | 29.7 | 72.5 | -42.8 |
Streator Township High School | Streator Twp Hsd 40 | Streator | 34.4 | 75.3 | -40.9 |
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