Illinois Valley Times

More than 5 in 10 LaSalle County public students aren't at grade level based on their performance in the English portion of the 2023 SAT.

That's according to a Illinois Valley Times analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

ISBE reports that last year, 52.4% of LaSalle County's 5,973 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.

Sheridan Elementary School (63.6%), Lostant Elementary School (63.3%) and Lincoln Junior High School (62.1%) had the highest failure rates in LaSalle County. Meanwhile, Waltham Elementary School (31.9%) and McKinley Elementary School (30.7%) had the lowest.

Of 33 LaSalle County high schools, 11, including Seneca Grade School North Campus, Washington Elementary School, and Centennial Elementary School had passing rates of more than 50%.

Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 53.8% in 2021 to 52.4% in 2023.

The failure rate rose in 12 LaSalle County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Lostant Elementary School (63.3%).

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%).

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
Sheridan Elementary School	55	61%	54.2%	63.6%
Lostant Elementary School	49	58.8%	31.6%	63.3%
Lincoln Junior High School	256	54%	58%	62.1%
Leland Elementary School	111	58.7%	63.4%	60.3%
Ransom Grade School	55	55%	52.5%	60%
Milton Pope Elementary School	120	44.7%	54.7%	57.5%
Northlawn Junior High School	586	58%	56.6%	57.2%
Lincoln Elementary School	114	63.5%	53.8%	57%
Lincoln Elementary School	197	54.6%	54.1%	56.9%
Earlville Elementary School	162	57%	57.3%	56.8%
Parkside Middle School	349	60%	67.8%	56.7%
Marseilles Elementary School	295	56.8%	52.6%	56.2%
Shepherd Middle School	382	51.9%	56.2%	56%
Northwest Elementary School	261	50.8%	57.1%	55.6%
Lincoln Elementary School	101	53.3%	47.7%	55.5%
Serena Middle School	185	51.3%	57.2%	54.1%
Deer Park C.C. Elementary School	30	51.3%	58.3%	53.3%
Northbrook School	450	56.4%	58.4%	52.8%
Tonica Grade School	78	53.1%	60.7%	52.5%
Seneca Elementary School South Campus	194	53.3%	59.6%	51.6%
Central Intermediate School	336	60.5%	64.6%	51.4%
Rutland Elementary School	34	31.1%	47.2%	50%
Seneca Grade School North Campus	96	48.4%	53.6%	49%
Washington Elementary School	133	57.9%	56%	48.2%
Centennial Elementary School	322	47.6%	42.7%	46.3%
Jefferson Elementary School	89	44.5%	47.2%	46.1%
Northview Elementary School	198	54.6%	53%	44.5%
Harding Grade School	37	55.6%	44.1%	43.2%
Grand Ridge School	119	45.1%	47.6%	42%
Wallace Elementary School	209	52.7%	53.1%	41.6%
Dimmick Community Consolidated School District 175	102	52.6%	52.5%	38.2%
Waltham Elementary School	144	40.1%	39%	31.9%
McKinley Elementary School	124	34.8%	30.9%	30.7%