ISBE Releases 2020-21 Illinois School Report Card
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Date PostedOctober 29, 2021
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CategoryNews
On October 29, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the Illinois School Report Card, a compilation of education data from schools and districts, from the 2020-21 school year.
“The Report Card offers a complete picture of student and school performance in order to inform and empower families and communities as they support their local schools,” according to information provided by ISBE.
Key among the findings from statewide collective data is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of access to in-person learning on student achievement, enrollment, and attendance.
Noting that all data are possibly impacted by COVID-19, the 2020-2021 state snapshot shows “Preliminary spring testing data also show far fewer students met grade-level standards in English language arts and math. Data from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), taken by students in Grades 3-8, and the SAT, taken by 11th grade students, show that 16.6 percent fewer students met grade-level standards in English language arts in 2021 than in 2019 and 17.8 percent fewer students met grade-level standards in math.”
The updated School Report Card data also, however, indicate that Illinois schools overcame significant challenges to reach new heights in preparing students for college and career and to increase teacher diversity and retention. “The state’s four-year graduation rate also held steady with 2019 and previous years – a testament to the incredible work of Illinois’ educators to keep students engaged and on the path to college and career under extremely difficult circumstances,” according to ISBE.
ISBE’s release notes and other resources for understanding the Illinois Report Card are available online.
“The Report Card offers a complete picture of student and school performance in order to inform and empower families and communities as they support their local schools,” according to information provided by ISBE.
Key among the findings from statewide collective data is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of access to in-person learning on student achievement, enrollment, and attendance.
Noting that all data are possibly impacted by COVID-19, the 2020-2021 state snapshot shows “Preliminary spring testing data also show far fewer students met grade-level standards in English language arts and math. Data from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), taken by students in Grades 3-8, and the SAT, taken by 11th grade students, show that 16.6 percent fewer students met grade-level standards in English language arts in 2021 than in 2019 and 17.8 percent fewer students met grade-level standards in math.”
The updated School Report Card data also, however, indicate that Illinois schools overcame significant challenges to reach new heights in preparing students for college and career and to increase teacher diversity and retention. “The state’s four-year graduation rate also held steady with 2019 and previous years – a testament to the incredible work of Illinois’ educators to keep students engaged and on the path to college and career under extremely difficult circumstances,” according to ISBE.
ISBE’s release notes and other resources for understanding the Illinois Report Card are available online.
