Post by WeNeed3 on Sept 21, 2010 16:58:28 GMT -5
Elementary scores up on state tests, high school juniors fall flat
September 21, 2010
BY ROSALIND ROSSI Education Reporter
The percent of public school juniors passing annual state tests remains naggingly low, at 53 percent, while nearly 81 percent of elementary students passed their state exams this year — an uptick from last year, new data released today shows.
Although across all grades the state’s 2010 pass rate improved somewhat, the results show “a disconnect” between elementary and high school performance, State Schools Supt. Christopher Koch said.
Koch said he hoped new learning standards that set a “higher bar’’ and a new state test based on those standards would resolve the conflict.
Statewide, elementary kids showed improvement in almost every grade and subject tested. As a result, overall, more third- through eighth-graders passed their Illinois Standards Achievement Tests in reading, math and science than last year. The ISAT pass rate was 80.9 percent, up from 79.8 percent last year.
But improvement on the Prairie State Achievement Exam taken by high school juniors was flat, with only 53 percent passing that test both this year and last.
High school reading was down 2.9 percentage points, with only 54 percent of juniors passing that test. Even fewer kids passed math — only 52.7 percent — but that rate was up 1.1 percentage points from last year.
In science, 52.7 percent of juniors passed, up 1.1 percentage points.
The results reflect tests taken in March and April by public school third- through eighth-graders, and high school juniors.
www.suntimes.com/news/education/2733172,state-exams-scores-092110.article
September 21, 2010
BY ROSALIND ROSSI Education Reporter
The percent of public school juniors passing annual state tests remains naggingly low, at 53 percent, while nearly 81 percent of elementary students passed their state exams this year — an uptick from last year, new data released today shows.
Although across all grades the state’s 2010 pass rate improved somewhat, the results show “a disconnect” between elementary and high school performance, State Schools Supt. Christopher Koch said.
Koch said he hoped new learning standards that set a “higher bar’’ and a new state test based on those standards would resolve the conflict.
Statewide, elementary kids showed improvement in almost every grade and subject tested. As a result, overall, more third- through eighth-graders passed their Illinois Standards Achievement Tests in reading, math and science than last year. The ISAT pass rate was 80.9 percent, up from 79.8 percent last year.
But improvement on the Prairie State Achievement Exam taken by high school juniors was flat, with only 53 percent passing that test both this year and last.
High school reading was down 2.9 percentage points, with only 54 percent of juniors passing that test. Even fewer kids passed math — only 52.7 percent — but that rate was up 1.1 percentage points from last year.
In science, 52.7 percent of juniors passed, up 1.1 percentage points.
The results reflect tests taken in March and April by public school third- through eighth-graders, and high school juniors.
www.suntimes.com/news/education/2733172,state-exams-scores-092110.article