Each year, the Illinois State Board of Education releases "report cards," detailed analyses of the performance of public schools and school districts in Illinois, in accordance with state and federal law. The reports are available on a state-funded web site and also as raw data . Except where otherwise noted, data on this site is derived from the raw 2014 report card data.

Scoring and other changes

In 2013, the Illinois State Board of Education added more difficult questions and increased scores required to pass reading and math ISATs, in keeping with the push for higher standards laid out in the Common Core State Standards Initiative. As a result, a school's 2013 ISAT composite scores may appear to have dropped considerably even in cases where student achievement has not changed. In 2014, the state included even more difficult questions on the reading and math tests, to prepare students for tougher exams in 2015.

ISBE plans to abandon the ISAT and the 11th grade PSAE exam in favor of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments in the 2014-2015 school year. The ACT test given as part of the 11th grade exams will be voluntary in 2015, rather than a mandatory state test.

ISAT and PSAE reporting

The Illinois State Board of Education began excluding science from ISAT and PSAE composite scores in 2013. ISAT and PSAE composites reflect reading and math only.

Beyond test scores

The 2014 Illinois Report Card is more expansive than ever, adding in new data about everything from the percent of graduates headed to college to how 9th graders fare in their first year of high school, and how long teachers and principals stay at the same school. Test scores are still part of the mix. The state’s website is: http://www.illinoisreportcard.com/

PARCC field testing and ISAT scores.

In the 2013-2014 school year, many schools participated in field testing the new PARCC exams coming on line in 2015. Some schools received waivers from participating in certain areas of the ISAT, because of the extent of field testing. That is why there are no ISAT results for particular schools.

Credits

News application developers Heather Billings, Alex Bordens, and Ryan Asher updated this website for 2014.