Illinois Schools

    For the last few years, Illinois’ average SAT and ACT test scores have been on the rise; 2006 was no exception. Illinois’ composite math score of 609 is the nation’s third highest. ACT results for the graduating class of 2006 showed the largest increase in student test scores in the last five years, with the average composite score rising from 20.3 in 2005 to 20.5 in 2006.

Over 50% of Illinois’ 2.1 million students attend Title I schools—schools that receive federal funds to help raise test scores. Students and parents of students who attend Title I schools that do not meet requirements (labeled for school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring) two years in a row have the option of transferring to a school that does meet requirements. If there are no schools that meet requirements in the district, students can—if desired—be bussed (at the district’s expense) to another school in a nearby district. This option is only available if the school has not met requirements two years in a row, and until the school meets requirements two years in a row.

The state is estimating for fiscal year 2007 to spend, including federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) monies, over $8 billion for school expenses—including continuing teacher education, prevention programs (drug, alcohol, bullying), advanced placement programs, after school programs, students with disabilities, and improving schools that do not meet NCLB criteria.

Illinois, as of the publishing of this article, has not yet released its NCLB Adequate Yearly Progress Report, the report that says how the schools are doing. The report should be available on Illinois’ Department of Education website (http://www.isbe.state.il.us).