U-46 sees drop in reading scores

A preliminary look at Elgin Area School District U-46 standardized test scores showed a roller coaster of ups and downs, officials said Monday.

While the percentage of elementary school students meeting or exceeding state standards in math remained above the state average this year, the percentage of elementary students meeting reading standards dropped, assessment consultant Ed DeYoung said.

DeYoung pinned the drop on the elimination of the IMAGE test for English language learners, with the state requiring all third- through eighth-grade students to take the Illinois Standards Achievement Test.

"The change had a bigger effect on U-46 than it did for a vast majority of schools across the state," he said.

Nearly 20 percent of U-46 students are English language learners, nearly three times the state average.

DeYoung called it "unfair" and "deceiving" to compare this year's scores with scores from 2005-06 and 2006-07.

About 65 percent of third-graders met standards in reading this year, compared to 70.8 percent last year.

In fourth and fifth grades, both grades scored at least a point below last year.

Sixth- and seventh- grades scores showed slight progress, however, with scores up by three to five points each. Eighth-grade scores dropped by two points.

At the high school level, the method of testing remained the same, with 11th-grade students taking the Prairie State Achievement Exam, composed of the ACT and WorkKeys tests.

Forty-five percent of high school students met state standards in reading this year, the same score as last year. In math, scores dropped one point, from 47 to 46 percent. The state average for both subjects was 53 percent.

According to the State Board of Education, the statewide average percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards on all state tests increased slightly from 73.8 percent last year to 74.8 this year. Overall student performance on the ISAT increased 78.7 percent in 2007 to 79.1 in 2008.

The percentage of students meeting standards on the Prairie State Achievement Exam remained unchanged.

Individual schools will find out if they met federal benchmarks this year on Oct. 31.

For a school to be considered passing, 62.5 percent of students must read and calculate math at grade level, up from 55 last year.

Last year, 39 of 40 U-46 elementary schools and six of eight middle schools made Adequate Yearly Progress. For the past five years, none of the district's five high schools have made the grade.

Scores: Schools will find out if they met federal standards on Oct. 31