Data from Wirepoints shows that a mere 30% of students in Illinois can read at their grade level, and only 26% can perform math at their grade level. | Sam Balye/Unsplash
Data from Wirepoints shows that a mere 30% of students in Illinois can read at their grade level, and only 26% can perform math at their grade level. | Sam Balye/Unsplash
The Illinois education system is characterized by low performance, elevated taxes and minimal accountability, according to data focusing on individual school district statistics.
According to a press release, Wirepoints created a set of fact sheets highlighting individual school district statistics by delving into data from the Illinois State Board of Education and the U.S. Census. These fact sheets present the outcomes of the 20 largest school districts in the state and a few others.
According to the data, student outcomes are abysmal, with most Illinois students passing despite poor performance, while teachers consistently receive positive evaluations. Additionally, spending and tax burdens are on the rise, and Illinois home values continue to underperform compared to the rest of the nation.
The analysis suggests that the Illinois education system is characterized by inadequate outcomes, high taxes and insufficient accountability, and the evidence supports this from Mt. Vernon to Rockford and from Quincy to Chicago. Unfortunately, most of the K-12 issues in Illinois go unnoticed and fail to receive the attention they deserve.
The data from Wirepoints shows that a mere 30% of students in Illinois can read at their grade level, and just 26% can perform math at their grade level. The breakdown by ethnicity is as follows: 59% of Asian students, 39% of white students, 18% of Hispanic students and 12% of Black students can read at their grade level. Astonishingly, 87% of students manage to graduate, even though only 30% of them can read at their grade level. Furthermore, 97% of teachers are rated as outstanding. Illinois currently has the highest property taxes in the nation and ranks eighth in the country in terms of per-student spending.
According to the data for Hinsdale Township High School District 86, 60% of students can read at their grade level, while 61% can perform math at their grade level. Additionally, the percentage of students who can read at grade level by ethnicity is as follows: 83% of Asian students, 61% of white students, 42% of Hispanic students and 10% of Black students. The graduation rate is 91%, and an overwhelming 98.8% of teachers are highly rated. Over the past decade, property tax revenues in Illinois have increased by 45%, despite a 13% decline in student enrollment. Furthermore, spending per student has surged from $16,186 in 2010 to $24,675 in 2021.
In the Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204, only 50% of students can read and perform math at their grade level. The data reveals that 68% of Asian students, 46% of white students, 28% of Hispanic students and 21% of Black students are reading at their grade level. Despite a graduation rate of 95%, only 58% of students are proficient in reading. Impressively, 99.4% of teachers in the district have been rated as outstanding. Over the past decade, property tax revenues have risen by 30%, while student enrollment has decreased by 12%. Spending per student has increased by 29%.
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