Illinois grad rate hits new high even as ACT scores lag and students continue to miss class

Illinois Hits 15-Year High in Graduation Rates Amid ACT Score Concerns

The graduation rate for Illinois high school seniors reached a 15-year high this year, with 89% of students completing high school. However, performance on the ACT exam was lower than expected, with average scores below the national average.

Despite these concerns, officials attribute the increased graduation rates to new state funding and various strategies implemented by school districts, including providing more Advanced Placement classes and opportunities to make up failed classes. Illinois Education Superintendent Tony Sanders credits the $3 billion in new funding since 2017 for helping drive the rate up.

However, absenteeism remains a significant issue, with about 25% of all Illinois students missing at least 10% of school last year. This is higher than the previous pre-pandemic rate and has been improving over the past three years but still a concern.

The state's high school graduation rates are particularly notable given the lower ACT composite score, which was 19.4 this year, compared to the national average of 20.1 for the class of 2016. Chicago Public Schools, in particular, struggled with low ACT scores, averaging 15.1 in English Language Arts and 15.8 in math.

While officials argue that the old proficiency standards were too challenging and led to mislabeling high-achieving students as not proficient, some critics remain skeptical about the impact of these changes on student performance. The state has recalculated past proficiency rates to conform to new standards, which may complicate comparisons with previous years' data.

Despite concerns about ACT scores and absenteeism, officials point to rising numbers of Illinois graduates enrolling in college, albeit at a slower pace than expected. Elementary school students showed improvements in test scores, but the state's changes to the proficiency bar mean that year-to-year comparisons are no longer possible.

School districts face significant challenges, including addressing the needs of high-poverty and high-disability student populations, providing access to resources such as food, healthcare, and counseling, while also fulfilling their mission to educate students.

I'm kinda surprised that graduation rates are up despite the ACT scores being lower than expected... like, shouldn't it be the other way around? I guess the new state funding and extra AP classes made a big difference, tho . But what's really worrying me is all this absenteeism stuff - 25% of students missing at least 10% of school last year? That's just not cool, you know? We need to figure out ways to help those students stay engaged and on track, 'specially with the state changes making it harder to compare data... .

I think it's quite concerning that despite the increased graduation rates in Illinois, we're still seeing a disconnect between academic performance and real-world readiness. The lower-than-expected ACT scores are a red flag, especially given that Chicago Public Schools struggled significantly. It raises questions about whether our education system is truly preparing students for success.

Moreover, absenteeism remains a pressing issue, with 25% of students missing at least 10% of school last year. This suggests that there are systemic issues that need to be addressed, such as providing access to resources like food, healthcare, and counseling. It's not just about academics; we need to consider the broader needs of our students.

The fact that elementary school students showed improvements in test scores is encouraging, but it's also a reminder that our proficiency standards have changed over time. This makes it challenging to compare data year-to-year, which can make it difficult to assess the effectiveness of our education policies.

Overall, I think we need to take a more nuanced approach to evaluating student success. It's not just about metrics and test scores; it's about providing our students with the support they need to thrive in all aspects of life

[Image of a confused kid looking at an ACT test score]
Illinois is like, "We got a 15-year high in graduation rates! Yaaas!" But then... ACT scores are lower than expected... and absenteeism is still a thing?

Illinois is crushin' it with its graduation rates ! 89% of students completin' high school is straight fire . But, gotta ask, what's the deal with them ACT scores? Average score was below the national average . I know they say new funding and all that jazz helped drive those graduation rates up, but absenteeism is still a big issue . Like 25% of students missin' at least 10% of school last year is a red flag .

Chicago Public Schools are strugglin' with low ACT scores too . And now they're talkin' about recalculatin' past proficiency rates? That's just gonna mess up the comparisons, you feel?

But for real, school districts gotta tackle some tough stuff - high-poverty and high-disability students need more resources , food, healthcare, counseling... the list goes on . It's all about balancin' the books and gettin' those students edumacated .

Here's a stat for ya: Illinois graduation rates have been steadily increasin' since 2017 , with a 15-year high in '25. That's some serious growth!

ACT composite score for Chicago Public Schools: English Language Arts (15.1) and math (15.8). Not exactly the best .

Absenteeism rate: 25%. That's a whole lotta missed school days .

Elementary school test scores are showin' some improvements, but past proficiency rates are no longer comparable .

its kinda weird that graduation rates are up but ACT scores are down ? like what's driving these two different results? wasnt the new funding supposed to help with both? sounds like schools are doing a good job of keeping kids in school but struggling to get them ready for college exams

The fact that Illinois has seen a 15-year high in graduation rates is pretty cool, but at the same time it's not without its concerns . I mean, with average ACT scores being lower than expected and absenteeism still being a major issue, there are definitely some red flags to look out for. But on the other hand, the $3 billion in new funding since 2017 has clearly made a big impact . And it's great to see that more students are graduating and going on to college - that's gotta be a positive trend .

The thing is, though, we need to consider why some of these graduation rates might not be as strong as they seem . I mean, with the new proficiency standards being recalculated, it can get pretty confusing when comparing data from different years . And what about those high-poverty and high-disability student populations? Those districts are gonna have a tough time providing all the resources they need to give their students the best shot at success .

Overall, I think there's definitely some cause for celebration here , but we also can't ignore the challenges that schools still face in the US .

So like, I'm reading this article about Illinois hitting a 15-year high in graduation rates, but it's a bit weird that they're not really celebrating because ACT scores are kinda low . Like, 89% is still pretty good, right? But the average score is below national avg, which is a concern... and 25% of students are missing like half the year? That's wild .

But I think what's cool is that they're crediting new funding for the increase in graduation rates. Like, $3 billion since 2017 has made a difference . But at the same time, we gotta address absenteeism and stuff... it's not just about the grades, you know? Our schools need to be more than just classrooms, they need to be like, support systems for these kids .

And honestly, I'm a bit confused by all this talk about proficiency standards and recalculating past rates. Can't we just focus on getting our students the resources they need to succeed?

I'm kinda surprised by those graduation rates tho - 89% is still pretty impressive! But I gotta wonder if it's just a bunch of kids coasting on all the extra funding they got ... like, we're talking $3 billion over three years here, that's some serious cash for schools. And yeah, more AP classes and making up failed ones sounds like a solid plan, but what about actual learning?

And don't even get me started on ACT scores ... 19.4 is still pretty low, especially compared to the national average. It's all well and good that more kids are graduating, but we need to see some real growth here, you feel?