That's according to a West Central Reporter analysis of 2022 test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
ISBE reports that last year, 70 percent of Calhoun County's 50 public high school students failed the Math portion of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and have “minimal (or) incomplete… understanding of the knowledge and skills relative to Illinois Learning Standards.”
Students can achieve four proficiencies in their subjects (partially met, approaching, meets, and exceeds standards). This report concludes students who partially met or approached the standards have failed in the subject.
Out of the two Calhoun County schools, Calhoun High School (80 percent) had the highest failure rate in the county. Brussels High School (46.7 percent) had the lowest.
Of 2 Calhoun County high schools, only one school -- Brussels High School had passing rates of more than 50 percent.
County-wide, Math test failure rates rose from 58.8 percent in 2019 to 70 percent in 2022.
The failure rate increased at Calhoun High School in 2022, from 50 percent to 80 percent.
Failure rates rose the most in Coles County (82.7 percent), Mercer County (83.5 percent), Pope County (89.8 percent), Union County (91.3 percent), and Henderson County (92.2 percent).
Brussels High School were the only Calhoun County high schools to see Math scores improve between 2019 and 2022.
Statewide, 70 percent of Illinois students failed the 2022 state Math exam, up from 64 percent in 2019.
The SAT test is administered to Illinois high school sophomores “to fulfill the requirement that students take an assessment for college and career readiness in order to receive a regular high school diploma.”
| High School | # of Students | Failing % in 2019 | Failing % in 2021 | Failing % in 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun High School | 35 | 50% | 78.6% | 80% |
| Brussels High School | 15 | 71.5% | 75% | 46.7% |
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