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, 74.7 percent of McDonough County's 229 public high school students failed the English language arts 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 three McDonough County schools, Bushnell-Prairie City High School (96 percent) had the highest failure rate in the county. Macomb Senior High School (62.8 percent) had the lowest.
No McDonough County high schools had a passing rate of more than 50 percent of students.
County-wide, English test failure rates rose from 64.6 percent in 2019 to 74.7 percent in 2022.
The failure rate increased at three McDonough County high schools in 2022, with the most significant increase happening at West Prairie High School (89.8 percent).
Failure rates rose the most at Cook County (100 percent), Marion County (100 percent), Peoria County (100 percent), Scott County (100 percent), Tazewell County (100 percent).
Statewide, 69.1 percent of Illinois students failed the 2022 state English 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bushnell-Prairie City High School | 50 | 86.7% | 82.5% | 96% |
| West Prairie High School | 39 | 67.5% | 75.9% | 89.8% |
| Macomb Senior High School | 140 | 56.9% | 62.5% | 62.8% |
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