West Central Reporter

In the 2022-23 school year, 26.3% of the students in A-C Central Community Unit School District 262 passed the ELA portion of the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 137 students in A-C Central Community Unit School District 262 who took the ELA portion of the test, approximately 36 (26.3%) passed.

The percentage of A-C Central Community Unit School District 262 students who met or exceeded expectations on the IAR decreased by 5.4% compared to the previous school year.

A-C Central Community Unit School District 262 roughly covers three schools within Cass County and has a main office in Ashland.

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) assesses the progress of students in grades 3-8 in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics.

Illinois has approved a new budget for 2025 that increases funds for K-12 education to $8.6 billion, $350 million above last year’s budget. Lawmakers also approved a new bill that creates a statewide child tax credit, which allows families to receive $300 per child under 17 years. This comes after a similar aid was granted from the federal government, as part of the American Rescue Plan.

School	District	Students who met standards (%)	Students who exceed standards (%)
A-C Central Elementary School	A-C Central Community Unit School District 262	36.2%	2.1%
A-C Central Middle School	A-C Central Community Unit School District 262	18.9%	1.1%