Peoria Standard

More than 3 in 10 Woodford County public students aren't at grade level based on their performance in the English portion of the 2023 SAT.

That's according to a Peoria Standard analysis of test score data compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

ISBE reports that last year, 33.5% of Woodford County's 2,345 public high school students failed the ELA 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.

Lowpoint-Washburn Junior Senior High School (65.7%), Riverview Elementary School (58.5%) and Centennial School (51.6%) had the highest failure rates in Woodford County. Meanwhile, Germantown Hills Elementary School (24.6%) and Germantown Hills Middle School (24.5%) had the lowest.

Of 12 Woodford County high schools, nine, including Davenport Elementary School, Sowers Elementary School, and Metamora Grade School had passing rates of more than 50%.

Countywide, English test failure rates fell from 38.5% in 2021 to 33.5% in 2023.

The failure rate rose in six Woodford County high schools in 2023, with the most significant increase happening at Lowpoint-Washburn Junior Senior High School (65.7%).

Data shows that the highest failure rates growths were seen in Christian County (72.5%), Hancock County (73.8%), Cook County (74.1%), White County (74.1%), and Morgan County (76.7%).

Metamora Grade School, Eureka Middle School, and Germantown Hills Elementary School were the Woodford County high schools to see improvements between 2021 and 2023.

Statewide, 39.9% of Illinois students failed the 2023 state English exam, down from 64% 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 2021	Failing % in 2022	Failing % in 2023
Lowpoint-Washburn Junior Senior High School	70	60%	57.6%	65.7%
Riverview Elementary School	130	48.5%	54.3%	58.5%
Centennial School	153	56.4%	45.6%	51.6%
Davenport Elementary School	149	41.2%	43%	44.9%
Sowers Elementary School	58	50.7%	34.4%	39.7%
Metamora Grade School	559	42.1%	40.6%	31.9%
Goodfield Elementary School	26	42.9%	60%	30.8%
Congerville Elementary School	30	32.3%	26.4%	30%
Roanoke-Benson Junior High School	142	35.2%	38.3%	26.7%
Eureka Middle School	475	33.3%	32.7%	26.3%
Germantown Hills Elementary School	191	30.2%	27.1%	24.6%
Germantown Hills Middle School	362	26.2%	31.2%	24.5%