ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst School District 205’s low-income students improved their standardized scores last school year.
In particular, younger students coming from low-income families are closing in on the statewide averages for all economic groups combined.
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness is given to third through eighth graders.
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Last school year, 37 percent of the district’s low-income students met or exceeded state standards on the assessment’s English language arts section. That’s up from 24 percent a year earlier. In 2019, the rate was 21 percent.
In math, 23 percent of third through eighth graders made the state’s benchmark last school year, an increase from 15 percent the year before. In 2019, 17 percent cleared the hurdle.
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In the district as a whole, 68 percent of third through eighth graders made the mark in English language arts and 58 percent did so in math.
The SAT is given to juniors across the state.
At York High School, 23 percent of low-income students met or exceeded state standards in English language arts last school year. That compares to 18 percent the year before. Last school year’s number was the same as 2019’s.
As for math, 22 percent of York students met the benchmark last school year. That is up from 13 percent a year earlier. The latest number is above 2019’s 19 percent but below 2018’s 31 percent.
About half of York juniors as a whole met standards on the English language arts and math sections of the test.
The district has said before that it focuses on improving low-income students’ scores.
In 2022, the school board paid an organization to help the district increase the number of low-income students taking Advancement Placement tests. The board also waived AP test fees for the group.
Overall, District 205 is one of the wealthiest districts in the state. Its test scores far exceed statewide averages.
Last school year, elementary and middle schoolers improved their scores, while York students’ scores dropped overall.
Of the district’s more than 8,000 students, 17 percent are considered low-income.
The state released numbers Wednesday on its Illinois Report Card website.
Patch left a message for comment Thursday with the district on low-income students’ scores.
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