Area Schools Fall Short on State Report Card

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The Illinois State Board of Education on Wednesday released its annual school report cards, which grades the performance of every school in the state.

It also provides information on average ACT and Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) scores for high schools and the average Illinois Standardized Assessment Test scores for middle and elementary schools. 

One area high school, Cary-Grove Community High School, was ranked 37th among the top 50 high schools in the Chicagoland area, according to a Chicago Tribune analysis. 

A Northwest Herald analysis found 16 of the county's 19 districts didn't make adequate yearly progress under the state's standards while 70 of the county's 99 school failed to reach that benchmark. 

While standardized tests are a part of what determines AYP, it's not the total picture. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, several subgroups are factored into a school and district's performance, including: economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, limited English proficient, students on free or reduced lunch and more. 

According to a Chicago Tribune analysis, around half of all Illinois high school students failed the PSAE. Crystal Lake, Huntley and Jacobs high schools all fared better than that — with more than 60 percent of each of the school's students meeting PSAE standards. 

Dundee-Crown High School did not fare as well. Only 39.6 percent of its students met PSAE standards. 

None of the high schools — Huntley, Jacobs, Dundee-Crown or Huntley — met federal education standards under the state report card. In Patch's analysis of the data, only one middle school in Algonquin or Lake in the Hills, Marlowe Middle School, met the federal education standards while the rest fell short. 

The Chicago Tribune analysis found this year, nearly 80 percent of middle and elementary school students passed the Illinois Standards Achievement Test but noted the test has been acknowledged by state officials as too easy to pass. 

Below is a break down of how area schools fared in this year's report card.

High Schools

Jacobs High School

Jacobs High School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

Prairie State Achievement Examination: 60.8 percent met standards, a 3.3 percent decrease since last year

Average ACT score: 22.7 (state average, 20.6; district average, 21)

Dundee-Crown High School, 1500 Kings Road in Carpentersville

Dundee Crown High School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

Prairie State Achievement Examination: 39.6 percent met standards, a 4.5 percent decrease since last year. 

Average ACT: 19.4 (state average, 20.6; district average, 21)

Crystal Lake South High School, 1200 S. McHenry Ave. in Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake South High School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

Prairie State Achievement Examination: 66.9 percent met standards, a 2.2 percent increase since last year. 

Average ACT: 21.9 (state average, 20.6; district average, 22.9)

Huntley High School, 13719 Harmony Road in Huntley

Huntley High School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

Prairie State Achievement Examination: 68.3 percent met standards, a 3.7 percent increase since last year. 

Average ACT: 22.5 (state average, 20.6; district average, 22.5)

Middle Schools

Algonquin Middle School, 520 Longwood Drive in Algonquin

Algonquin Middle School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

ISAT: 87.6 percent met or exceeded standards across all sections of the test.

Heineman Middle School, 725 Academic Drive in Algonquin

Heineman Middle School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

ISAT: 93.5 percent met or exceeded standards across all sections of the test.

Marlowe Middle School, 9625 Haligus Road in Lake in the Hills

Marole Middle School did meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

ISAT: 93.7 percent met or exceeded standards across all sections of the test.

Lundahl Middle School, 560 Nash Road in Crystal Lake

Lundahl Middle School did not meet federal education standards under state report card guidelines but did meet immunization protection levels. 

ISAT: 90.3 percent met or exceeded standards across all sections of the test.

Elementary, Private Schools

Visit the Chicago Tribune to look up your school or the Illinois State Board of Education's website to view the raw data on how your school fared in this year's report card.