Skokie Public Schools See Mixed Results In Latest Illinois Report Card

SKOKIE, IL — State education officials released Illinois Report Card data last month, detailing achievements and challenges for each of Niles Township's 10 public school districts.

Statewide, Illinois schools showed a mix of record-breaking achievements and continuing challenges, as the 2023-24 school year saw the highest-ever graduation rate and record performances on elementary school literacy tests.

But proficiency rates for high school students continue to lag, and Niles Township District 219 is no different.

Since, 2019, SAT scores for students in District 219 have declined in both English Language Arts, or ELA, and math.

In ELA, the percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards dropped from 46.7 percent in 2019 to 43.1 percent in 2024, a decrease of 3.6 percentage points. Math scores saw an even steeper decline, with proficiency falling by 8.3 percentage points to 38.2 percent in 2024.

In line with statewide trends, District 219 has also seen its graduation rate increase, reaching 92.4 percent in 2024. That's up from 91.3 percent the prior year and is even above its pre-pandemic rate of 92.1 percent in 2019.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the achievements of Black students and state spending on career and technical development had contributed to the 87.7 percent statewide graduation rate, the highest in 14 years.

"These milestones demonstrate that our investments in students are delivering real results as Illinois continues to bounce back stronger from the challenges set by the pandemic," Pritzker said in a statement.

Nearly 41 percent of Illinois students in 3rd to 8th grade met or exceeded English standards, up from previous years and surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

“Illinois has seen tremendous, nation-leading recovery in English language arts, thanks to the talented teachers, principals, and superintendents in schools across the state who have worked diligently to implement shifts in their literacy practices,” said Tony Sanders, the state superintendent of education.

Black students led these gains with a 26 percent increase in proficiency, with improvements also noted among English learners, low-income students and those with individualized education plans, according to ISBE’s data.

"Our educators, students, and families should feel incredibly proud of how we have come together in the wake of the pandemic not just to recover but to emerge even stronger," Sanders said.

In math, however, progress has been slower, with just 28 percent of students in grades 3-8 meeting state math standards last year. Proficiency in math remains below pre-pandemic levels across race, ethnicity and income groups.

State education officials this year announced plans to implement a statewide math and numeracy plan, aiming for more evidence-based math instruction and prioritizing resources for foundational math skills.

ISBE rates Illinois schools in five categories: "exemplary" for the top 10 percent, "commendable" for those doing well overall but not in the top 10 percent, "targeted support" for those with some student groups in the bottom 5 percent, "comprehensive support" for those at bottom that also have low graduation rates, and "intensive support" for schools that do not improve following comprehensive support.

Both Niles North and Niles West high schools are considered "commendable."

Among their nine feeder districts, all but one elementary and middle schools are also designated as commendable. Madison Elementary School in Skokie School District 69 is designated as a "targeted school."

The Illinois Report Card also showed a positive shift in attendance, with chronic absenteeism decreasing from 28.3 percent to 26.3 percent statewide.

High school students, however, continue to have the highest rates of absenteeism — defined as students who miss at least 10 percent of the school year regardless of their excuse — a factor ISBE connects to lower academic performance and graduation rates.

In 2019, 18.7 percent of District 219 students were chronically absent, but by 2024, that rate had increased to 26.8 percent, though it fell slightly from a peak of 28.2 percent in 2023.

In District 219, the percentage of 9th graders who are considered "on track" to graduate rose to 91.1 percent, up from 81.6 percent in 2023 and slightly above the 89.1 percent recorded in 2019.

Overall student enrollment in the district has fallen by 1.7 percent from pre-pandemic numbers, going from 4,627 students in 2019 to 4,549 in 2024.

The number of students identifying as one of two largest demographic groups in the district fell by the largest amount, with enrollment of white students falling by more than 11 percent and enrollment of Asian students falling by more than 6 percent over the same period. Meanwhile, Hispanic student enrollment rose by nearly 21 percent to 793 in 2024, Black student enrollment increased by more than 15 percent to 362, and enrollment of students identifying as two or more races increased by nearly 44 percent to 207.

During that period, the number of students per District 219 administrator has significantly decreased. During 2019, there were 105.9 students per administrator. In 2024, that had fallen to 84.1. The state average is 135.7 students per administrator.

As for its feeder districts, the student-to-administrator ratios varied: 129:1 for Golf Elementary School District 67, 154:1 for Skokie School District 68, 107:1 for Skokie School District 69, 109:1 for Morton Grove School District 70, 157:1 for Niles Elementary School District 71, 120:1 for Fairview South School District 72, 131:1 for East Prairie School District 73, 87:1 for Skokie School District 73.5 (with a dozen administrators) and 133:1 for Lincolnwood School District 74.

In District 219, the student-teacher ratio has gone from 16.4:1 in 2019 to 14.4:1 in 2024.

According to state officials, there are more teachers in the workforce than ever before but the state still has a shortage, especially ones who are bilingual or who work in special education or somewhere other than the suburbs.

Meanwhile, the state’s accountability system, which emphasizes graduation rates over academic growth in high schools, has faced scrutiny.

Currently, year-over-year growth counts for half of the "accountability" score for elementary and middle schools — but not for high schools, where graduation rates have a greater rate in the scoring rubric.

Starting next year, ISBE officials said they plan to include a growth metric in high school assessments to provide a clearer picture of academic progress, an adjustment officials hope will encourage schools to focus more on improvements in both student proficiency and graduation rates.

Full 2024 Illinois Report Card data for all public school districts in Niles Township: