Comparing PSAE and PARCC Test Results at Illinois' Elite High Schools

The state’s new and controversial Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam was a rude awakening for the vast majority of Illinois students.

Just 33 percent of students in grades 3-11 met or exceeded state standards in the first year of testing. The exam is designed to identify whether students are meeting the new, tougher Illinois Learning Standards.

While there have been a handful of success stories in Illinois with regard to PARCC test results, schools and districts that struggled mightily on the exam included many “elite schools” that historically have been praised for their academics.

This bar chart shows the 25 public high schools in Illinois that had the highest percentage of students meet or exceed state standards on the PSAE in 2014, compared to how those schools fared on last year’s PARCC exam.

As you’ll see, many high schools had a significant drop in performance levels.

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