District 113 English Test Scores Continue Pre-Pandemic Decline

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — State education officials have released the first Illinois school report cards since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Standardized test scores declined in Township High School District 113, as they have in much of the state. But the report card also shows students at Deerfield and Highland Park high schools last year took advanced placement exams than ever before — more than one per every student enrolled.

The school-level assessments follow last month's release of preliminary statewide data, which showed declining enrollment and academic proficiency. According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, 16.6 percent fewer students met grade-level English standards and 17.8 percent fewer students met math standards in 2021 as compared to 2019, the last time the school report cards were completed.

In District 113, the percentage of juniors who fell below English language standards on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, increased by 6 points to 37 percent, compared the final pre-pandemic report card. English language arts scores also declined in each of the three years prior to the pandemic.

As for scores in math, which had held been holding steady in recent years, 40 percent of 11th graders in the district met the proficiency standards in 2021 — an increase of 7 percentage points.

Carmen Ayala, state education superintendent, praised teachers and administrators across the state for their dedication to Illinois students in a statement announcing the new report cards.

“Assessment data gives local communities more insight into the impact of the pandemic on their students and what they need to recover," Ayala said.

“We are confident that the full return to safe, in-person learning and the significant state and federal investment in our schools will provide the conditions for all our students to thrive in the coming years," she added. "Every school district has had a unique experience during the pandemic, with different strengths and challenges."

Since 2017, the percentage of District 113 students who meet or exceed standards in English has declined from 75 percent to 63 percent on the SATs. In math, the percentage of students considered proficient went from 68 percent to 60 percent.

According to its report card, there are 3,303 students enrolled at District 113 high schools, 371 fewer than attended in 2017. That decline — over 10 percent in the past four years — is expected to continue, district officials said earlier this year, citing calculations from a demographer they had hired.

During that period, the district has added nine additional teachers, bringing its total to 275. Average salaries for the district's teachers have risen from less than $110,757 in 2017 to $119,484 in 2021.

District 113 employs 41 administrators, who have an average salary of $161,367, according to the report card. The district has the fewest administrators per student of any North Shore public high school district.

For students who started high school in 2017, District 113's four-year graduation rate was 94.5 percent, compared to a rate of 97.7 percent at New Trier High School, 97.2 percent at Lake Forest High School and 95.8 percent at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools' district.

According to its 2020-21 report card, New Trier Township High School District 203 is funded at 196 percent of the "adequacy target" calculated by the state education board.

The district spends more than $26,000 per student in operational expenses, which is nearly twice the state average of $14,747 but less than two other North Shore districts, according to the report cards.

The federal government has allocated more than $7 billion to Illinois schools this year to address the academic and emotional effects of the pandemic on the state's students.

Related: Nearly $1 Million Of $1.9 Trillion Bill Headed To District 113 Schools

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the report card data showed some improvements in college and career preparation coursework but also indicated the "tremendous challenges" presented by the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement last month, the governor said his administration has been working with school administrators to make sure the money is distributed properly to address learning disruptions.

“As we move forward, helping our children process this experience and restoring their learning must sit at the heart of every action," Pritzker said. "Together, with our incredible educators at the forefront, we are revitalizing our classrooms, student by student, for the betterment of all of Illinois."

Complete Illinois Report Cards: Township High School District 113 — Deerfield High School — Highland Park High School