Low-income and minority students in Illinois continue to perform below the statewide average on standardized tests, according to recent findings. Among 11th graders from low-income backgrounds, only 33% met reading proficiency standards on the ACT, while just 20% met math standards. These figures are nearly 20 percentage points lower than the overall state averages.

Chronic absenteeism remains a significant issue. Data shows that 35% of low-income students, 39% of Black students, and 32% of Hispanic students missed at least 10% of the school year. In comparison, the statewide absenteeism rate for all students is 25%.

“These low rates of proficiency and large achievement gaps show too many Illinois students aren’t getting the preparation they need to succeed in school,” said Hannah Schmid

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