Illinois' annual school report card was released Thursday, with the state's board of education touting the highest graduation rate in a decade and academic growth in students outpacing pre-pandemic levels.
While officials noted there's still much work to be done following a disruption during the coronavirus pandemic, the numbers show gains in a variety of areas.
Last year, the Illinois State Board of Education noted data illustrated "the significant impact of the pandemic and remote learning on student enrollment, attendance, and academic achievement."
This year, the report card showed average student growth rose in English language arts and math compared to 2021's metrics. That growth stretched across every demographic group, officials said.
The number of teachers in the state grew by 2,500, defying national trends, the board of education said.
It also showed the state's highest graduation rate in 12 years, which officials said was driven by gains for Black and Hispanic students.
“The 2022 Illinois Report Card data tell us that we are absolutely on the right track,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Carmen I. Ayala said in a statement. “We have challenges and work ahead of us, but the accelerated rate of learning that students achieved last year means that we’re headed in the right direction. The ways in which we invested the federal pandemic relief funds are working. We can expect to see even more growth over the next couple years as these programs expand and reach even more students."
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She added that the state's graduation rate shows an improvement in equity for students.
"This is what equity looks like: when we improve supports for historically disadvantaged students, everyone’s performance benefits," she said.
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But the report card wasn't all good news.
The board noted that chronic absenteeism continues to be an issue, with 30% of students chronically absent last year.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student who missed 10% or more of the school year, roughly 17 or more days, due to excused or unexcused absences.
Though Illinois' number aligns with national trends, the rates for absenteeism were higher for Black students, Hispanic students, low-income students, English learners and students with disabilities.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who is running for re-election in the November midterms, will address the report card during a press conference at 12 p.m. (Watch live in the player above)
