The 2015 standardized test scores for Carbondale ESD 95’s Lewis School and Thomas School were below average despite the school district spending the most per student in the Southwest Illinois region, according to a report recently released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
The ISBE report found that 17 percent of elementary students at Lewis School, and 27 percent of students at Thomas School who took the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam in 2015 passed. The average passage rate for the region was 33 percent, with the average spent per student being $9,478.
Carbondale ESD 95 spent $11,977 per student, well above the average spent by elementary schools in Southwest Illinois.
Other schools in the region that posted below-average passage rates while spending above average per student were: Murphysboro CUSD 186’s Carruthers Elementary School (22 percent, $11,467 per student); Mount Vernon SD 80’s Mount Vernon District 80 Primary Center (27 percent, $11,177 per student); Red Bud CUSD 132’s Red Bud Elementary School (27 percent, $9,936) and DuQuion CUSD 300’s DuQuoin Elementary School (21 percent, $10,694 per student).
Elementary schools reporting below-average passage rates and below-average spending per student were County of Union School District 43’s Jonesboro Elementary School (30 percent, $6,701 per student) and Pickneyville SD 50’s Pickneyville Elementary School (20 percent, $8,360).
In contrast, Waterloo CUSD 5’s Rogers Elementary School reported the highest passage rate at 61 percent – almost twice the average passage rate of elementary schools in Southwest Illinois, despite below-average spending per student at $8,922. The school district’s Gardner Elementary School also scored above average with a 55 percent passage rate.
Schools in other districts scoring above average on the PARCC exam while receiving below-average funding per student were Anna CCSD 37’s Davie Elementary School (36 percent, $7,496 per student) and Columbia CUSD 4’s Parkview Elementary School (56 percent, $7,813).
None of the elementary schools in the Southwest Illinois region spending above average per student reported above-average passage rates.
Middle Schools
Mount Vernon SD 80’s J.L. Buford Intermediate Ed Center and Zadok Casey Middle School scored below average on the PARCC exam, reporting a passage rate of 11 and 19 percent, respectively, despite above- average spending of $11,177 per student.
The average passage rate for the Southwest Illinois region was 28 percent, while the average spent per student was $9,894.
Other middle schools reporting below-average passage rates despite above-average spending were: Murphysboro CUSD 186’s Murphysboro Middle School (22 percent, $11,467 per student); Carbondale ESD 95’s Carbondale Middle School (17 percent, $11,977 per student) and DuQuoin CUSD 300’s DuQuoin Middle School (26 percent, $10,694 per student).
In contrast, middle schools in Southwest Illinois reporting above-average passage rates and below-average spending include: Waterloo CUSD 5’s Waterloo Junior High School (54 percent, $8,922 per student); Columbia CUSD 4’s Columbia Middle School (51 percent, $7,813 per student); Pickneyville SD 50’s Pickneyville Middle School (32 percent; $8,360 per student).
Middle schools reporting below-average passage rates and spending were Anna CCSD 37’s Anna Junior High School (26 percent, $7,496 per student) and Sparta CUSD’s Sparta Lincoln Middle School (21 percent, $9,862 per student).
None of the middle schools in the Southwest Illinois region spending above average per student reported above-average passage rates.
High Schools
Mt. Vernon Township’s Mt. Vernon High School reported a below-average PARCC passage rate of 17 percent despite spending $13,835 per student -- the second highest amount spent in the region.
The average high school passage rate for the Southwest Illinois region was 28 percent, while the average spent per student was $10,928.
Other high schools in the region reporting below-average passage rates and above-average spending were Pickneyville CHSD 101’s Pickneyville Community High School (24 percent, $11,333 per student) and Anna Jonesboro CHSD 81’s Anna-Jonesboro High School (12 percent, $10,982 per student).
High schools posting below-average passage rates and below-average spending included Sparta CUSD 140’s Sparta High School (20 percent, $9,862 per student) and DuQuoin CUSD 300’s DuQuoin High School (9 percent, $10,694 per student).
In contrast, high schools in Southwest Illinois reporting above-average passage rates despite below-average spending were: Waterloo CUSD 5’s Waterloo High School (69 percent, $8,922 per student); Columbia CUSD 4’s Columbia High School (36 percent, $7,813 per student) and Red Bud CUSD 132’s Red Bud High School (29 percent, $9,936 per student).
Schools reporting above-average passage rates and above-average spending were Murphysboro CUSD 186’s Murphysboro High School (33 percent, $11,467 per student) and Carbondale CHSD 165’s Carbondale Community High School (32 percent, $14,443 per student).
The PARCC test is a standardized exam used in several states to evaluate schools and student performance. Illinois began using PARCC tests to assess its students in 2015.
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