Illinois’ class of 2022 saw increased high school graduation rates but lower SAT scores and college attendance rates compared to the class of 2019, new analysis finds. Illinois is one of just 20 states to see public school graduation rates increase during the first two years of the pandemic. Yet, 11 percent fewer students enrolled in higher education within the first 12 to 16 months after graduating, according to the Illinois Policy Institute. Reading and math proficiency and SAT test scores have fallen since 2019, too. Chicago Public Schools are especially struggling, with graduation, college attendance and SAT rates all lagging the statewide average. Nearly all other large school districts with over 10,000 students in Cook and the collar counties outperformed CPS on those three measures. “While it’s promising to see the resilience of Illinois students reflected in increasing graduation rates, the simultaneous decrease in test scores and college enrollment rates cannot be overlooked,” said Hannah Max, policy analyst at the Illinois Policy Institute. “As we celebrate our students’ achievements this graduation season, let’s also remember the importance of supporting their academic readiness and future opportunities. It’s time to address these disparities and ensure an Illinois high school diploma equips our students for success.”
How Illinois is doing:
Graduation rates
• Graduation rates in Illinois have seen a slight increase to 87.3% in 2022 from 86.2% in 2019.
• In 2022, 83.2% of Chicago Public Schools students graduated within four years, up from 76.5% in 2019. That improvement still lags the statewide average.
College attendance rate
• Higher education enrollment declined statewide to 64.3% in 2022 from 72.5% in 2019.
• In Chicago, the postsecondary enrollment rate dropped to 60.1% in 2022 from 67.7% in 2019.
Test proficiency
• On average, students today are still performing worse than they did before the pandemic. Average scores on the reading and math sections of the SAT in April 2022 were 486.4 and 473.8, marking an 11- and 23-point drop since 2019.
• In 2022, nearly 80% of CPS students failed to meet grade-level standards in reading and math.
To read more about Illinois’ graduates, visit illin.is/grads.
