As most Illinois students head back to school, reports show students are still struggling to meet grade-level standards in core subjects five years after the pandemic. Third graders’ struggles to read are especially alarming. Without that skill their ability to learn and their futures are at risk. According to an Illinois Policy Institute analysis, only 35 percent of elementary students read at grade level and 27 percent met math standards in 2023. That remains below pre-pandemic levels, when the proficiency rate was 38 percent in reading and 32 percent in math. Illinois third-grade students unable to meet reading standards will likely struggle with other subjects too. Without that skill, experts fear their ability to learn and their futures could be at risk. Among 11th-grade students, 32 percent were proficient in reading on the 2023 SAT and 27 percent were proficient in math. Those compare to 36 percent in reading and 34 percent in math during 2019. Lackluster results persist despite more money: Illinois’ most recent budget for K-12 public education reached a record $10.9 billion in 2024. That is over $2 billion more than since before the pandemic.

Facts about education:

• In 81 of Illinois’ public schools, not a single third-grade student could read at grade level. Chicago Public Schools accounted for 51 of those.

• Public school enrollment is dropping year-over-year: the state has seen declines during 13 of the past 15 years.

• About 28% of Illinois students were chronically absent in the 2022-2023 school year. That compares to a rate of 17.5% in the last full school year before the pandemic.

To learn more about how Illinois schools are performing, visit illin.is/school.