Analysis: 90.6% of black St. Clair County third graders failed state English exam in 2021

By Metro East Sun

Aug 26, 2022

In St. Clair County, 90.6 percent of black third grade students failed the 2021 state English exam.

This means 90.6 percent of black third graders are not proficient in English, which is considered a core skill for later success in life. These students struggle with understanding what they’ve read, recounting stories, and learning from illustrations like pictures of maps, according to the standards set by the state.

Numerous counties saw all black third grade students fail to reach an acceptable proficiency level in English. Counties include: Alexander, Marion, McDonough, Pulaski, Jefferson, Henry, and Randolph County.

Illinois report card data showed there were dramatic declines in academic achievement since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

However, a Wirepoints investigation found the Illinois school system prioritizes social promotion of black students over their literacy.

“'Social promotion' – pushing kids into the next grade regardless of ability – leaves unsuspecting Illinois parents believing their kids are being educated simply because they're advancing,” wrote report authors Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner. “Social promotion in Illinois continues into high school. That’s when district officials tell parents what they want to hear – that their children have what they need to graduate.”

Wirepoints also cited “racial equity” programs that blame low black student scores on racism, calling schools “more obsessed with vague outcomes like equity and diversity than merit and competence.”

District information was gathered from the Illinois Report Card.

English Scores of St. Clair County Black Third Grade Students

District	# of Black Third Grade Students Who Took English Exam	% of Black Third Grade Students Who Failed English Exam
Brooklyn Community Unit School District 188	13	100
Cahokia Community Unit School District 187	185	97.3
East St. Louis School District 189	274	96
Pontiac-William Holliday School District 105	35	94.3
Signal Hill School District 181	13	92.3
Shiloh Village School District 85	12	91.7
O'Fallon Community Consolidated School District 90	56	89.3
Central School District 104	15	86.7
Harmony Emge School District 175	26	84.6
Whiteside School District 115	58	84.5
Belle Valley School District 119	47	83
Grant Community Consolidated School District 110	11	81.9
Belleville School District 118	111	81.9
Wolf Branch School District 113	14	78.6
Mascoutah Community Unit School District 19	29	65.5