PARCC Scores Make Illinois Students Look Poorly Prepared

Preliminary results from new statewide tests based on the Common Core educational standards show that the vast majority of Illinois high school students fell short of grade-level expectations. Only three in 10 of the high schoolers who took the online version of the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers exam in the spring met or exceeded expectations in English language arts and literacy. Less than one in five high schoolers met or exceeded expectations on the exam's math portion. Illinois education officials earlier this week warned parents, teachers and students to expect low scores. The new tests were also given to third through eighth graders.