The achievement gap measures how one group of students academically outperforms another. The Illinois State Board of Education collects data on the persistent gap between groups by race and ethnicity, income level and gender.
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, is administered to third- through eighth-graders in Illinois, testing them in reading and math based on Common Core standards. A composite score combines the results of the subject tests.
According to J. L. Buford Intermediate Education Center composite scores for 2017, 11.5 percent of low income students passed the tests. Meanwhile, 18.2 percent of non low income students passed.
Students who passed either met or exceeded expectations and are considered prepared for the next grade level, college or work. Students who failed either partially met, approached or did not meet expectations.
The achievement gap is smaller for English language arts scores and larger for math scores.
There is a 9.8-point gap between low income and non low income students English language arts scores in 2017 a 14.0 point improvement since 2016. In 2017, 17.2 percent of low income students passed the reading subject test. Meanwhile, 27.0 percent of non low income students passed.
There was a 0.8-point gap between low income and non low income student math scores in 2017: 5.6 percent of low income students passed while 6.3 percent of non low income students passed.
J. L. Buford Intermediate Education Center's income level achievement gap over 3 years
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