Report Card Shows Gains Following State Change in Benchmarks

Illinois students are showing gains in statewide testing after changes to assessment performance levels last year. The Illinois State Board of Education says proficiency increased across all three tested subjects in the 2026 Illinois Report Card, released Friday. Math proficiency rose from 38.4 percent in 2025 to 39.2 percent this year. English language arts saw a larger increase, climbing from 52.4 percent to 55.4 percent. Science scores also improved, moving from 44.6 percent to 48.7 percent. State education officials say the results reflect progress under the updated performance level system, while schools continue working to build on the gains.