A Shift That Changes the Numbers
Illinois Lowers Academic Benchmarks as Election Nears
Critics question whether the change is about helping students—or helping politicians.
By Staff Writer
August 23, 2025
A Shift That Changes the Numbers
When the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) voted this summer to lower the “cut scores” that define reading and math proficiency, the effect was immediate on paper: more students will now be counted as “proficient.”
Starting with the October 2025 Illinois Report Card, proficiency rates are expected to rise significantly, even though classroom performance remains largely unchanged.
State Superintendent Tony Sanders, appointed by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2023, defended the change, saying it aligns Illinois with national standards. “Illinois has been identifying more students as ‘not proficient’ than necessary,” Sanders told the board at its July meeting.
But the timing of the move—coming as the governor faces his weakest poll numbers since taking office—has drawn scrutiny.
Illinois Students Falling Behind
The most recent state results show:
Reading (2024): 41% of 3rd–8th graders proficient; 31% of 11th graders proficient.
Math (2024): 28% of 3rd–8th graders proficient; 26% of 11th graders proficient.
On the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called the nation’s report card, Illinois students scored near national averages in 2024, with roughly one-third proficient in both reading and math. Compared with Midwestern neighbors, Illinois lags behind Iowa and Wisconsin.
“This is not a state leading in academic performance,” said a University of Illinois education researcher. “And lowering standards doesn’t change that reality.”
Political Backdrop
The first results under the new benchmarks will be published in October 2025, just as the state legislature prepares its next budget debate and ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Governor Pritzker, who entered office in 2019 with strong approval ratings, is now facing negative polling for the first time. Concerns about crime, taxes, and schools have eroded support.
A legislative staffer familiar with the discussions said, “The governor has an interest in showing improvement before voters head to the polls. Rising proficiency rates give him that story, even if the underlying performance hasn’t changed.”
Who’s Making the Decisions
The nine-member ISBE is appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. All current members are Pritzker appointees. They include:
Steven Isoye (Chair) – Former high school superintendent.
Donna Leak (Vice Chair) – Superintendent in Sauk Village.
Lula Ford – Veteran Chicago educator; serves on the board of the early-education nonprofit Start Early.
Roger Eddy – Former Republican lawmaker; former executive director of the Illinois Association of School Boards.
Judy Erwin – Former Democratic legislator; sits on boards including Advance Illinois, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, and the Illinois Justice Project.
Cynthia Latimer, Jim Baumann, Tiffany Lewis, Christina Meidam – Appointed between 2021 and 2023.
Observers note that several board members have ties to education advocacy groups with stakes in state policy.
Sidebar: Timeline of Standards, Scores & Politics
2010–2014 – Illinois proficiency rates decline as the state transitions to Common Core-aligned testing. Governors Pat Quinn (D) and Bruce Rauner (R) face criticism for “teaching to the test” policies.
2015 – Illinois adopts the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam. Proficiency rates drop sharply, fueling debate over whether the standards were set too high.
2018 – Gov. Rauner leaves office with approval ratings in the low 30s, amid voter frustration over education funding and stagnant student outcomes.
2019 – Gov. Pritzker takes office. He replaces several ISBE members. His approval remains above 55% through 2021.
2020–2021 – COVID-19 closures deepen learning gaps. Remote instruction contributes to steep declines in reading and math performance.
2022 – NCES ranks Illinois among states with the highest proficiency standards. Officials begin discussing lowering cut scores to “align” with the national average.
2023 – Tony Sanders appointed as State Superintendent. ISBE board becomes fully composed of Pritzker appointees.
2024 – ISBE reports 41% of students proficient in reading, 28% in math. NAEP shows Illinois lagging Midwest peers. Pritzker’s approval ratings begin to slide.
July 2025 – ISBE votes to lower proficiency benchmarks.
October 2025 – New report card to show increased proficiency (53% reading; 38% math) under the new standards. Release coincides with governor’s lowest approval ratings since 2019.
2026 – Election year. Education data and the credibility of state reporting expected to be central issues in campaigns.
Transparency Concerns
Because the cut scores are being reset, 2025 results cannot be directly compared to earlier years. Lawmakers have called on ISBE to publish “parallel” results—showing how students would have fared under both old and new standards—but ISBE has not committed to doing so.
“If you change the rules of the game just before you publish the score, people are going to ask why,” said an education analyst in Springfield.
Reactions from Teachers and Parents
Teachers say the change could create a false sense of progress. “Parents will see higher proficiency rates and believe their children are doing better. But in the classroom, nothing has changed,” said a Chicago middle school literacy teacher.
Parents, too, expressed concern. A Springfield mother of two said, “If the bar keeps shifting, how can families trust what the report card means?”
What’s at Stake
For students, lowered benchmarks may mean fewer identified as needing extra help. For parents, it could blur the line between progress and redefinition. For state leaders, it creates an opportunity to point to rising scores ahead of an election cycle.
Whether the move is viewed as overdue technical correction or a political calculation, one fact remains: most Illinois students are still struggling to meet grade-level expectations in reading and math.
Sources
Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Assessment of Readiness and SAT/ACT transition data, 2010–2025
Illinois State Board of Education board meeting records, July 2025
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2014–2024 results
National Center for Education Statistics, State Standards Mapping Study, 2022
Illinois State Board of Education membership records, 2025
Public polling reports on Illinois governor approval ratings, 2018–2025
Interviews with Illinois educators, parents, and legislative staff
