ISAT Scores Released SPRINGFIELD, IL (wqub) - The state today made public annual report cards that track the performance of Illinois students and trends in Illinois school districts. Amanda Vinicky explores if districts made the grade:

The Illinois State Board of Education is applauding the results.
For starters ... the data was sent to schools on time. Last year it was delayed because the Illinois Standards Achievement Tests contained errors. There also were problems with grading and shipping them. State Superintendent of Schools Christopher Koch says it's important schools get the results of those standardized tests:

"We do view this information as being important for school districts to use as part of their planning and as part of what they do for students. We're making a commitment to make sure this stuff gets out on time and a lot of folks are happy about that this year."

Second... Koch says student scores went up on the I-SATs.
However ... critics say Illinois shouldn't be bragging.
Jeff Kuhner (coon-er) is with the Fordham Foundation, an education think-tank out of Washington D.C.

"Illinois in particular has lowered the bar for third and fourth grade students. That they have set the bar so low in terms of the difficulty of the reading and math tests, that frankly, they're almost laughable how easy they are."

Kuhner says one day ... Illinois graduates may have a harder time getting into competitive universities because they're not as proficient as their peers in other states.

State schools officials says Illinois has not made its tests any easier. Koch says the state already ... and will continue to ... evaluate Illinois' standards to make sure they're on par with other states'.

I'm Amanda Vinicky.
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