Only 3 percent of Chicago students who just barely pass the state's eighth-grade math test go on to hit at least a 20 on the ACT -- a score that could open the door to several state universities, a new University of Chicago study released today found.
Eighth-graders who want a solid shot at college need to do more than just pass the state math test; they need to score well into the "exceeding" state standards category, the study by the U. of C.'s Consortium on Chicago School Research indicates.
The study tracked 40,000 Chicago Public School students who took the Illinois Standards Achievement Test as eighth-graders and went on to take the ACT college admission exam in 2005, 2006 or 2007 as part of their junior-year state test.
It examined which CPS students made it to a 20 on the ACT -- a score CPS has set as a districtwide goal. In 2008, the average CPS graduate scored 17.7 on the ACT compared to 20.5 statewide.
John Easton, director of the U. of C. Consortium, was stunned to find that only 3 percent of CPS eighth-graders who hit the minimum passing score -- called "meeting state standards" -- in the math ISAT later scored a 20 on the ACT.
"I can't tell you how many times we checked to make sure it was right," Easton said.
At the very highest end of the "meets" category, the chances of making a 20 on the ACT rose to 56 percent, Easton said. Most CPS students in the "meets'' category were in the low to middle range. The average CPS "meets" student scored only 17.5 on the ACT.
Those who just made it into the "exceeding" state standards pool had a 62 percent shot of getting at least a 20 on the ACT.
Easton said the standards the eighth-grade exam tests may be too low for college-bound students.
State Schools Supt. Chris Koch said passing ISAT should reflect hitting grade level. However, he noted that several districts have complained that some eighth-graders who pass their ISATs need remedial help once they reach high school.
A recent study by the non-profit Achieve Inc. found many of the Illinois learning standards that ISATs and Illinois junior year exams test lack precision and suffer from "key gaps" in areas that "are essential for student success in college and the world of work." As a result, Koch said, the state has joined the American Diploma Project to compare its standards with national and international ones
BY ROSALIND ROSSI Education Reporter
www.suntimes.com
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