Joliet area high schools see improvement in language arts scores on state report card

High schools in the Joliet region saw their students perform better overall in English Language Arts last year compared to previous years, according to data released by the state.The Illinois State Board of Education on Oct. 30 released its report cards for Illinois schools based on data gathered in the 2025-2026 school year. Statewide proficiency rates for English Language Arts rose from 52.

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4% in 2025 to 55.4% in 2026. Being proficient means that a student is on track in their learning, according to the ISBE. The proficiency benchmark is the score a student needs to reach on a state assessment to be considered on track for their grade level.Joliet Central and Joliet West both saw their ELA scores increase in 2026 from 27.

7% and 32.4% to 38.2% to 44.2%, respectively, though both District 204 schools are still performing below the state average. While Joliet Central’s scores are much lower than neighboring schools, nearly half of the school’s population, 49.5%, is classified as English