Lyons Township Ranks 29th Among Illinois' Top 50 Schools: Report

La Grange and Western Springs elementary, middle and high schools are among the top 50 schools in Illinois based on standardized test scores, according to a the Chicago Sun-Times report released Thursday. 

Lyons Township High School was No. 29, scoring in the 71st percentile, a hair behind No. 28 Main South High School and ahead of No. 30 Lake Zurich High School. Chicago's Walter Payton High School topped the list. Hinsdale Central topped the list of suburban schools at No. 4. 

John Laidlaw Elementary School in Western Springs was 22nd, with scores in the 83rd percentile. Ogden Avenue Elementary School in La Grange was 41st, tied with two other schools with scores in the 81st percentile. 

View the full Sun-Times report here.

Like many schools throughout the state, La Grange schools saw a significant drop in its scores from 2012 as part of the state board's move to raise expectations — or cut scores — for the ISATs, which is given to third through eighth grade students. 

The move was meant to help "align with the more rigorous Common Core Learning Standards and give a better indication of college and career readiness," according to a Illinois State Board of Education press release. 

As part of those changes, schools meeting or exceeding expectations in 2012 on average dropped throughout the state nearly 20 percentage points from 82.1 last year to 61.9 percent this year. 

The scoring on the Prairie State Achievement Exam, which is given to 11th graders, did not change this year and statewide, the composite score increased from 51.3 percent to 51.9 percent statewide, according to the ISBE press release. The composite meets or exceeds percentage for math and reading was set at 53.3 on this year's State report Card. 

Here is a look at how this breaks down by school: 

• 79 percent met or exceeded standards on the PSAE at Fremd High School. In 2012, 78 percent met that same benchmark. 
• 59 percent met or exceeded standards on the PSAE at Palatine High School. In 2012, 58 percent met that same benchmark. 

A new metric, “Ready for College Coursework,” on the Illinois State Report Card refers to the percent of students at each high school who earned a combined score of at least a 21 on the ACT college admissions test. Statewide, 45.7 percent of Illinois public school students from the Graduating Class of 2013 posted at least a 21 on the ACT.

See how your school fared by visiting the Illinois State Report Card website.

The Daily Herald has published an online tool meant to help examine your child's school and make better sense of the Illinois State Report Card data. Visit the Daily Herald website to learn more about your child's school. 

Information courtesy of a news release from the Illinois State Board of Education.