Will County Gazette

Despite dismal student performance on annual exams covering math and reading, Will County high school graduation rates remain high, according to a Will County Gazette analysis of 2016 data from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 20 schools analyzed within the county, Beecher High School showed the greatest disparity. In a year when 98 percent of seniors graduated on time, just 5 percent of students actually passed annual tests that the state uses to determine who is "ready for the next level."

The end-of-year tests known as the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, are administered to third- through eighth-graders in Illinois, testing them based on Common Core standards. High-schoolers also took the tests through 2016. 

A composite score combines the results of the subject tests. Students whose scores either meet or exceed expectations are considered ready for the next level.

Schools' graduation fraud index shows the difference between the composite passing rate and the graduation rate.

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Graduation fraud index

Will County high school	School district	City	Annual exam pass rate (%)	Graduation rate (%)	Graduation fraud index
Beecher High School	Beecher Cusd 200U	Beecher	4.9	97.7	-92.8
Crete-Monee High School	Crete Monee Cusd 201U	Crete	16.1	88.5	-72.4
Wilmington High School	Wilmington Cusd 209U	Wilmington	27.9	95.5	-67.6
Plainfield East High School	Plainfield Sd 202	Plainfield	28.8	96	-67.2
Joliet West High School	Joliet Twp Hsd 204	Joliet	19.1	85.3	-66.2
Plainfield High School	Plainfield Sd 202	Plainfield	26.3	91.8	-65.5
Plainfield South High School	Plainfield Sd 202	Plainfield	30.4	92.9	-62.5
Joliet Central High School	Joliet Twp Hsd 204	Joliet	12.9	75.3	-62.4
Plainfield North High School	Plainfield Sd 202	Plainfield	33.9	95.7	-61.8
Reed-Custer High School	Reed Custer Cusd 255U	Braidwood	32.6	94.3	-61.7
Lincoln-Way Central High School	Lincoln Way Chsd 210	New Lenox	37.2	96.6	-59.4
Bolingbrook High School	Valley View Cusd 365U	Bolingbrook	25.3	83.6	-58.3
Lincoln Way West	Lincoln Way Chsd 210	New Lenox	38.8	95.1	-56.3
Lincoln-Way North High School	Lincoln Way Chsd 210	Frankfort	42.6	97.2	-54.6
Lincoln-Way East High School	Lincoln Way Chsd 210	Frankfort	43.3	97.2	-53.9
Romeoville High School	Valley View Cusd 365U	Romeoville	35.1	87.7	-52.6
Peotone High School	Peotone Cusd 207U	Peotone	40.5	91.3	-50.8
Lockport Township High School East	Lockport Twp Hsd 205	Lockport	44.3	89.7	-45.4

Source: Illinois State Board of Education