Macon Reporter

In the 2022-23 school year, 43.1% of the students in Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3 passed the ELA portion of the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Of the 1,085 students in Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3 who took the ELA portion of the test, approximately 468 (43.1%) passed.

The percentage of Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3 students who met or exceeded expectations on the IAR increased by 4.8% compared to the previous school year.

Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3 roughly covers five schools within Macon County and has a main office in Mount Zion.

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) assesses the progress of students in grades 3-8 in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics.

Illinois has approved a new budget for 2025 that increases funds for K-12 education to $8.6 billion, $350 million above last year’s budget. Lawmakers also approved a new bill that creates a statewide child tax credit, which allows families to receive $300 per child under 17 years. This comes after a similar aid was granted from the federal government, as part of the American Rescue Plan.

School	District	Students who met standards (%)	Students who exceed standards (%)
Mt. Zion Junior High School	Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3	43.8%	7%
Mt. Zion Elementary School	Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3	37.7%	0.6%
Mt. Zion Intermediate School	Mount Zion Community Unit School District 3	36.5%	2.3%