Illinois Report Card: Quincy Schools Flunk 3rd Grade Reading

The Illinois State Board of Education releases data on public schools in state and student learning as a regular practice. There is cause for concern in Quincy when it comes to reading levels.

Where Quincy 3rd grade reading levels are at is not sustainable

K-3 elementary teachers have an important responsibility. They are charged with teaching young students to read. Yes, math and beginning science and history are also covered, but the reading part is paramount, because without it, the others can never really open up. Starting in fourth grade learning becomes much more dependent on reading. This is why 3^rd grade reading levels are matter.

The foundation for reading should be established by 4th grade

Illinois 3^rd grade reading scores are not good. 70 percent of third graders in Illinois aren’t proficient at a reading level for their age. If you were to grade the state on teaching children to read, it would get a failing grade with only 30 percent being proficient.

In Quincy the reading numbers are worse than the state average.

In Quincy Public Schools the 2024 breakdown per school looks like this:

Iles elementary scores best in Quincy, equaling the state average of 30% proficiency in reading. Followed by Lincoln-Douglas with a 26% score. Baldwin is middle of the QPS pack  with 21% proficiency. Denman elementary checks in at 20% of third graders being able to read proficiently at grade level. The bottom of Quincy third grade readers are at Rooney elementary with only a 17% proficiency reading score. With four of the five public elementary schools in Quincy scoring worse than a very low state average, something needs to change.

Knowing how to read is paramount to success in life

These developmental years are too important to the future of our citizens to ignore the awful scores in this key area. Whether there are curriculum adjustments that need to be made, or movement of skilled reading teachers within the district to those lower grades to facilitate a strong reading base should only help the students in later grades and throughout life.

Get our free mobile app

As parents we’re not just bystanders when it comes to reading. Take time to read to your children when they are young. There are plenty of places to find kids' books. There are even Little Free Libraries in neighborhoods that you may have seen along the street. Use them. Be intentional about reading to (and with) your kids. It's a wonderful bonding time. You get to experience the story together. You can talk over the characters actions and choices. Be there to answer questions they may have about the book’s protagonists, antagonists and their story arcs and journey.

Be intentional about reading to your young ones

Good third grade books to seek out include: “Charlotte’s Web”, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, “Fantastic Mr. Fox”, “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing”. Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, C.S. Lewis, Beverly Cleary, Laura Ingalls Wilder are fantastic authors to share with your kids. Reading to them creates a strong base for their learning, will make them want to read, and provides an opportunity for you to build a strong extra bond with the next generation.