McHenry Times

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

Of the 14 schools analyzed within the county, Woodstock North High School showed the greatest disparity. In a year when 97 percent of seniors graduated on time, just 12 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

McHenry County high school	School district	City	Annual exam pass rate (%)	Graduation rate (%)	Graduation fraud index
Woodstock North High School	Woodstock Cusd 200	Woodstock	12.4	97	-84.6
Cary-Grove Community High School	Chsd 155	Cary	22.1	97.9	-75.8
Marengo High School	Marengo Chsd 154	Marengo	16	91.8	-75.8
Crystal Lake South High School	Chsd 155	Crystal Lake	23.4	97.6	-74.2
Prairie Ridge High School	Chsd 155	Crystal Lake	24.6	98.3	-73.7
Johnsburg High School	Johnsburg Cusd 12	Johnsburg	21.1	94.2	-73.1
Crystal Lake Central High School	Chsd 155	Crystal Lake	23.8	96.5	-72.7
Woodstock High School	Woodstock Cusd 200	Woodstock	21	93.3	-72.3
Harvard High School	Harvard Cusd 50	Harvard	12.5	79.8	-67.3
McHenry High School-West Campus	Mchenry Chsd 156	Mchenry	26.8	91.7	-64.9
Huntley High School	Huntley Community School District 158	Huntley	27.5	91.2	-63.7
McHenry  East High School	Mchenry Chsd 156	Mchenry	28.4	91	-62.6
Richmond-Burton High School	Richmond-Burton Chsd 157	Richmond	47.1	95.6	-48.5
Alden-Hebron High School	Alden Hebron Sd 19	Hebron	57.9	90	-32.1

Source: Illinois State Board of Education