North Cook News

Mark Albers, President of Niles Township Republicans, has criticized the Illinois State Board of Education's decision to lower proficiency benchmarks on state tests. He said that this move is a misguided attempt to conceal systemic failures rather than addressing the real needs of students. Albers made his comments to North Cook News.

"It's a serious misstep for the Illinois State Board of Education to lower testing standards instead of confronting systemic shortcomings," said Albers. "Failing to deal with inadequate instruction and support only deepens the challenges students already face. Changing the metrics doesn't improve education—it just hides the truth. Real progress requires commitment to better teaching, stronger resources, and honest accountability, not easier benchmarks."

According to Chalkbeat, the Illinois State Board of Education has approved changes to cut scores on state tests, reducing proficiency benchmarks for math and English language arts. The new standards will consider ACT scores of 18 in English and 19 in math and science as proficient, despite the ACT's 36-point scale. These adjustments are set to take effect in spring 2025 and are expected to increase proficiency rates—from 41% to 53% in English and from 28% to 38% in math. Officials claim these changes represent a realistic adjustment rather than lowered standards; however, concerns have been raised about undermining year-to-year comparisons and masking academic struggles post-pandemic. The board approved these changes unanimously.

The Illinois Policy Institute reported ongoing academic challenges within the state as of August. In 2023, only 35% of elementary students were reading at grade level, while just 27% met math standards. Proficiency rates remain below pre-pandemic levels, with some schools reporting no third-grade students reading at grade level—51 such schools are located in Chicago alone. Despite record education funding of $10.9 billion for the years 2024-2025, both proficiency and enrollment continue to decline. School leadership is urged to address low academic performance, absenteeism, and other critical issues to ensure students graduate equipped for future success, with an emphasis on foundational skills like reading by third grade.

Albers resides in Morton Grove, Illinois, and was appointed as president of the Niles Township GOP organization early in 2024. He has also recently run for an Illinois House seat (#15). Albers is committed to increasing Republican voter turnout in Niles Township, expanding the township's Republican membership, and communicating Republican positions on issues important to local voters.