The Illinois State Board of Education on 13 August approved a new set of cut scores that redefine student proficiency on statewide standardized assessments in English language arts, mathematics and science. The decision caps an 18-month review that involved more than 100 educators and higher-education experts. Under the revised benchmarks, 53% of pupils would be classified as proficient in English, up from 41% last year, and 38% would meet the math standard, compared with 28% previously. The science threshold rises, resulting in an estimated 45% of students deemed proficient, down modestly from last year’s level. State Superintendent Tony Sanders said the earlier standards “mislabeled” students and schools by setting one of the nation’s most rigorous bars, distorting college-readiness signals and triggering unnecessary interventions. Officials stressed that curriculum and test content remain unchanged; only the scoring categories—now four tiers ranging from below proficient to above proficient—have shifted. The new performance levels will debut in the 2025 Illinois Report Card, creating a fresh baseline for future growth measures while aligning state data with college course-placement patterns and other post-secondary indicators.