This is the second in a multi-part series. Last spring, students in third, fifth, sixth and eighth grades took the Illinois Standards Achievement Test in reading and mathematics while students in fourth and seventh grades were tested in reading, mathematics and science.

The results were released last week, and the number of students meeting or exceeding state standards across the state continued to slowly improve, climbing from last year’s 82.0 percent meeting or exceeding state standards to this year’s 82.1 percent.

Of the 11 districts with elementary schools in Bureau County, six schools improved their scores, with the biggest jump once again achieved by Leepertown, which increased its percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards by 8.4 percentage points, to 93.1 percent. Also seeing a significant gain was the DePue School District, with a 5.8 point leap to 66.8.