Test results from the Illinois State Board of Education show the state's small population of Asian
students posting higher passing rates on reading and math tests than every other racial group--at
every grade tested--this year.
A Tribune analysis indicates that in average Asian students score consistently score higher than
white, Hispanic and black students since 2000.
The state doesn't break out Asian students by country, but census data show that the largest
groups in the Chicago area are Indian, Filipino, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
The gap between white and Asian students in Illinois has mostly widened in five years, the
Tribune found.
In 2000, for example, less than 1 point separated white and Asian average scores on the 5th grade reading test. This year, that difference grew to about 4 points. In 8th grade math, Asians scored 6.3 points higher than whites in 2000, but 8.5 points higher this year./p>
Several Asian students, recently named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists, said academics come first in the minds of their accomplished parents. (Source: Diane Rado and Darnell Little, Chicago Tribune, Nov. 9, 2005).