The Sun-Times is reporting that Chicago Public Schools’ ISAT test scores are up this year. While the increase is pretty marginal, we should never pooh-pooh higher test scores. CPS should pat themselves on the back.

Though, we should also remember who sets the ISAT standards … the Illinois Board of Education.  And while ours aren’t the worst in the country, they aren’t what they should be. This Fordham study a couple of years ago tried to assess the differences between state and national standards; Illinois got a B. And Kevin at Illinois Loop has long warned that our standards are declining.