This second annual report on student achievement in Illinois describes and synthesizes the results of four different achievement measures: the Illinois Inventory of Educational Progress (IIEP), High School and Beyond Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test, and the American College Test. This report provides an analysis of student progress across years, from basics to advanced skills in reading, grammar, mathematics, science, and for the first time, an analysis of student writing samples from the IIEP. This study was conducted to answer four major questions: (1) how well are Illinois students performing in academic subjects as compared to students in other parts of the nation and the nation as a whole?, (2) how well are the students in 1983 doing in comparison to students of previous years?, (3) how well can Illinois students write?, and (4) what student and school characteristics are related to achievement of Illinois students? (BW)