The study analyzes the achievement trends of all third grade students in the state of Illinois who scored in the Exceeds category in reading and mathematics on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) in the year 2000. ISAT performance of this cohort group of students was followed through the eighth grade. Descriptive analyses were utilized to describe the trend data and to explore the influence of various district characteristics on the trend data. Results illustrate that the advanced learners are not making adequate achievement gains as they advance from earlier elementary grades to later grade levels. The declining achievement trends were persistent even when data were disaggregated based on district SES [Socioeconomic Status], district size, and district per pupil expenditures. Implications of the results of this study are discussed in relation to teachers, administrators, and policy makers at the state level.