CHICAGO (AP) — New state data show that Illinois saw an increase in the number of students who didn’t take the state’s standardized exams last school year.

The Chicago Tribune reports that about 44,000 students didn’t take the language test and 42,000 didn’t take the math test. They make up about 4 percent of 1 million tested students, compared to about a half-percent who children who didn’t take exams last year. Students who didn’t participate were either marked absent or refused to take the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, exams.

The Tribune obtained the data through a public records request. The number of students taking the exams is important because there could be sanctions if too few students are tested.

Schools and district must test 95 percent of eligible students.