West Chicago Elementary School District 33 students met or exceeded state expectations in math and reading in state standardized tests. If they do the same on the 2007 tests being taken this week, the district will be removed from the state’s academic watch list. 

             
This is the first time all seven schools in the district have made what is known as “adequate yearly progress” in raising test scores since AYP calculations were mandated under the federal No Child Left Behind Act starting in 2003. NCLB mandates all schools in the U.S. must show improvements in state test scores each year or face penalties.

“This is the first time the middle school has accomplished this, and thus the first time for the district,” said Angel Rivera, superintendent for learning.

The district recently received the results of its March 2006 standardized tests, which include the Illinois Standardized Assessment Tests for regular students, the Illinois Measure of Annual Growth in English tests for immigrant students learning English, and the Illinois Alternative Assessment Test for special education students.

“Even if just one school does not meet the minimum standard, this reflects on the entire district,” explained school community/relations specialist Becky Koltz.

The state-issued report card, which is used to judge adequate yearly progress, is based on results from standardized tests administered by the Illinois State Board of Education. The tests are administered to students in third through eighth grades and cover the areas of mathematics and reading. All schools in the district had to meet a minimum of 47.5 percent of the students meeting or exceeding state expectations.
Rivera said, “Overall our students performed higher than this.”

Last year the district scored with 72.9 percent of students state-wide met or exceeded the same goals. This year 74.1 percent of the district met or exceeded state goals in math and reading.

Subgroups of racial/ethnic, economically disadvantaged and special education students are included in the total score if they number more than 45 students in the district.

In 2005, Koltz said the special education students, low-income and students learning English all scored below average in math at the middle school, which meant the school did not meet AYP.

All of the subgroups made AYP in 2006 and most had higher score tests than the 47.5, Rivera said. Two had scores below this target. Special education students made the AYP because of a federal regulation that gives districts a 2 percent flexibility provision, Rivera said.

“Our African-American students are the other subgroup,” he said. “They were below the 47.5 target, but there are more than 10 students in this subgroup, but less than 45. Their score is shown, but does not count.

“We are very proud of this accomplishment. The tests show how well we are doing here and the main goal is to demonstrate what the students are learning. The teachers have been concentrating and giving much time and effort to the importance of the test and meeting the goal of giving students a good education.”

Superintendent John Leman agreed.

“We are very happy with the results and I attribute it on the most part to the staff, who has looked at what the students need and how best to educate them,” he said. “We truly have good instructors.”

Another important factor Leman mentioned was the faculty addressing the weak areas and focusing on them. “Research shows the most viable part of education is good teachers and ours stepped up to the plate to bring about this achievement,” he said.