Of the 22 high schools in DuPage County, Westmont ranked last in reading and math scores, third lowest in science, and fourth lowest in ACT scores.

The school also ranked last in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding state standards in reading, science and math.

The school came in third for the highest spending per student and first in teacher experience. So why are students performing poorly when its per-student spending exceeds the average spending of the top five ACT-scoring schools by $1,537 per student?

Superintendent Stephen Baule said “there’s no simple answer,” but he blames the tests themselves for part of it.

“One simple day’s testing is just not reflective,” he said.

The reading, math and science scores are compiled from the Prairie State Achievement Exam, which is comprised of two days of testing. The first day is the ACT, which Baule said the district stresses. The second day consists of two WorkKeys assessments, which are not used for college admission.

Baule said Westmont High School students are not taking the second day of testing seriously, hence the low scores. Other districts have been motivating students to take the second day of testing seriously with incentive programs like parking privileges and raffles. Baule said the board may consider such programs, but no plans are under way at this time.

“We don’t want to have to create rewards if we don’t have to,” Baule said. “But now we’re at a place where we don’t have a choice.”

District 201 parent Marie Charlton said the school has always known both days of testing count and is disappointed the district has not been more proactive.

“It’s a statewide test. Every school has this issue, to blame it on the test is a cheap shot,” she said.

Another reason Baule said the school spends so much without netting high scores is due to its size. With an enrollment of 575 during the 2005-06 school year, Westmont was one of only two schools in DuPage county under 1,000.

“A small district always has higher costs because it must provide the same basic services that much larger districts have,” Baule said.

Lisle High School, which had three more students than Westmont in 2005-06, spent about $18,000 less per teacher and $1,500 less per student, while still averaging 1.6 points higher on the ACT as well as higher math, reading and science scores.

Baule attributed this to a higher number of low income students in Westmont, 22.8 percent compared to Lisle’s 9.9 percent.

“Statistically, socio-economic status has been the number one determiner of student success,” Baule said.