District 88 shares highlights of 2017 Illinois Report Card

At District 88, our mission is to work for the continuous improvement of student achievement.

Each and every day, District 88 works to build positive futures for its students inside the classroom and beyond. The results of the 2017 Illinois Report Card, which were released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on Oct. 31, show the successes of District 88 and reflect the efforts of staff, Board of Education members, students, parents/guardians and community members. These results are just one tool the district uses to continue improving.

Highlights of District 88’s 2017 report card include:

• Graduation rate: District 88’s 4-year graduation rate and 5-year graduation rate continue to be above the state level and have been above the state level for more than five years. For 2017, our 4-year graduation rate is 88.3 percent (compared to the state’s 87 percent), and our 5-year graduation rate is 91.3 percent (compared to the state’s 88.4 percent). The Illinois Report Card also recently added a 6-year graduation rate, and we are above the state level in that area as well (93.2 percent, compared to 88.6 percent).
  
  
• Freshmen on Track: District 88 also remains above the state level in terms of the number of freshmen who are on track to graduate from high school, and we have been above the state level since this measure was implemented. For 2017, 88.4 percent of our freshmen are on track (compared to the state’s 87.1 percent).
  
  
• SAT results: Illinois students took the College Board SAT exam as the state assessment for the first time in spring 2017. The exam was sponsored by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and aligns with the Illinois Learning Standards. It also provides a free college entrance exam to every grade 11 student in Illinois. As this is the first group of students to take the SAT as the state assessment, we will use these scores as a baseline to measure future improvement. We are committed to providing our students with a high-quality education and ensuring they are college and career ready, and we will continue to look at ways to enhance student learning.
  
  
  • The percentage of District 88 students meeting or exceeding the Illinois Learning Standards is just below the state level (37.6 percent compared to 39.8 percent in English language arts and 34.6 percent compared to 36.4 percent in math).
  • The SAT benchmarks adopted by ISBE on the Illinois Report Card have raised concern in public schools throughout Illinois, as they are higher than the national benchmarks set by College Board. ISBE provides a rationale for this discrepancy at https://tinyurl.com/SATFAQs2017. While all Illinois students in grade 11 are required to take the SAT, their scores are being compared to states where a select group of grade 11 students are tested and choose to take that exam. The chart below shows the average District 88 scores, state scores and the ISBE benchmarks.
    
    

• Illinois 5Essentials Survey results: District 88 joins ISBE each year in implementing this statewide survey of school climate and learning conditions. The survey provides an opportunity for teachers, students and parents/guardians to have a voice in improving their schools. It gives a comprehensive picture of a school’s organizational culture in an individualized report that measures five “essentials” critical for school success (Effective Leaders, Collaborative Teachers, Involved Families, Supportive Environment and Ambitious Instruction). Below are highlights from the 2017 survey.
  
  

• Other District 88 student successes from the 2016-17 school year:
  
  
  • 90 percent of the class of 2017 at Addison Trail is attending a two- or four-year post-secondary school, and more than 93 percent of the class of 2017 at Willowbrook is attending a two- or four-year post-secondary school or a technical school.
  • Members of the Addison Trail class of 2017 are attending colleges in 14 states and Washington, D.C., and were accepted to 153 colleges. Members of the Willowbrook class of 2017 are attending colleges in 18 states and were accepted to 130 colleges.
  • District 88 students earned more than 2,300 college credit hours through dual-credit courses and more than 3,400 hours through Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level exam scores.
  • District 88 students earned nearly 750 career certifications.
  • District 88 students received more than $9 million in scholarship money.
  • District 88 partnered with the Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce and the Addison Workforce Development Committee to work with local businesses to provide our students with real-world experiences. Those opportunities are continuing and expanding this year.
  • About 2/3 of District 88 students get involved and participate in a sport, club or activity.
    
    
• Looking ahead – the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA): ESSA is a law that was passed in December 2015 that reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and replaces No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
  
  
  • As part of the Illinois ESSA Plan, the Illinois Report Card will change moving forward to give a better indication of student growth and to provide a more comprehensive look at school districts. Ten indicators will be used to evaluate high schools, and more emphasis will be given to graduation rate, Freshmen on Track and College and Career Readiness. For more information about the Illinois ESSA Plan, go to https://www.isbe.net/Pages/ESSA.aspx.

To see the complete Illinois Report Cards for District 88 and its two high schools (Addison Trail and Willowbrook), go to www.illinoisreportcard.com. Our focus will remain on developing the whole student and providing a comprehensive educational experience to grow each individual.

Thank you for your continued support of District 88.

Sincerely,
Dr. Scott J. Helton
DuPage High School District 88 Superintendent