District 88 shares highlights of 2019 Illinois School Report Card

Pictured is District 88 Superintendent Dr. Scott Helton.

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 2019 Illinois School Report Card, which were released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) on Oct. 30, 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.

This is the second year the report card incorporates the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which was passed in 2015 as a new education law that reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the U.S. national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students. The previous version of the law was the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, which was enacted in 2002.

DISTRICT 88 2019 ILLINOIS SCHOOL REPORT CARD HIGHLIGHTS
ESSA designation: The ESSA uses multiple measures (referred to as indicators) to evaluate schools. Each individual school (rather than the overall district) is rated on those indicators and then placed into one of four categories (referred to as designations). Those designations are:

  • Exemplary School
  • Commendable School
  • Underperforming School
  • Lowest-Performing School

We are proud to share Addison Trail and Willowbrook are rated as “Commendable Schools,” and we look forward to continuing to improve. For the 2019 Illinois School Report Card, the following indicators were used to evaluate high schools.

  • Graduation rate: 50 percent
  • English Language Arts (ELA) Proficiency on the SAT: 10 percent (will be decreased to 7.5 percent in 2019-20)
  • Math Proficiency on the SAT: 10 percent (will be decreased to 7.5 percent in 2019-20)
  • Chronic Absenteeism: 7.5 percent (will be decreased in 2021-22)
  • Freshmen on Track to Graduate: 6.25 percent
  • College and Career Readiness: 6.25 percent
  • English Learner Progress: 5 percent
  • Climate Survey: 5 percent
    • District 88 joins the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) each year in implementing the Illinois 5Essentials, a 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). Survey results are included in the Illinois School Report Card. District 88 has voluntarily participated in the 5Essentials each year since the survey was implemented in 2012-13.
  • Science Proficiency and Fine Arts: Planned to be implemented in future years

Graduation rate: District 88’s 4-year, 5-year and 6-year graduation rates remain above the state level. For 2019, our 4-year graduation rate is 88 percent (compared to the state’s 86 percent), our 5-year graduation rate is 90 percent (compared to the state’s 88 percent) and our 6-year graduation rate is 91 percent (compared to the state’s 88 percent).

9th Grade on Track: District 88 also remains above the state level in terms of the number of grade 9 students who are on track to graduate from high school, and we have been above the state level since this measure was implemented. For 2019, 87.2 percent of our grade 9 students are on track (compared to the state’s 86.6 percent).

Postsecondary enrollment: District 88 was near the state level with regard to the number of students who are enrolled in college 12 months and 16 months after graduating from high school. The 2019 report card reflects data from the class of 2017, and 71 percent of District 88 students from that class were enrolled in college 12 months after graduating, and 72 percent were enrolled after 16 months.

Advanced Placement, dual-credit, career certifications and extracurricular involvement:

  • For 2019, 2,072 District 88 students enrolled in Early College Coursework (Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level classes and dual-credit classes). Those courses provide an opportunity for students to earn college credit while in high school.
  • During the 2018-19 school year, 536 District 88 students received one or more career certification, and a total of 1,161 certifications were earned.
  • During the 2018-19 school year, more than 1,570 students participated in nearly 3,125 workplace experiences.
  • About 2/3 of District 88 students participate in a sport, club or activity.
  • For 2019, the percentage of District 88 graduates who are taking remedial courses at Illinois community colleges is below the state level (42 percent compared to 44 percent). The 2019 report card reflects data from the class of 2017.

SAT exam:

  • District 88 students are nearing the state performance levels in English Language Arts (ELA) and math in the meets and exceeds standards categories. 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 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) set a minimum SAT proficiency score of 540 in the math portion of the exam, as well as in the reading and writing section. However, the national proficiency score set by College Board is 530 in math and 480 in reading and writing.
  • At District 88, we focus on student growth and continue to monitor this measurement to ensure each student meets his or her full potential. The data below shows how students at District 88 continue to grow during their time at Addison Trail and Willowbrook.
    • The class of 2022 demonstrated 59 points of growth from the fall 2017 PSAT 8 to the spring 2019 PSAT 9. There was 29 points of growth in English/Reading/Writing (ERW) and 30 points of growth in math.
    • The class of 2021 demonstrated 48 points of growth from the spring 2018 PSAT 9 to the spring 2019 PSAT 10. There was 26 points of growth in ERW and 22 points of growth in math.
    • The class of 2020 demonstrated 54 points of growth from the spring 2018 PSAT 10 to the spring 2019 SAT. There was 20 points of growth in ERW and 34 points of growth in math.

Chronic absenteeism: We know the importance of having students in school to ensure they are successful inside the classroom and beyond. Students who have 10 percent or more of excused and unexcused absences in the prior academic year are considered to have “chronic absenteeism.” For 2019, 75 percent of District 88 students didn’t fall into this category (meaning they were not chronically absent), and we appreciate the dedication and commitment of our pupils and their parents/guardians to ensure they attend school.

Finances: The Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) law enacted in August 2017 comprehensively changes the way Illinois school districts receive the bulk of state funds. The formula seeks to increase the adequacy of school funding to provide a safe, rigorous and well-rounded learning environment for all students, as well as improve the equity of distribution of state funding. Each district is placed in a “tier,” which indicates access to additional funding over the basic minimum state allocation, a hold harmless amount that guaranteed no districts were “losers” under the new formula. Tier 1 and Tier 2 districts receive 99 percent of additional funds appropriated for this purpose by the General Assembly. For fiscal year 2018, District 88 was assigned to Tier 2. The district’s Adequacy Target (the minimum amount required to provide a high-quality education) was $56,812,022, and its EBF local resources were $48,939,582. We provide a comprehensive educational experience to develop the whole student. In the 2019 Niche Rankings, we were ranked as the second-most diverse school district in Illinois, and we embrace the diversity of our student body and communities as a strength for our schools. We have about 40 languages and more than 30 countries represented among our families, and almost half of the nearly 4,000 students at District 88 speak a language other than English at home. Nearly 14 percent of the students at Willowbrook have an individualized education program (IEP), and nearly 54 percent of the students at Addison Trail are low income. We continue to focus on meeting the needs of all students, and we allocate funding and resources at each building to support and serve our students. We look forward to working with our district/school leaders and community to make sure we remain fiscally responsible and spend in a manner that provides equitable opportunities for all District 88 students.

To see the complete Illinois School 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 support of District 88.


Respectfully,

Scott J. Helton, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools, DuPage High School District 88