District 88 shares highlights of 2020 Illinois School Report Card

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

District 88 works to build positive futures for its students inside the classroom and beyond each and every day. The results of the 2020 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 Board of Education members, staff, students, parents/guardians and community members.

This is the third 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 2020 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 (now referred to as Targeted)
  • Lowest-Performing School (now referred to as Comprehensive)

We are proud to share Addison Trail and Willowbrook are rated as “Commendable Schools,” and we look forward to continuing to improve. Because of the school closures due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, all school districts in Illinois will receive the same ESSA designation for 2020 as they did in 2019. The following indicators were used to evaluate high schools in 2019:

  • Graduation rate
  • English Language Arts proficiency on the SAT
  • Math proficiency on the SAT
  • Chronic absenteeism
  • Freshmen on track to graduate
  • College and career readiness
  • English learner progress
  • Climate survey

    • 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.

Graduation rate: District 88’s 4-year, 5-year and 6-year graduation rates remain above the state level in 2020. Our 4-year graduation rate in 2020 is 90 percent (compared to the state’s 88 percent), 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).

ELA and Math proficiency on the SAT: This data was not collected in 2020 because of the school closures due to COVID-19 this past spring.

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.” In 2020, 78 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.

Freshmen 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 2020, 92.6 percent of our freshmen are on track (compared to the state’s 88.8 percent).

College and career readiness: This category takes into account enrollments in early college coursework such as Advanced Placement (AP) and Dual-Credit courses, as well as numbers of career certifications and workplace experiences.

  • For 2020, 2,020 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 2019-20 school year, 2,048 students were enrolled in at least one Career and Technical Education (CTE) course.
  • About 2/3 of District 88 students participate in a sport, club or activity.
  • For 2020, the percentage of District 88 graduates who are taking remedial courses at Illinois community colleges is below the state level (30 percent compared to 42 percent). The 2020 report card reflects data from the class of 2018.

English learner progress and the climate survey data were not collected in 2020 because of the school closures due to COVID-19 this past spring.

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 2020, District 88 was assigned to Tier 2, so we did qualify for additional funding.

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.