D300 Examines Latest Test Results

The District 300 Board of Education honored 82 students who aced ACT tests and scores more who did will on Advanced Placement exams Monday, then explained why there weren't more of them.

Actually, 82 scoring 30 or better on the ACT was more or less in line with national results, according to Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning Ben Churchill, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching & Learning.  The ACT is part of Illinois' Prairie State Achievement Test and Churchill showed charts placing the District right about at the midpoint for Illinois Unit School Districts.  The problem is that, by federal standards, Illinois School Districts aren't doing very well, said Churchill.

"No single (Unified School District) in Illinois hit its (Adequate Yearly Progress)," Churchill said. Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, is a measurement defined by the United States federal No Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every public school and school district in the country is doing academically.

Churchill said the District's held back by having so many students who come from "low income" households.  Board President Anne Miller agreed that was a problem.  "When they're worried about being cold and hungry they aren't going to focus on 'Should I take an Advanced Placement class?'" she said.

Board Member Steve Fiorentino voiced the obvious conclusion.  "The incomes are not going to get better.  We just have to get better at what we do."

In the pic:  D300 high schools collectively fall about dead center among PSAE test scores measured against income.  A list of schools shows the worst-performing "rich" districts still rank higher than the best "poor" ones on the PSAE.