State report card shows D203 schools holding their own
By David Sharos For The Sun November 5, 2012 9:36PM
Updated: November 6, 2012 11:10PM
Members of the Naperville School District 203 Board of Education reviewed state testing data Monday night, following a special press meeting earlier in the afternoon to share results of the 2012 data — which showed the district is holding its own regarding state standards and meeting annual yearly progress.
Assistant Superintendent Tim Wierenga provided about a 40-minute overview of the school report card, which showed that the district is basically performing nearly the same as it did a year ago. The district achieved AYP or adequate yearly progress in 334 out of 363 indicators.
Board members asked if the data offered any surprises. Wierenga said some economically disadvantaged students performed better in math than expected. Wierenga also said using a new system of data analysis allows “more drilling down” to evaluate more individual performance.
“We are now able to look at the data at a very high level, and this helps us see the story of what’s going on,” he said.
Other questions were raised about disadvantaged students as well as changes in the subgroups in the coming years. Wierenga said more “real time” results will allow the district to intervene and act more quickly.
In other developments, board members also discussed changes in high school course proposals as well as continued the ongoing discussion about providing an all-day kindergarten.
Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Hester said courses are reviewed annually based on “endurance, leverage, readiness and relevance,” and proposed changes in Advance Placement psychology becoming a yearlong course, as well as changing freshmen Patterns of Communications and Honors Communications to English 1 and Honors English 1, among other changes.
Superintendent Dan Bridges also commended support staff and other professionals at Scott Elementary School for the efforts made in light of the violent death of Justin Plackowski, whose funeral will be held Tuesday morning.
“We will continue to support his family and any students or others at Scott Elementary for as long as it takes,” Bridges said.
