| 2011 State Report Card Data Released, CCSD21 Students Perform Well | ||
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As the State does annually on October 31st, State School Report Card data was released on October 31, 2011. For elementary and middle schools throughout Illinois, this data includes:
When this data is released each year, the public and the news media focus on the student assessment data and, more specifically, on Reading and Mathematics ISAT scores. The ISAT (Illinois Standards Achievement Tests) test is given each March to nearly all third through eighth graders who have been in the United States for at least one year. (Less than 1% of students with severe disabilities will participate in the Illinois Alternate Assessment, abbreviated as IAA.) The tests consist of three sessions, and while they are primarily made of multiple choice questions, there are free response questions on both the Reading and Mathematics assessments. The tests are only given in English. Given those factors, District 21 students perform well against diverse students across Illinois. Through the District's own work to measure the individual performance of each student and adjust his or her instruction accordingly, District 21 has actually measured the growth of its students. For example, of those current seventh graders who were not meeting standards on NWEA assessments in Reading and Math in third grade, a majority of them had made the type of growth that the District would expect and hope for during the intervening years. Another data point that tells the story of the success of District 21 students in a more profound way than the School Report Cards are able to do with their snapshots of information is that: Nearly 90% of students who exited District 21's Bilingual/ESL programs met or exceeded the standards on the ISAT Reading and Mathematics exams. Most importantly, when parents are examining School Report Card data, it is critical to remember that this data captures entire classes of students, if not more. Conversations directly with the teachers along with performance throughout the year on classroom assessments are integral to deeply understanding how one's son or daughter is progressing. Current Illinois State Board of Education School Report Cards can viewed here.
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