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Fewer Schools Make Failing List Community Unit Dist. 300 Better on State Tests

Posted on: Thursday, 4 August 2005, 21:00 CDT

Despite tougher standards this year, only two schools in Community Unit District 300 failed to make the grade on state standardized tests, down from seven schools last year.

Carpentersville Middle School and Lakewood School again failed to meet state standards. Results are not back yet for Dundee Crown High School, which has failed to meet state standards four of the past six years, including last year.

But students at Meadowdale, Lake in the Hills, Perry and Golfview elementary schools met expectations this year - even though the benchmark was raised from 40 percent to 47.5 percent of students meeting or exceeding goals in reading and mathematics.

In order to meet the state requirements, based on the federal No Child Left Behind Act, 47.5 percent of students in specific subgroups - including learning disabled, economically disadvantaged and various racial categories - have to pass the state tests. "We have some good scores this year as a district," said Tom Hay, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "In general, I'm pleased with where we're at."

Still, Hay said, the district has room for improvement.

This is the sixth time in the past seven years Carpentersville Middle School has failed to meet standards - meaning district officials have to work out a state-mandated restructuring program.

That could mean reopening the school as a charter school, replacing all or most of the top staff members, contract with an outside entity to run the school, or undergo a state takeover.

District officials are waiting to hear back from the regional office of education on how best to proceed, Hay said.

The situation at Lakewood is slightly better than that at the middle school.

Like last year, Lakewood students will be given the option of transferring to a better-performing school. And this year, school officials will also have to offer tutoring to try to improve tests scores. Despite their concerns, district officials have seen improvement on test scores at Lakewood and Carpentersville Middle School, Hay said.

Last year, Lakewood failed to meet standards in four subgroups. This year, despite higher requirements, that number is down to two.

At the middle school, math scores continue to lag across the board. But the opposite was true of the school's reading scores. "Reading growth has been substantial," Hay said.

Source: Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.

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