District 220 test scores smash state averages

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District 220 ISAT scores

Updated: December 4, 2011 10:13AM

Barrington Community Unit School District 220 continued its streak of outperforming the state on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test and Prairie State Achievement Exam despite not satisfying adequate yearly progress.

The 2011 exam results were released Monday by the Illinois State Board of Education. For the ISAT, students in grades three through eight were tested in reading and math. Fourth- and seventh-grade students were also tested in science. Results show the percent of District 220 students who met or exceeded learning standards ranged from nine percent to nearly 17 percent higher than the state average in various subjects.

For example, in fourth-grade reading, 91.4 percent of district students tested met or exceeded standards in 2011. On the same test, only 74.7 percent of all students in the state met or exceeded learning standards in 2011.

As a district, students in grades three through eight who met or exceeded standards at all levels and subjects ranged from 89.9 percent in third-grade reading to 96.6 percent in fourth-grade math, with the remaining grades and subjects falling in between.

“I think we’re very proud of what both the kids in the district and our staff is accomplishing,” said Superintendent Tom Leonard.

Of note are several instances where 100 percent of students met or exceeded expectations. At Grove Avenue Elementary School, 100 percent of students tested met or exceeded standards in fourth-grade math, up from 98.9 percent in 2010.

At Hough Street Elementary School, 100 percent of students tested met or exceeded standards in third-grade math, compared to 98.3 percent the previous year.

At Arnett C. Lines Elementary School, 100 percent of students tested met or exceeded standards in fourth grade math, compared to 96.2 percent last year.

At North Barrington Elementary School, for the second year in a row, 100 percent of students tested met or exceeded standards in third-grade math. Again, 100 percent of students at North Barrington tested in fourth-grade math 100 percent of students met or exceeded standards, compared to 95.8 percent the previous year.

Roslyn Road Elementary School saw the biggest jump this year. In fourth-grade reading, 100 percent of students tested met or exceeded standards, compared to 88.1 percent last year. And 100 percent of students tested in fourth-grade math met or exceeded standards, compared to 95.8 percent the previous year.

Across the state, students in 11th grade were tested in reading, math and science on the Prairie State Achievement Exam. Students at Barrington High School far outperformed the state average with 77.1 percent of Barrington juniors tested meeting or exceeding standards in reading, compared to the state’s 51 percent. In math, juniors who met or exceeded standards came in at 78.2 percent to the state’s 51.3 percent. In science, 79.6 percent of Barrington High School 11th graders met or exceeded standards, while only 49.2 percent met or exceeded standards statewide.

On the ACT exam, Barrington High School students averaged a composite score of 25, compared to the state’s 20.6 average composite. Barrington’s average in English was 25.2, compared to 20.3 statewide; in math was 25.3, compared to the state’s 20.7; in reading was 24.6, compared to 20.5 statewide; and in science was 24.6, compared to the state’s 20.5. Barrington High School’s 2011 ACT scores were the highest in school history, In 2010, the average composite score at the school was 24.4.

“We were really pleased with the performance of the high school this year on the ACT components of the test,” said Cindy Jaskowiak, assistant superintendent for educational programs and assessment.

Leonard attributes the success of the district to a couple factors that have been consistent for years.

“Consistently we really have a very, very supportive community,” Leonard said. “(As well as) students who are highly motivated to do well... (and) we’ve got, in my mind and I’ve been in seven districts, some of the most talented teachers I’ve ever seen.”

Leonard said the district has also been aggressive in examining its curriculum and has put a focus on science and literacy. An increase in technology within the schools in recent years has also helped progress.

“We’re getting better at being able to track student performance so we can see where we need to put our tax dollars,” Leonard said.

Jaskowiak added the district looks at student achievement three times each year, which allows them to intervene when necessary.

“If we do see someone falling behind, we do set up a plan for them so we can accelerate their learning,” she said.

Within the district, an emphasis has been placed on meeting the needs of each child as an individual, with a goal of being equitable in providing opportunities to students.

“I think part of our success, too, is we’re very attentive to achievement data, but we’re also really attuned to social-emotional needs,” Jaskowiak said.

Despite the district’s focus on education, with 47.9 of the district’s funds spent on instruction and only one percent on general administration, it did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress. The district is on District Improvement Year One under the 2011-12 Federal Improvement Status and is on Academic Early Warning Year One under the 2011-12 State Improvement Status.

Arnett C. Lines School did not meet AYP in reading. Sunny Hill School did not meet AYP in reading. Barrington Middle School-Prairie Campus did not meet AYP in reading or math. Barrington High School did not meet AYP in reading or math.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, 695, or 80 percent of Illinois districts and 2,548 or 65 percent of schools, failed to make AYP under No Child Left Behind. In total, only eight high schools in the state made AYP based on 2011 test results.

“We recognize that to think that everyone is going to be meeting and exceeding every single year in every single subgroup is not going to happen,” Leonard said. “... When you’re dealing with human beings and your goal is perfection, you’re going to have a problem.”

Under No Child Left Behind, 100 percent of students must meet or exceed standards by 2014 in order to make AYP.

Because the district did not meet AYP, it now needs to work with the Regional Office of Education in Lake County to write an academic plan with goals for improvement, something the district does every year anyway.

“Before NCLB existed, the goals were sill the same,” Leonard said. “The goals were to make sure every student succeeds and improves.”

Leonard said rather than “the song” being the district did not make AYP, the district’s “song” is high scores, the highest ACT score on record and 98.9 percent of its students going on to college, among other achievements.