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Schools

District 308 Grappling with No Child Left Behind Goals

Despite having test scores above state averages, Oswego Community Unit School District 308 still has plenty of work to do to comply with the 2014 target.

Although local test scores exceed state averages, Oswego Community Unit School District 308 officials still have their work cut out for them in keeping up with increasingly grueling federal standards over the next few years.

Since 2001, schools have been held accountable for student achievement through a complex set of federal guidelines known as No Child Left Behind.

The 2010 Illinois School Report Card revealed 84 percent of District 308 students met or exceeded state testing standards with some of the district's 19 schools showing improvement and others moving in the other direction.

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"Eighty-four percent of District 308 students are currently meeting or exceeding state standards," Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Marsha Hollis said. "We anticipate continuing our progress toward higher student achievement, especially as it relates to progress over time."

While most local students are already performing above the current level of state standards, each District 308 school continually updates its improvement plan to ensure all children have the opportunity to succeed.

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The NCLB guidelines call for schools and districts to have 100 percent of students, including those in one or more subgroups (racial, socio-economic, special education, or limited English proficiency categories) meeting or exceeding state standards by 2014.

The state of Illinois raises the percentage of students expected to meet or exceed state standards by 7.5 percent each academic school year in effort to theoretically reach the 2014 target. As the bar is raised each year, additional schools and districts are finding it increasingly challenging to make Adequate Yearly Progress and meet the guidelines, particularly for some of the subgroups.

In an interview last week, Superintendent Dan O'Donnell said the goal of having all students meet or exceed standards is "noble," however the practical implementation of meeting criteria in every one of 44 categories makes realization of NCLB nearly impossible.

As a district, students with limited English proficiency and one of the racial subgroups did not make AYP in reading. In addition to the NCLB requirements for the district as a whole, each school within the district also is accountable for the achievement of its respective students.

Prairie State Achievement Exam results at for 2010 showed a 5.4 percent decline in students meeting or exceeding standards. Principal Jeff Craig outlined a few of the programs the school either has already implemented, or is in the process of putting into place to turn those numbers around.

"We have developed common assessments for all content areas and now we are able to analyze that data to improve instruction," Craig said. "We [also] have encouraged more students to participate in a more rigorous academic schedule. Subsequently, our Advanced Placement enrollment has significantly increased as well as the student performance on those AP exams". 

Craig also said the school has begun to offer supportive courses to students who have skill deficiencies. Additionally, Oswego East High School has supplemented its teacher evaluation process by increasing informal classroom visits.

Districtwide officials have presented a proposal to the School Board setting a goal of having every junior high student successfully complete algebra before entering high school. Hollis said this change will likely require a significant shift in the way mathematics are taught, as well as the training for junior high teachers in the district going forward.

Craig said he supports the proposal.

"The ambitious goal of ensuring all eighth graders complete algebra before entering high school will allow more of our students to be immersed in Algebra 2 at some point during or prior to their junior year," he said. "This gives our students a greater chance at success on the state exams."

Jeff Schafermeyer, principal of Boulder Hill Elementary School, said district elementary schools are also focused on meeting the needs of all students in elementary grades.

"At Boulder Hill, we have worked together with our parents to provide additional support not only for struggling students, but all students in the school," Schafermeyer said. "We are providing after school homework help, supervised by certified teachers."

Boulder Hill also has developed a guided reading library, added in-school tutoring opportunities, and the entire staff is participating in one of four school improvement teams working in partnership with the parent-teacher group in the school.

Hollis explained another challenge facing the district is that current testing structure does not allow for accommodations for special education students, even when they are required for learning in the classroom every day. In addition, English Language Learners are required to be 100 percent proficient, even when test questions are presented in a language they are not yet able to comprehend.

Many educators concede that NCLB has changed the way schools and districts evaluate teaching and learning in their classrooms, specifically by putting more focus on the achievement of students who traditionally have not succeeded in mainstream educational programs.

Congress is expected to take up the issue of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (currently referred to as NCLB) in the spring.

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