Matteson, IL—(ENEWSPF)— Four schools in Matteson School District 162 were named 2009 Spotlight Schools by the Illinois State Board of Education. The schools include Arcadia School in Olympia Fields, Matteson School in Matteson, Sauk School in Richton Park, and Huth Middle School in Matteson. Arcadia School also received the Academic Excellence Award. Arcadia is one of five schools in the state to receive both of these designations for two consecutive years.
The criteria for Spotlight Schools include:
- at least half the students are from low-income families in 2009.
- at least 60 percent of students have met or exceeded standards in both reading and mathematics in 2009.
- at least 50 percent of students met or exceeded standards in both reading and mathematics in 2008 and 2007.
- schools must have made Adequate Yearly Progress in the two previous years as required by No Child Behind, which meant the following in 2009:
- at least 70 percent of the students met and exceeded standards in both reading and mathematics;
- 95 percent participation rate in state assessments for all students in each subgroup;
- attendance rate of at least 90 percent for elementary and middle schools and graduation rate of at least 78 percent for high schools.
To earn the Academic Excellence Award, a school must meet the following criteria:
- in prekindergarten-eighth grade schools, 90 percent of the students must have met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for at least three consecutive years;
- in high schools, 80 percent of students must have met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for at least three consecutive years; and
- schools must have made Adequate Yearly Progress in 2008 and 2009, which includes:
- at least 70 percent of students meeting and exceeding standards in both reading and mathematics;
- 95 percent participation rate in state assessments for all students in each subgroup;
- attendance rate of at least 90 percent for elementary and middle schools and a graduation rate of at least 90 percent for elementary and middle schools and a graduation rate of at least 78 percent for high schools.
The Matteson Elementary School District 162 Board of Education will be among the presenters at the National School Board Association Conference in Chicago and will share the District’s successes and strategies. The presentation is “Beating the Odds…and Then Some” and will be held on Saturday, April 10, from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m., at the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
