Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)— Dr. Joyce Carmine presented 2007 assessment scores to the 163 Board of Education, and this year’s results brought good news to a district that had been struggling to improve scores. She gave the report at the August 6 board meeting.
"Starting with Algonquin School, which actually did not take the ISAT because 2nd grade is the highest grade at Algonquin. Algonquin took the SAT-10, Standard Achievement Test, 10th revision." Grade 2 NCE (Normal Curve Equivalent) scores at Algonquin came in at 69.2 for Reading (82nd percentile), and 65.4 (77th percentile) in Mathematics. Dr. Carmine expressed her congratulations to Mrs. Caletha White, Principal at Algonquin, who was present at the meeting.
This was the first year that 21st Century Preparatory School took the ISAT, according to Carmine, because this was the first there were third grade students at 21st Century.
Carmine explained that ISAT scores are presented in a different way than SAT-10 scores, "As you know, the state looks at the percentage of students that meet or exceed state standards." Scores were very high at 21st Century. In Reading, 80.6% of all students in third grade met or exceeded state standards. In Mathematics, the figure was an even 100%. Dr. Carmine admitted that would be a hard score to match next year.
At Beacon Hill, 91.9% of students met or exceeded state standards in Reading, and 94.6% met or exceeded state standards in Mathematics. These scores were up from 74.3% last year in Reading, and 80% last year in math. Carmine commented, "I would like to remind the board that our Beacon Hill students at third grade are the students who are residing in the Beacon Hill community, and I do believe that is a 100% poverty number as well. So, I’m very proud of Beacon Hill’s third grade."
Blackhawk school also showed improvement. In Reading, scores moved from 52.0% to 66.1% for 3rd grade, 51.2% to 72.4% for 4th grade, and 5th showed an improvement from 57.1% to 62.8%. In Mathematics, 3rd grade moved from 75.0% to 74.2%, went from 69.4% to 82.9%, and 5th grade moved from 74.4% to 74.5%. 4th grade tested in Science as well, moving from 62.5 % to 76.3%.
Dr. Carmine commented on the improvements, "I would like to share with all of you that our scores for many years were fairly stagnant, around 50%. In 2006, I shared with our staff at our opening meeting that our goal would be 60%. In 2007, our goal was 70%." Carmine said this was a district goal. The state target was 55%.
Mohawk School saw 3rd grade dipping from 73.8% to 61.1% in Reading, while 4th grade moved from 53.8% to 60.9%, and 5th grade from 61.5% to 66.7%. In Mathematics, 3rd grade dropped from a 2006 score of 90.2% to 66.7%, and 4th grade rose from 70.3% to 76.6%, and 5th from 72.8% to 80.5%. In Science, 4th grade scores increased from 59.3% to 67.1%.
Carmine reported that Forest Trail met AYP standards (Adequate Yearly Progress) for the second year in a row, "If a school makes AYP for 2 years in a row, they won’t be on anybody’s list." 6th grade Reading scores rose from 51.9% to 61.7%, 7th grade Reading scores rose from 49.8% to 54.0%, and 8th rose from 57.8% to 69.9%. In Mathematics, 6th grade scores rose from 54.6% to 81.1%, 7th grade from 56.2% to 64.0%, and 8th grade from 61.4% to 70.4%. 7th grade was tested in Science at Forest Trail, with scores rising from 64.7% in 2006 to 66.3% in 2007.
Carmine acknowledged there is room for improvement at some grade levels, but was very encouraged, and thanked board members for their support of the educational programs in the district.
Several board memebers also expressed their satisfaction with the improvements.
Dr. Joyce Carmine: "We have at least half of our projected enrollment registered. Our goal is to have 100% of our students in school on the first day of school."
