On the whole, Naperville School District 203 continues to make upward strides in post-pandemic student achievement data, officials announced recently. But there are persistent gaps within specific demographic groups that prompted one board of education member to declare it a “hair on fire” scenario.
With the 2023-24 school year in the books, District 203’s administrative-level staff have been combing through student achievement data in reading, math and other core curricular areas to help shape school improvement plans and districtwide goals and policies for the upcoming school year and beyond.
District 203 students ahead of the curve in achievement
District 203 students are performing better than the national average in recovering from pandemic-era learning loss, Patrick Nolten, assistant superintendent for assessment and accountability, indicated at a recent board of education meeting.
He pointed to median reading percentile scores, particularly in the elementary and junior high grades, as a demonstration of the steady progress that has taken place across the district.
“They’re exciting, and they’re positive,” Nolten said at the board of education meeting. “If we were in a typical place, they would all be about 50. We know we’re not typical. You see numbers that range anywhere from 80-88, all the way down to 66.”
Nolten provided the board with assorted student achievement data in his presentation, which was delivered on Monday, July 15.
“We’ve actually fared quite well,” Nolten said. “If you look at the national trend data, post-pandemic, and the recovery efforts, you’ll see some different data from this.”
Achievement gaps raise concerns
While District 203 as a whole continues to perform above national averages, some of the achievement data for particular racial and ethnic groups did raise concerns at the recent meeting.
Board member Charles Cush pointed to data from the College Board on SAT benchmark readiness by race and ethnicity. According to that metric, 48% of Black students within District 203 did not meet the benchmarks in math or English, indicating they are not ready for college.
“That’s a hair on fire moment for me,” Cush said. “I would love for this to be a high degree of focus for us.”
Board member Kristin Fitzgerald offered similar concerns at the meeting. She said, “This is something, I feel, we talk a lot about. I want to ensure we really are doing our best to think differently.”
A different approach strategized
District 203 administrators indicated the student achievement gap remains a top-of-mind concern, and new initiatives are being strategized.
Lisa Xagas, assistant superintendent of student services, said there are efforts to address some of the softer skilled areas of the school learning environment, including strides to give all students a sense of belonging.
“While the achievement is a significant concern, there are other measures also that are concerns,” Xagas said. “One that speaks to the innovative school experience is chronic absenteeism. Those gaps are significant by race as well. We want to give students a reason to want to be in our schools.”
Superintendent Dan Bridges hinted at recommendations for larger changes on the horizon to rethink how District 203 can meet the needs of all students.
“Structurally, as a school district, we’ve made very little change in what we’ve done over the years,” Bridges said. You have to look, not only at the schedule of the day and the structure of the day, but also what happens within that time of the day. We’ve got to consider making some big shifts.”
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