Dist. 212 misses AYP target, graduation rate declines

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Updated: December 4, 2011 10:22AM

Though Leyden District 212 saw a few gains on its 2010-2011 School Report Card, the district failed to meet adequate yearly progress targets set by No Child Left Behind.

And Leyden’s high school graduation rate dropped to 82 percent, an 11 percent decline from the previous year.

School officials discussed the report card and test results Thursday.

District 212 failed to meet adequate yearly progress as laid out in No Child Left Behind, but only eight high schools throughout the state did so.

Under No Child Left Behind, at least 85 percent of juniors tested on the Prairie State Achievement Exam had to meet or exceed standards in reading in math. That target had to be reached overall as well as in various student subgroups, often broken down by racial or ethnic background, income and student disability.

“I think we all knew that AYP wasn’t a realistic goal,” School Board President Greg Ignoffo said. “It never has been.”

“I know our teachers are working incredibly hard, but despite that, the numbers aren’t where they need to be,” District 212 Superintendent Kathryn Robbins. “However, as we all know, the numbers don’t tell the whole truth and we know there’s more than what’s on paper.”

The district did see a slight increase in ACT score averages. The ACT is included in the Prairie State exam. The score average now is totaled at 19.7, up from 19.5 last year.

Leyden’s graduation rate declined, based on a change in how the rate is calculated, school officials said. Now, only students that graduate in a four-year time span count in the graduation rate.

“It’s really frustrating,” East Leyden Principal Beth Concannon said. “This means that the kids we put the most resources and time into don’t count.”

On the flip side, District 212 has a 1.9 percent high school drop out rate, a rate lower than the state average and higher than the previous year.

“Our goal is getting these kids ready for life, not playing the political games that are going on here,” Ignoffo said.

Also noted on the School Report Card, District 212 is now comprised of a much larger lower-income population. On the 2009-2010 report, 17 percent of the population qualified as low-income. Now the number is up to 45 percent.

“According to the numbers, it’s nearly triple the figure it was last year,” Robbins said. “I think these numbers maybe aren’t 100 percent accurate, but there’s definitely been a big increase in the rate.

“We also have a larger special education population, so we’re definitely seeing the student body get needier every year,” she added.