Thursday, Aug. 29

 

District 27 announces ISAT scores,
trend to more low-income students

[AUG. 29, 2002]  School District 27, which began fall classes this week, continues to have more children qualifying for free and reduced-price lunches, an indicator of the growing number of children coming from low-income families, Superintendent Robert Kidd told the district school board at a recent meeting.

He said he did not see the trend changing any time soon, especially with the closing of the Lincoln Developmental Center, which is costing the Logan County community as many as 700 jobs.

"Some youngsters in our schools had both parents working there," he said. "Some of our families may have to move."

However, there was good news, too. Dr. Kidd said he had received last spring’s Illinois State Achievement Test scores and was happy overall with the results.

"We can’t get complacent, but we are heading in the right direction," he said.

Third-grade students at Central Elementary School scored higher than the state average in reading, with 65 percent meeting or exceeding standards, compared with the state average of 63 percent. The students did well in math, with 70 percent meeting or exceeding standards, but not quite as well as the state average of 74 percent. In writing, third-graders scored 52 percent, compared with a state average of 57 percent.

Central fourth-graders beat state standards, scoring 85 percent in science, compared with a state standard of 67 percent, and 68 percent in social studies, compared with the state average of 60 percent.

 

Central fifth-graders did not do so well, scoring 48 percent in reading, compared with a state average of 59 percent; 52 percent in math, compared with the state’s 63 percent; and only 36 percent in writing, compared with 59 percent for the state.

Washington-Monroe third-graders beat the state standards in all three categories, scoring 68 percent, compared with the 63 percent state average, in reading; 80 percent, compared with 74 percent, in math; and 77 percent, compared with 57 percent, in writing.

Fourth- and fifth-graders at Washington-Monroe also beat the state averages consistently. Fourth-graders scored 78 percent in science, compared with 67 percent for the state average, and 70 percent in social science, compared with 60 percent for the state.

Fifth-graders scored 76 percent in reading, compared with 59 percent for the state average; 83 percent in math, compared with 63 percent; and 81 percent in writing, compared with 59 percent.

Northwest third-graders beat the state average in reading, 64 percent to 63 percent; and in math, 78 percent to 74 percent; but lagged slightly in writing, 50 percent to 57 percent.

Washington-Monroe recently won recognition from former state Superintendent of Schools Glenn "Max" McGee for its achievement, overcoming the disparity often found between low-income or minority students and their peers.

 

Fourth-graders at Northwest did not do so well, with only 52 percent meeting or exceeding standards in science, compared with a state average of 67 percent, and 46 percent in social science, compared with 60 percent.

Northwest fifth-graders barely beat the state average in reading, 60 percent to 59 percent; lagged slightly in math, 60 percent to 63 percent; and fell behind even more in writing, with only 40 percent meeting or exceeding standards, compared with the 59 percent state average.

 

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Only 45 percent of Jefferson School third graders met or exceeded standards in reading, compared with a state average of 63 percent. In math, 70 percent met or exceeded standards, compared with a state high of 74 percent. Writing was the third-graders’ strong point, with 78 percent meeting or exceeding standards, compared with a state average of 57 percent.

Seventh-graders at Lincoln Junior High School scored somewhat better than the state average, with 84 percent, compared with 73 percent, meeting or exceeding standards in science and 59 percent, compared with 58 percent, in social studies.

Eighth-graders slipped in all three categories, with 54 percent, compared with a 69 percent state average, meeting or exceeding reading standards; 41 percent, compared with 52 percent, meeting or exceeding math standards; and 50 percent, compared with 62 percent at the state level, meeting or exceeding writing standards.

All scores are for tests taken in the previous school year and include all students, both learning disabled and some special education students.

District 27, along with other districts in Logan County, has also met the Adequate Yearly Progress target and will not be required to allow students to transfer to higher-performing schools this year, Kidd said.

Under the new federal No Child Left Behind law, schools which do not meet the targets will be required to provide opportunities for their students to attend other, higher-achieving schools in the area.

 

At least 40 percent of a school district’s students had to get passing scores on the Illinois State Achievement Tests, or ISATs, to be exempt from the NCLB law last year, Kidd said. This coming year, schools must have at least 45 percent meeting or exceeding state standards, and the following year the number must be 50 percent.

By the year 2014, according to the new standards promoted by President George W. Bush, 100 percent of students must be meeting state standards, including some special education students, the learning disabled and the educable mentally handicapped, although not the most profoundly handicapped students, Kidd said. He said he thought those standards would be very difficult to meet.

Schools that do not meet the Adequate Yearly Progress targets will have to pay to send poorly performing students to better schools in the district. If a school continues to fail meeting targets, "sanctions escalate," he said.

He said he had tried to get a formula from the state to see exactly what standards would have to be met this year and was told the formula is "very complicated."

"The concept that every child does well in school is one we should all be shooting for, but that’s what our district has been working towards for a long time," he said.

[Joan Crabb]


Fire Department sets open house,
9-11 memorial

[AUG. 29, 2002]  The Lincoln Fire Department will have their annual open house at the downtown firehouse on Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Fire Chief Bucky Washam.

The usual hot dogs and drinks will be available, plus giveaways for the youngsters.

Trucks will be parked outside, and moms, dads and grandparents are invited to bring their kids and their cameras so the kids can explore the trucks and get their pictures taken.

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, the Fire Department will have a short memorial service for those who died in last year’s attack on the World Trade Center. The ceremony will start at 6 p.m.

[Joan Crabb]


Governor announces $50 million FY ’03 investment in community colleges

[AUG. 29, 2002]  CENTRALIA — Gov. Ryan announced on Tuesday the release of fiscal year 2003 capital construction funds through the Illinois Community College Board, including $7.9 million to build a Workforce Development Center and Child Care Center for Kaskaskia College.

"Community colleges provide an affordable education for people trying to build a better life for themselves and their families," said Gov. Ryan. "Community colleges are partners in our work force development efforts."

The release of these capital funds is part of a $50 million allocation designated solely for Illinois community colleges by Gov. Ryan. This is part of his initiative to allocate a total of $250 million over five years for the long overdue renovation and replacement of temporary buildings on community college campuses throughout the state.

"Governor Ryan has consistently proven himself a friend of Illinois community colleges," said Illinois Community College Board Chairman Edward T. Duffy. "He has championed the value of community colleges throughout his administration, and I want to recognize him publicly with our appreciation for his great support."

Gov. Ryan also visited John A. Logan Community College for the groundbreaking of a new Workforce Development Center and a Community Health Education Complex on Wednesday.

"One of the hallmarks of Governor Ryan’s administration is its commitment to work force development," said ICCB President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph J. Cipfl. "Governor Ryan truly recognizes the intimate link between education and a strong work force and expects Illinois community colleges to deliver."

 

Kaskaskia College is located in the first district in Illinois to be established under the Illinois Public Junior College Act. Oscar Corbell, the first college president, wrote the act in 1937. The Illinois Community College Board is the state coordinating agency for the 39 community college districts and 48 community colleges. Illinois is the third largest community college system in the United States.

Gov. Ryan also announced the release of Illinois community college construction grants for the following:

•  Rock Valley College, Rockford — $9,181,500 toward a total $23,816,000 for an arts instructional building

•  Rend Lake College, Ina — $1,102,600 for expansion of the Career and Applied Technology Center

 

 

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•  Olive-Harvey College, City Colleges of Chicago — $1 million toward a total $29,911,000 for a new building

•  Morton College, Cicero — $3,951,700 for emergency building repairs

•  Sauk Valley, Dixon — $3,305,100 for the remodeling of two buildings

•  Shawnee College, Ullin — $1,863,500 for the Metropolis Regional Education Center

•  Southeastern Illinois College, Harrisburg — $3,623,600 for renovation and expansion of the technology center

•  Kishwaukee College, Malta — $1,140,000 for replacement of the Early Childhood Center

•  Richard J. Daley College, City Colleges of Chicago — $4 million toward a total $12,205,000 for the Industrial Technology Center

•  Richland Community College, Decatur — $2,182,000 for the Agriculture/Occupational Technology Building.

•  Heartland Community College, Normal — $1.2 million toward a total $12,020,700 for the Workforce Development Center

•  Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield — $666,300 for expansion of the Regional Center in Taylorville

•  Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills — $2.7 million for temporary facilities replacement

•  South Suburban College, South Holland — $937,000 for renovation of gymnasium and maintenance facility

•  Lake Land College, Mattoon — $575,000 toward a total $5,773,200 for Phase II of the Center for Technical Education

•  Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville — $888,000 for the Fire Science Training Center

•  Danville Area Community College, Danville — $1 million toward a total $3,381,300 for remodeling of the Conference Center

•  Lewis & Clark Community College, Godfrey — $900,000 for the Carlinville Center

[Illinois Government News Network
press release]

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