By Kaprice Sanchez, Editor
Are Kaneland students graduating college and career ready?
That’s District 302’s new mission this year, and they began by setting overall goals for ISAT scores in grades K-5 at the Sept. 26 board meeting.
Test scores presented at the meeting show only 33 percent of Kaneland High School students are college ready, and administrators are tracking achievement throughout lower grades as well and trying to raise it.
Last year, all four elementary schools made Annual Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind, with 88 to 90 percent of students meeting or exceeding on the ISATs.
The high school did not make AYP, with 56 percent of high school students meeting or exceeding on the PSAE. In order for the high school to make adequate progress, 85 percent of students would have had to meet or exceed.
At the meeting, Sarah Mumm, the director of curriculum for K-5, detailed part of the district’s goal, which is to raise ISAT scores by five percent for K-5 students. Since last year’s 83 percent of last year’s third graders met or exceeded on the exam, the administration’s goal is for 88 percent or more of that same group of students to meet or exceed on the ISAT as fourth graders this year.
“I think it is a good idea for the school to have goals, but students need to have their own goals to achieve,” Christina Montalto, English teacher, said.