Changes Coming to School Report Cards

By Kendra Berner

Governor Quinn recently signed legislation (Public Act 097-0671) making significant changes to school and district report cards.  The changes are intended to make the report cards easier for parents to understand and provide more outcome-focused information.  The new report cards were developed in collaboration between the Governor’s P-20 Council, the Illinois Federation of Teachers, school districts, state lawmakers, and education advocacy groups.  Starting in October 2013, the report cards will include the following.

• School characteristics and student demographics: average class size, average teaching experience, student racial/ethnic breakdown, percentage of students classified as low-income, percentage of students classified as limited English proficiency, percentage of students receiving special education services, percentage of students who annually transferred in or out of the school district, and per-pupil operating expenditure
• Curriculum information: Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or equivalent courses, dual language classes, school personnel resources, before and after school programs, extracurricular activities, elective classes offered, health and wellness initiatives (including the average number of days of physical education per week per student), approved programs of study, awards received, community partnerships, and special programs (gifted and talented, special education)
• Student outcomes: percentage of students meeting and exceeding state standards on assessments, percentage of students in 8^th grade who pass algebra, percentage of students enrolled in post-secondary institutions within two semesters of high school graduation, percentage of students graduating from high school who are college ready and career ready, and percentage of graduates enrolled in higher education who are in one or more remedial course
• Student progress: percentage of students in 9^th grade who have earned 5 or more credits without failing more than one core class, a measure of students entering kindergarten ready to learn, a measure of growth, and percentage of students who enter high school on track for college and career readiness
• School environment: percentage of students and teachers with less than 10 absences in a school year, leave taken under FMLA, the 3-year average of the percentage of teachers returning to the school from the previous year, the number of different principals at the school in the last six years, two or more indicators from any school climate survey developed by the State, and the combined percentage of teachers rated as proficient or excellent in their most recent evaluation

The report cards will provide comparisons to state averages and to similar schools as well as provide school data for the past five years.  The State Superintendent, in consultation with education stakeholders, can make changes to the metrics.  The State Superintendent is responsible for creating the school and district report cards and providing them to districts.  Districts must then make the report cards available to parents and the community. 

An example of the new report cards can be found here.