Flossmoor School District 161 has released its readiness results based on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR).
Amabel Crawford, director of Learning and Instruction, reported the data to the board of education at the Nov. 11 meeting. The assessments measure student proficiency and growth while highlighting areas of achievement and opportunities for improvement.
In grades 3-8, students participated in the IAR assessments for English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. In ELA, 46% of district students met or exceeded expectations, marking a significant improvement from last year and outperforming the statewide average of 39.4%. In math, 24% of students met or exceeded expectations, slightly below last year and the state average of 27%.
The district observed substantial growth in ELA, with growth effect sizes the highest in grades 6-8. Administrators credit this progress to the district’s focus on standards-based instruction, year-long plans, and proficiency scales aligned with its school improvement plans. District 161 began transitioning to standards-based grading in the 2023-24 school year and has implemented it district-wide this year.
For the first time this year, the Illinois Science Assessment, administered to students in grades 5 and 8, factored into the district’s overall performance. Fifth-grade students in District 161 excelled with a score of 57.2%, well above the state average, while eighth-grade students scored 37.6%, below the state average and last year’s results. Crawford attributed the decline to instructional challenges, including a reliance on a guest teacher in the science classroom at Parker, and outlined steps to provide additional support and oversight.
For the 2023-24 academic year, the Illinois State Board of Education once again designated all schools in District 161 “commendable.” This rating reflects strong overall performance, with no student groups underperforming to a critical level. Index scores across the district ranged from 63.07 at Parker Junior High to 72.21 at Western Avenue. The benchmark for “exemplary” status in 2023-24 was 84.04 or higher and is based on the performance of schools statewide.
Schools that perform below the commendable level have student groups that need additional support. “Targeted support” means that one or more student groups are performing at a low level. “Comprehensive support” is designated for schools performing in the bottom 5 percent of Title I eligible schools in the state. “Intensive support” means a school has completed a full comprehensive support school improvement cycle but remains in the lowest-performing 5 percent of Title I eligible schools statewide.
Chronic absenteeism, a significant factor in the designations, continues to pose challenges across the state, and District 161 has introduced incentives to encourage consistent attendance. While all Flossmoor schools were below the state average for chronic absenteeism of 26.3%, the district’s goal for this metric is around 10%. The lowest chronic absenteeism rate was 14.4% at Heather Hill. Parker had the highest rate in the district, with 25.3% of students missing 10% or more of the school year for excused and unexcused absences.
The state’s information is not made public until fall, but district administrators are given the data earlier in the year to make planning improvements. The District 161 Board of Education discussed the results extensively and will focus on how they can help administrators and faculty improve student readiness at upcoming board retreats.
