[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6391665,"mediaKeyId","2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556","parentId",2111246,"title","Board approves FY 2024 audit, accepts $7 million Schaeffer gift and adopts Black History Month resolution","audioSeconds",1240,"startMs",9622330,"endMs",10862670,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556&start=9622&end=10862","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556/thumbnail_9622330.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6391665/Illinois/Board-approves-FY-2024-audit-accepts-7-million-Schaeffer-gift-and-adopts-Black-History-Month-resolution","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391665-d4edf432679473d090ac90dc8a87fd2d/orig.mp4?Expires=1776315080&Signature=cvaWTlUuuZzNa3BSvlOWB8XhID09mNqQK8oc~pJCI-M93Thym358QvTDOko6RMTnrE78I~MGYkpXs-bcB1szAOr~o4E~KGk8MssYHXERfSd8s94xqMRUKBkqVvQ2HsZ0laMjUukvZmPWaGhlYDy4MgkJYoOPyKo0uquwA8NvvhCOHJWD9COq6KqYiwYQuBMWantx6o03XQSMJiDi6Glr~1U6nbvYgTE8Dpd50qVHBpDIbouwVbpMaHi67QO2WsKxST694tfyKlcuWQRoBpULWKIHgVaFpjJHCM86fORFchGqs7QDr9PbS4G5~3nD2J-pHMEcxsFbJ8cvEVaRUci4bg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Evanston Twp HSD 202","date","2025-01-15T00:20:54.257Z","article","The Evanston Township High School Board of Education approved several items by roll call vote at its Jan. 13, 2025 meeting, including the district’s FY 2024 annual comprehensive financial report, a major gift agreement, and the consent agenda.

Audit acceptance: The board voted to accept the FY 2024 audit and comprehensive financial report, which included an unmodified (clean) audit opinion. Auditors reported no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. The management letter included recommended improvements in capital‑asset reconciliation, ensuring collateralization of deposits, and continued attention to technology and data‑security risk management. The board voted to accept the audit report by roll call.

Gifting and naming: Trustees approved a gift agreement with alumnus Leonard D. Schaeffer, recording the district’s receipt of a $7,000,000 contribution to the ETHS Foundation and approving the renaming of the school auditorium to the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for the Performing Arts. The board thanked the donor and the foundation for their role in supporting the district’s capital program.

Black History Month resolution and consent items: The board adopted a Black History Month resolution for February 2025 that affirms the district’s commitment to equity and historic awareness. The board then approved the remainder of the consent agenda, which included minutes from the Dec. 9, 2024 regular and closed meetings, the October 2024 treasurer’s report, approval of bills, and routine personnel actions. Each item was approved by roll call vote.

The board heard additional informational items (early‑college report, data dashboard, HLS bond briefing) but took no vote on the HLS amendment at this meeting.

Votes at a glance
- Accept FY 2024 Audit and Comprehensive Financial Report — Outcome: Approved (roll call). Auditor: external audit firm; management letter included no material weaknesses.
- Approve Leonard D. Schaeffer gift agreement and name auditorium — Outcome: Approved (roll call). Gift amount and naming recorded in board action.
- Adopt Black History Month resolution — Outcome: Approved (roll call).
- Approve consent agenda (minutes, treasurer report, bills, personnel) — Outcome: Approved (roll call).

The transcript records the roll‑call approvals but does not include a full named tally of each board member’s vote in the audible text; the minutes and posted board record contain the official roll‑call entries.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting 1/13/25","oneSentenceSummary","At its Jan. 13 meeting the ETHS board accepted the FY 2024 audit report, approved the Leonard Schaeffer gift agreement and naming of the auditorium, and adopted a Black History Month resolution; minutes, treasurer’s report and personnel items were approved on the consent agenda.","taxTitle","Evanston Twp HSD 202, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",38754,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391672,"ETHS staff outline $15 million health‑life‑safety bond proposal to fix gym ventilation, roofs and windows",625,7058340,7683725,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556&start=7058&end=7683","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556/thumbnail_7058340.jpg","/articles/6391672/Illinois/ETHS-staff-outline-15-million-healthlifesafety-bond-proposal-to-fix-gym-ventilation-roofs-and-windows","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391672-440b69aa21cd4067d6c5f3ee9da550f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776315080&Signature=kn3RYzsV0gJLSC8K4tePvi7b71Cga789YWoP9OqZWz-X~K1KdufHJAjblIYf5IWAq3Zy78vLPCEfetSeApnQVIj-YPZzto-htHhCwyAZe-~1pBxOODQLJkxF-YvK~whZjksftInnZhjf2p8kf0nG1LhHlcuxxvhbP2cJVbdfAEVwl~pcy0FdSNJlDOP3GXAaOOtQakEX9f-5w-73-SuEjIbY0tRekgfSWzD6nX2wyQat0fkUd~sqOnV9ywGGziorpvLkQCtELBEeUotONl7tnQkU-0EY-uzFpQt3TVtUuL-a5vW5AkKzb5n~RdEwlBRC-NDnoAxQHqR0-Gqi43p7Og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Evanston Township High School administrators told the board on Jan. 13 they were preparing an amendment to the district’s decennial Health, Life & Safety (HLS) survey to pursue bonds under a new state law that exempts school fire‑prevention and safety bonds from the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL).

Facilities staff explained that the 10‑year architect survey cited more than $60 million in upgrades and repairs across the building, and that the district lacks the capital to address all violations. The presentation proposed issuing $15 million in HLS bonds to address priority items now, with a primary focus on ventilating the gym wing, and secondary work on roofs, windows and mechanical systems in arts and adjacent wings.

Officials said leaders had already completed several capital repairs since the survey — including auditorium HVAC replacement, window work and several roof replacements — but emphasized the gym wing’s ventilation as the most pressing operational concern. The district’s architects estimated a full ventilations and associated work for the gym wing could total about $20 million; staff proposed the $15 million HLS bond to address HLS‑eligible items plus other coupled work that would create economies of scale.

Administrators described the legislative change (House Bill 4582, signed June 7, 2024) that allows HLS bond taxes to be levied outside PTELL limits and said the state has also created tax credits that may reduce net cost. Staff presented three tax scenarios (10‑, 15‑ and 20‑year repayment) and estimated the annual effect on a hypothetical $500,000 home under each schedule, noting longer terms raise total interest costs while shorter terms raise annual payments.

Timeline described to the board called for staff and district architects to prepare and submit the HLS amendment to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the regional intermediate service center for review; staff estimated current ISBE review queues could take two months or longer because many districts are using the new law. If staff move forward, the board would hold a bond hearing and vote in spring; construction would need to be completed within three years of bond issuance, staff said.

Administrators urged speed, saying construction costs can rise quickly and that tax credits are time‑limited. Board members asked about risks, tax impacts, the recommended 15‑year vs. 10‑year amortization and whether funds could be targeted to equity priorities. Facilities staff said the district is balancing urgency, taxpayer impact and statutory limits, and that the proposed program would be carefully scoped to limit increases to the tax levy while addressing the most serious health‑and‑safety items.

No board vote was taken at the Jan. 13 meeting; staff said the next step would be to prepare amendment documents and seek presidential signature for submission, with a bond hearing and board vote to follow once ISBE review is complete.","District staff briefed the board on a proposed use of a new state law to issue health‑life‑safety bonds for major building repairs, emphasizing urgent ventilation work in the gym wing and potential tax impacts under different issuance scenarios.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391676,"ETHS board reviews new quarterly data dashboard; chronic absenteeism flagged as major concern",2068,4287005,6355570,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556&start=4287&end=6355","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556/thumbnail_4287005.jpg","/articles/6391676/Illinois/ETHS-board-reviews-new-quarterly-data-dashboard-chronic-absenteeism-flagged-as-major-concern","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391676-0107b1f5c8bae2344594bf6d9d1ac760/orig.mp4?Expires=1776315080&Signature=mFcm0N8Q8gvt6KM86hR1lRLV9Z094ZwKZpJRf9e--hmXUp19SKCQyjzNi633-rRPhBCcb4-TEfBUv9qH4vec2eWuD9Qtbgfbhyo9pso17g7wlS9zmvZv~6Rf4BLthS9tAEXtbnlK3XvIftYOd8lgZmcmtXQn4zcbbWM-AqH9iJqsY0Qs8yDCmmEn2~XzpfzRBav3onufjaMDnl~z3LHrauXWsps4pnoUBeUez4~ROXtVVpQK3DjlTLhiEGCKNNB8on72NHcVVYwi0yM~dk0dOTm7Sb72nHxP6iWxtsg3NLh66bvSc7zasZmHmt1RiefgFtwCMRKA7I~--slv6UY~CQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Jan. 13 board meeting, Evanston Township High School staff demonstrated updates to the district’s public data dashboard and highlighted attendance, discipline and academic‑support indicators that administrators said will guide interventions during the rest of the school year.

Research and assessment staff and student‑services leaders walked trustees through the dashboard’s second‑quarter tabs for academic supports (study centers, homework centers and Wildkit Academy), cumulative attendance and discipline measures and student‑services referrals. Staff said attendance and discipline metrics are now shown cumulatively for the semester to give the leadership team better real‑time context.

Key numbers presented to the board included: 15% of students with nine or more total absences (excused and unexcused) and 7% of students with four or more unexcused absences, both presented as cumulative first‑semester figures. Administrators also reported 499 unique students (about 14% of enrollment) with at least one discipline incident in the first semester and described how discipline actions are being disaggregated into categories such as in‑school/out‑of‑school suspensions, restorative actions, detentions and conferences.

Presenters said the dashboard includes disaggregation by race/ethnicity, special education status, free‑and‑reduced‑price‑lunch eligibility and emergent multilingual status. They noted that small counts are suppressed when fewer than 20 students are represented for privacy reasons.

Student‑services staff described new case‑management tools (Panorama) that allow documentation of interventions and coordination across departments. They said Panorama is being used to record referrals and interventions so teams can track what has been tried, who is responsible, and whether interventions succeed before escalating to formal special‑education steps. Special‑education administrators said weekly reviews of at‑risk students and IEP team action‑planning are already happening and that the district is starting earlier outreach with feeder districts to identify at‑risk students before they enter ETHS.

Board members asked several questions about causes and follow‑up steps for chronic absenteeism. Administrators said qualitative reviews show students with high absence rates often face complex family and social challenges; planned responses include layered, documented interventions, home‑visits by multilingual staff when appropriate, and more proactive articulation with sending middle schools.

Trustees praised the visualization and the ability to drill into demographic groupings. Several asked staff to use the dashboard to identify and “go find” the students driving the absentee and discipline numbers so teams can apply targeted supports. Staff said they will continue to publish the dashboard on the district website and will bring back disaggregated and longitudinal analyses in future quarterly reports.","The board received a Q2 update to a public data dashboard covering academic supports, attendance, discipline and student services; administrators highlighted chronic absenteeism and cumulative discipline as areas for targeted intervention.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6391681,"ETHS reports record early-college participation, launches new department to expand work-based learning",3386,54795,3441305,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556&start=54&end=3441","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2111246-867271d357228fb05747d9440a950556/thumbnail_54795.jpg","/articles/6391681/Illinois/ETHS-reports-record-early-college-participation-launches-new-department-to-expand-work-based-learning","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6391681-8aa3ccf55e28db929c9e1ab5d9f5e8c0/orig.mp4?Expires=1776315080&Signature=gGYyf8snWajidbHPwsihDrjNp4gD5C5FEV5MCKw08ji3qlmPrtQVKPgKqQhuWZ4W5I4igCXMetxkKH3R6W~PmWfYGCFvDV9A2uLKAwnQoEcCkbneazUtbITsGvoM~Ivy76nescJUOeWCtUkDw~p1d6-fp4l7grgwJlTWUlXGwBxdxJTMa8PsGGMzwR9FqEk00gZr0QkakTxSYL9MhJt7sVivxjPzp8q686dKBxqYv6-hqExa~BvkFez~CbDARnWYThDZiV0bFgSk8mnzJyLD~ybZ1Xc2roofKvg6NtQPusaIeeNhUZ-A4lOV1rwBKcGrJ6hxdCDbH2BIT5Zatfbo7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Evanston Township High School administrators presented a year‑end update on early‑college and career readiness on Jan. 13, 2025, reporting record participation in Advanced Placement and dual‑credit coursework, the launch of a new Early College and Career Experiences department, and near‑universal adoption of School Links for post‑high‑school planning.

The presentation, led by district staff and program leads, framed the work as part of the district’s ICAP (Individualized Career and Academic Plan) strategy and the Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act’s PACE framework. Administrators said early‑college offerings now include AP, dual credit, and a first concurrent‑enrollment certificate delivered at ETHS by Oakton Community College.

School leaders told the board that AP outcomes and dual‑credit enrollments reached new highs. The district reported that 81% of students who took an AP exam last year scored a 3 or higher and that 928 unique students earned scores of 3 or better. AP enrollments and successful scores have increased substantially since the program’s expansion in 2007, the presentation said. Dual‑credit enrollments grew sharply: the district reported 461 students enrolled in dual credit in the prior year and told the board that the current year’s enrollment had risen to 564 students. ETHS also reported 24 students in the first Oakton‑taught AI certificate course in spring, expanding to 27 students the next term.

To coordinate those offerings and expand powered work‑based learning, ETHS created a new Early College and Career Experiences (ECCE) department. Administrators named Dale Leaphorth director for ECCE and described a small staff that includes a career partnership and work‑based learning coordinator and an ECCE intern. Officials described programs that place students on campus for internships, run job shadows and career treks to local employers, and operate a career fair that reached 750 students this year.

District staff described School Links, a platform adopted in 2020 to track student career planning, as central to the push. The presentation said School Links onboarding reached 99% of students and that 98% of students had completed the platform’s “Find Your Path” inventory. Administrators also said 60% of students districtwide had set a post‑high‑school goal in School Links and that, at the time of the presentation, staff had recorded a post‑high‑school goal for 100% of the class of 2025 in the system.

Presenters emphasized that the district will disaggregate School Links results by race and other student groups in future reports and move some planning activities earlier into junior year to provide additional touchpoints. Staff said next steps include improving career‑experience tracking, connecting early‑college completion to post‑high‑school outcomes, and using alumni accounts to gather longer‑term data on graduates who do not enroll in college.

Board members praised the increased access to early‑college coursework and the emphasis on providing career pathways alongside college preparation. Several trustees asked how staff will ensure post‑high‑school goals are realistic and supported for students who face barriers; administrators replied that the district plans to expand counseling, earlier outreach, and partnerships with local organizations to help students translate plans into next steps.

The presentation listed institutional partners that support early‑college and career work, including Oakton Community College, Harper College, Lake Forest College, Northwestern University, the City of Evanston, Evanston Cradle to Careers, and the Trade Collective. Administrators said some programs are grant‑funded and that funding partnerships have allowed the district to offer certain concurrent courses at no cost to students.

Administrators said the move toward integrating career exploration across grades is intended to reduce the number of students who enroll in college but do not complete a credential and to provide alternatives to a “college‑for‑all” approach for students who prefer direct employment or certificates. The district signaled it would continue reporting outcomes and refine how early‑college completion correlates with post‑high‑school success in future board updates.","Evanston Township High School officials told the board they have record AP and dual-credit participation, rolled out a new Early College and Career Experiences department, and used a platform called School Links to set post‑high‑school goals for nearly all students.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves FY 2024 audit, accepts $7 million Schaeffer gift and adopts Black History Month resolution

ETHS staff outline $15 million health‑life‑safety bond proposal to fix gym ventilation, roofs and windows

ETHS board reviews new quarterly data dashboard; chronic absenteeism flagged as major concern

ETHS reports record early-college participation, launches new department to expand work-based learning