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District 64 reports strong spring 2025 achievement and outlines improvement priorities
Summary
District staff presented spring 2025 assessment results, noting high percentages of students at or above the district’s benchmark percentiles, curriculum adoptions, middle-school growth gains, and changes to state and NWEA norms that will affect year‑to‑year comparability.
District 64 administrators presented spring 2025 student achievement and growth data, highlighted improvements in early childhood and elementary assessment outcomes and described next steps including curriculum work, MTSS refinements and middle‑school interventions.
Dr. Alaimo (presenting as the cabinet member for student achievement) said the district served about 4,600 students in 2024–25 and emphasized that the presentation covered spring 2025 data only; no data from the current school year were included. Early childhood (Jefferson) observations using Teaching Strategies showed growth in literacy and numeracy: Alaimo reported literacy rising to 88% meeting growth targets and numeracy rising from about 74% in the fall to 88% by year end for preschool measures.
For K–2 and K–5 benchmarks, the district uses FastBridge and MAP (NWEA). Alaimo reported that for grades K–2 (FastBridge targets) the district aims to have 80% of students at or above the 40th percentile; the K–2 group reported in the packet showed approximately 74% at/above that benchmark and math at about 80%–84% at/above the 40th percentile. Across grades 2–8 on NWEA MAP the district reported achievement ranks often at or near its targets (district targets are in the 87th to 93rd percentiles range depending on grade) and growth targets set at 60% of students meeting expected growth.
Alaimo highlighted middle school gains: she said Emerson and Lincoln showed notable year-over-year gains in MAP results, with eighth-grade growth from 38% meeting targets to 52% in one year on a cited measure. She cautioned that NWEA released new norms in July 2025 (“re-normed”) and the Illinois State Board of Education announced revised IAR cut scores this summer; as a result, direct year‑to‑year comparisons will reflect changed baselines. ISBE’s adjustment reduced some IAR cut scores for ELA and math and raised the ISA (science) cut score, decisions the presenters said were based on multi‑year studies about alignment with other measures of college and career readiness.
District staff said they are strengthening MTSS (multi‑tiered system of supports) with building-level tier 1 teams, expanded behavior and attendance MTSS work, and more structured cycle-of‑inquiry meetings (regular half‑day data review sessions and scheduled check-ins). Curriculum adoptions cited included continued K–2 ELA work and the rollout of CKLA in grades 3–5; the district reported year‑two work and increased professional learning to support ELA implementation and middle-school schedule changes intended to support instruction. Staff said the district will also continue to refine benchmark use and intervention strategies in response to the data.
No formal board action was requested during the presentation; staff said the results and planned work will inform strategic‑planning discussions and continuing curriculum and professional development priorities.
