Decatur SD 61 ramps career pathways, industry certifications and summer programs; vouchers near 1,300

Decatur Public School District 61 administrators told the board the district is expanding career and technical education (CTE) pathways, reporting a sharp year-over-year increase in industry certifications, and pursuing strategies to boost graduation rates by improving freshmen-on-track measures.

Dr. Robinson, speaking for the Department of Teaching and Learning, said the district has increased CTE industry certifications and added new College and Career Pathways Endorsements. “We started the year with one career pathway endorsement,” Dr. Robinson said. “We now have four,” adding agriculture, welding and digital business to previously offered programs and noting 326 certifications recorded so far this school year with a projection near 360 by year-end.

Dr. Robinson emphasized freshmen-on-track as a priority metric. She reported Eisenhower High School’s freshmen-on-track rate at 76 percent (63 students deficient in credits) and MacArthur High School at 85 percent (43 students deficient), and she described targeted counselor and cohort meetings to increase credit accumulation and reduce failures. “A student on track at the end of ninth grade is four times more likely to graduate than a student who is off track,” she said.

The district also outlined summer-school offerings designed to focus on foundational literacy and math. The K–5 summer program will serve roughly 89–90 students identified as candidates for retention or scoring in the lowest national percentiles; each grade will have one certified teacher and at least one teaching assistant, with additional aides as needed. Central academic work will focus on phonics, literacy and math using small-group instruction and science-of-reading-based approaches, plus in-school field experiences and a field trip to the Decatur Zoo.

Maria Robertson, the district’s director of communications and public relations, updated the board on the community summer sign-up event and resource fair held at MacArthur High School. Robertson said parents preverified 1,042 students in the two weeks prior to the event, 214 students were verified on-site, and 405 vouchers were picked up at the event; in total the district issued 1,291 vouchers for summer programs and hosted more than 600 students at the fair. Voucher increments of $10 and $25 were issued so families could combine amounts across multiple programs, and partner organizations were encouraged to offer reading- and math-focused activities.

Ending: District leaders said they will report summer-school growth outcomes after the program and will continue expanding CTE pathways and industry partnerships to improve postsecondary and workforce outcomes.