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District 58 presents multi-year trend charts; ISBE and NWEA changes could affect comparability
Summary
District staff previewed a multi‑year data format using ECRA, NWEA MAP and IAR figures and warned the board that ISBE performance-descriptor changes and 2025 NWEA norming will affect trend comparisons.
District staff presented a new district-level trend format at the April board meeting to show multiple years of ECRA, NWEA MAP and IAR data together and said the format is intended to make trend interpretation easier for the board.
The presenter (identified in the transcript as a district staff member) showed grade-level and cohort charts covering 2021–2024, subgroup breakdowns and scatter plots combining achievement and growth metrics. The staff member said the slides are intended to be an annual October curriculum workshop product that will be updated each year after state and vendor reporting cycles.
On assessment changes, staff told the board that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is revising IAR performance descriptors (moving from five levels to four) and is conducting a statewide outreach tour; spring 2025 results will appear on the FY2025 Illinois School Report Card using the new descriptors. Staff also said NWEA MAP is in a norming year and that 2025 norms will be released in July 2025; fall 2025 testing will be the first assessment using the new norms. Board members asked whether the state will provide a conversion or formula to help interpret prior years on the new scale and whether the new NWEA norms will be influenced by the COVID years. Staff said they will share ISBE and NWEA analyses when available to support district interpretation of trend data.
Board members praised the new visual formats (dot plots and cohort trend tables) as useful for tracking districtwide progress and asked staff to continue presenting both moment-in-time data and the multi-year views so the board can better judge longer-term trends.
