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District 88 wins 'commendable' summative ratings; staff present ACT results and ECRA analysis of English-learner growth
Summary
District 88 told the board both high schools earned 'commendable' summative ratings and reviewed ACT and CCRI metrics; staff and an ECRA report showed expected EL growth at both schools, highlighted gains in AP/dual-credit access and recommended program models to address long-term ELs.
DuPage High School District 88 on Nov. 10 reported gains across both of its high schools and shared an ECRA analysis of English-learner growth and access.
District staff said both Addison Trail and Willowbrook received a 'commendable' summative rating under the Illinois report-card framework. Addison Trail’s index score rose from 77.68 to 82.15, while Willowbrook’s rose from 84.86 to 86.35. Staff noted the state’s shift from the SAT to the ACT for statewide assessment reporting; District 88’s junior-year ACT average was reported as 17.44 (benchmark noted at 18 and state average at 18.1).
Staff reviewed the college-and-career readiness indicator (CCRI) and explained how AP, dual-credit and transitional courses generate ELA and math indicators. For the graduating cohort cited, the ELA proficiency indicator rose from 32.8% to 62.9% after the district added coursework and dual-credit options; the math indicator rose to about 72% under the district’s calculation. Staff emphasized that some benchmarks and definitions changed and warned against direct apples-to-apples comparisons year over year because of metric changes.
The board also received a presentation of ECRA-access reports that examine annual ACCESS test growth for English learners. The ECRA model breaks students into bands and measures expected growth; district staff said the results generally show expected growth across modalities and that district program changes — including mainstreaming EL students and increasing staff credentials — align with observed improvements. Staff and an ECRA presenter noted productive skills (writing and speaking) sometimes behaved differently in District 88 than typical statewide trends and that model drilldowns are available to examine cohorts and individual students.
Board members asked whether newcomers (students who arrive with little or no English) skew growth metrics and whether the model accounts for such differences. Staff replied ECRA’s methodology accounts for bands and can be drilled down to identify individuals and program models; they also described work to increase staff credentials and dual-credit options to expand access for EL students.
District staff summarized additional data: college-credit hours rose (3,696 to 5,574) after adding AP and dual-credit options, generating estimated college tuition savings (district estimate ~$2.6 million), industry credentials increased (1,422 to 1,693), graduation rates remained above the state average (92.2% vs. 89%), attendance was 90.2%, and discipline incidents declined with zero expulsions reported.
What’s next: staff said the district will use the ECRA reports and dashboard to identify program models to scale and to continue discussions with the state about EL policy and access.
