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Addison SD 4 reports 30% enrollment drop since 2014; district highlights school-level gains and challenges
Summary
At its Nov. 19 meeting the Addison SD 4 board heard a pair of presentations showing about a 30% enrollment decline since 2014, class-size guidelines and boundary-change effects, and school-level shifts on state summative designations including Fullerton’s move from 'targeted' to 'commendable'.
The Addison SD 4 Board of Education on Nov. 19 heard district leaders describe a long-term drop in student enrollment and mixed results on state accountability measures.
Dr. Loece told the board the district has seen roughly a 30% decrease in enrollment since fiscal year 2014 — from about 4,378 students in 2014 to roughly 3,250 in the most recent October 1 count. "We've had a 30% decrease in our enrollment," she said, and cited the largest single-year decline during fiscal 2021, the COVID year.
The presentation included the district’s class-size guidelines: 26 for kindergarten through grade 2, 30 for grades 3–5, and 33 for middle school. Dr. Loece said boundary changes adopted in 2024–25 smoothed disparities across elementary schools: "...that boundary change was necessary and needed across the district so that we could be more consistent in our class sizes across the district." She also noted challenges filling some positions (particularly dual-language Spanish teachers) and described using paraeducators or splitting classes when needed.
District staff said exit reasons for students who leave are recorded in the student information system Skyward and that most students who depart move to another in-state district. When asked about hiring outside projection services, presenters said past vendors did not meet expectations and the district currently relies on internal data and periodic meetings with pre-K providers for planning.
Separately, the administration reviewed changes to Illinois proficiency benchmarks and the district’s summative designations. A district presenter explained Illinois moved from five to four proficiency categories and that the change affects year-to-year comparisons: the test itself did not change, but the cut scores did.
On school designations, staff highlighted several shifts: Fullerton rose from "targeted" to "commendable," a change the presenter attributed to focused work on a subgroup ("that subgroup this year grew 20 points"). Army Trail moved into "targeted" because previously unreported subgroups reached the state reporting threshold, and Stone dropped from exemplary to a lower designation after weaker growth and a lowered state bar.
Staff emphasized chronic absenteeism and subgroup growth as continuing priorities. Family-liaison staffing was reported to have declined from seven positions last year to four this year; presenters said targeted status brings additional funds and supports such as consultants, professional development and resources for parent engagement.
The board heard the reports as background for upcoming budget and policy decisions; administration noted the enrollment and assessment trends will inform December agenda items including the tax-levy action under consideration.
