Dunlap report card: several schools earn 'exemplary' designations; district highlights growth and attendance gains
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Summary
Superintendent Doctor Andrews told the board Dunlap High, Dunlap Middle, Dunlap Grade and Hickory Grove received exemplary summative designations this year; the presentation also noted improvements in chronic absenteeism and strong AP pass rates and previewed state metric changes coming in 2026.
Superintendent Doctor Andrews presented key findings from the Illinois Report Card for the 2024–25 school year and summarized district-level academic and programmatic updates.
Andrews said multiple district buildings earned the state’s highest summative designation this year: Dunlap Grade School, Dunlap High School, Dunlap Middle School and Hickory Grove. He explained that “exemplary” status requires a school to be in the top 10 percent statewide and have no underperforming student groups. “We had another successful school year,” Andrews said, describing buildings that earned exemplary and commendable results across different measures.
Andrews outlined how the state calculates summative scores (weighted indicators for proficiency, growth and, at the high-school level, graduation rates), and he described changes the Illinois State Board of Education is proposing for the 2026 designations — moving from the prior five-level system to a structure that includes streamlined core indicators and “elevating” indicators such as English-language progress and consistent attendance.
District performance details noted by Andrews included above-average proficiency across buildings, growth measures in ELA and math within typical or strong ranges, and a high AP outcome: roughly 93–94 percent of AP exam takers earned scores of 3 or higher on exams taken last year. Andrews also pointed to targeted work to reduce chronic absenteeism, including adding Title I student-support specialist positions at Valley, Ridgeview and Wilderway, and an emerging curriculum-data platform to monitor attendance and achievement in real time.
Board members asked clarifying questions about AP participation and how course offerings have influenced enrollment in AP classes; Andrews said the rise reflected increased AP offerings and active encouragement from teachers rather than sudden enrollment growth. He also previewed forthcoming curriculum and program-evaluation work tied to the district strategic plan.
The presentation was informational; no board action was taken at the meeting.
