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RPS 205 reports gains on 2025 state accountability measures, but gaps remain into high school
Summary
District officials said 2025 results show graduation rate and freshmen-on-track gains, double-digit literacy improvements in grades 3'8, and several schools moving to higher designations, while staff flagged ACT alignment, chronic absenteeism and math growth as continuing challenges.
Rockford Public Schools staff presented the district's 2025 accountability results to the Committee of the Whole, highlighting multi-year gains while acknowledging areas that need continued attention.
"Our graduation rate, year over year is up 3 percent," Dr. Jarrett told the board, adding that the district's graduation rate has risen from 61% (circa 2011) to about 77% today after a multi-year strategy focused on graduation and early intervention. He said freshmen-on-track is now roughly 79%, and third-through-eighth-grade literacy has seen double-digit gains.
The schools team reported that four district schools moved to higher state designations and three of the five special-program schools reached "exemplary" status (top 10% statewide). McIntosh Elementary was singled out for a 14% increase in reading proficiency; staff credited partnerships (including the Rockford Park District), building-level MTSS strategies and targeted budgeting for flexible grouping.
Morgan Gallagher and other staff discussed high schools: dual-credit and AP access have risen sharply (over 1,000 students now earn dual credit), and the district has developed an internal "rigor index" to track graduation credentials such as AP, dual credit and the Seal of Biliteracy. Gallagher said high-school graduation and freshmen-on-track metrics have improved in four consecutive years.
Board members pressed staff on a drop in measured proficiency by grade 11 compared with grades 3'8. Staff attributed part of that change to the state's re-adoption of the ACT for high-school assessment (a recent shift from the SAT), which requires curricular realignment, and to specific local testing disruptions (staff noted a swatting incident at East High that likely affected testing conditions). Chronic absenteeism—estimated in some high schools at 40% or higher—was cited as another major driver pushing students off track.
The presentation also noted district investments: roughly $30 million in discretionary dollars allocated across schools to hire positions such as attendance specialists, parent liaisons and tutors. Staff told the board they will continue monitoring cohorts and urged work focused on early literacy as the foundation for sustained graduation gains.
The committee did not vote on accountability measures but requested follow-up data comparisons (e.g., grade 11 proficiency versus historic grade 3'8 performance) and additional analyses linking freshmen-on-track cohorts with later graduation cohorts.
