Frankfort School District 157-C

Good Afternoon Frankfort School District 157-C Families,

The Illinois State Board of Education has published the annual Illinois Report Card, available at www.illinoisreportcard.com. This report provides an analysis of the performance data for our three schools from the 2023-2024 school year. As an important accountability tool, it holds significance for everyone in our school community. The data is essential in assisting us evaluate our educational environment that supports our students' learning and development.

We are pleased to report that our students again performed excellently as an overall cohort, with an 83% proficiency score in ELA and 70% proficiency rating in math on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). We are incredibly proud of the students for their continued efforts to demonstrate proficiency in the Illinois Learning Standards. It is evident that our teachers, support staff, and administrators, in partnership with families, continue to be incredibly successful in executing the mission of the school district.

It is equally important to assess how effectively our instructional programs impact all students. Illinois utilizes Student Growth Percentiles (SGP) as a performance measure to gauge academic progress. While proficiency indicates whether students have met a consistent, high standard, growth accounts for their advancement relative to where they began. An SGP reflects the percentage of students statewide, starting at a similar baseline, who demonstrated the same or greater progress based on IAR scale scores. The accompanying graph illustrates this concept.

We should recognize and celebrate the progress of students making significant gains just as much as those who have already met established standards.

Based on our 2024 Illinois Report Card, it’s evident that our staff have made a significant impact on student learning, regardless of their background. The demographic data highlights how our educators are successfully addressing the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds.

Below is the overall growth percentile for all 157-C students, along with growth by demographic group. The growth percentile data for each subgroup shows strong progress, with many rates comparable to the overall student population. We applaud our teachers for their outstanding efforts.

The Illinois Science Assessment is designed to measure performance against rigorous science standards. The tests require students to apply their science skills to answering questions. These skills are necessary in order for students to be successful in the real world. The science tests are given to students enrolled in fifth and eighth grade. As a district, 79% of our students were proficient on the Illinois Science Assessment.

The graph below displays the percentage of students who fall into four levels: emerging, developing, proficient, and exemplary on the Illinois Science Assessment. In the spring, 38.1 of our students scored in the exemplary category.

Our students, teachers, and staff should be recognized for their academic achievement and growth accomplishments. The collective effort of all individuals has provided enriching learning opportunities and propelled students to greater heights than ever before.

It is equally essential to emphasize that our schools—Grand Prairie, Chelsea, and Hickory Creek—are much more than just places for test scores. They serve as a second home for both students and staff. Our schools prioritize not only academic achievement but also fostering relationships, personal growth, and emotional well-being. We provide students with rich opportunities in extracurricular activities and athletics, striving to build strong connections with families and the community. Our goal is to ensure that all students enjoy their school experience and view it as positive and fun, all while being given the opportunity to explore their individual passions and prepare for the next steps in their educational journey.

All district schools are required to participate in a survey of learning conditions annually. This is called the Illinois 5Essentials. This is one way we assess the climate of our buildings. Students in fourth through eighth grade, teachers and staff, and parents take this survey each winter.

Staff and parents at Grand Prairie reported the academic engagement of students at GP was strong, along with their peer relationships amongst other children at school.

Students at Chelsea reported their learning environment was supportive and that teachers provided strong, ambitious instruction. Chelsea teachers and parents also rated their relationships as being positively collaborative to support the learning environment for students.

Students at Hickory Creek reported their teachers provided very strong, ambitious instruction. Also, students reported that the learning environment was supportive. HCMS teachers and parents also rated their partnerships as very strong as well.

Also true about HCMS is that students participate in extracurriculars at an extremely high rate. We believe that the more students engage with activities at school, they will feel more connected to the school community. Below are the percentage of students who were involved in one or more activities at HCMS last year.

The Illinois Report Card is an opportunity we welcome to celebrate our strengths and reflect on our goals for improvement, so that every student can reach their fullest potential. These results reflect the ongoing commitment to the vision and key priorities identified in our FSD 157-C Strategic Plan (linked).

At the November 19 regular Board of Education meeting, our administrative team will present a much more detailed report of all indicators measured on the Illinois Report Card, including the overall "Exemplary" and "Commendable" ) designation status of our three schools ( linked), financial expenditure data related to student and operational costs, and goal areas for improvement.

Thank you for your continued support of Frankfort School District 157-C.

Sincerely,