State report cards give central Kane schools good grades

The Illinois State Board of Education released this year’s school report cards last week. The report cards showed strong progress in students’ recovery from the pandemic, according to a news release.

The report cards showed increased proficiency rates and the highest graduation rate in 13 years. Gains for Black students, who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, led the significant improvement according to several indicators, according to the release.

“We are moving fast toward recovery, but we still have a significant distance to travel,” state Superintendent Tony Sanders said in the release.

“Even once we exceed prepandemic achievement, we are not done until we have a system that graduates each and every student ready for success,” Sanders said. “Educators and families should be proud of the remarkable progress we see on the 2023 Illinois Report Card, while remaining focused on understanding and meeting students’ needs at this phase of recovery.”

The ninth graders on track assessment reflects research from the University of Chicago, which shows that students who finish ninth grade on track are almost four times as likely to graduate.

All central Kane County districts – St. Charles, Batavia, Geneva and Kaneland – were listed as either exemplary, which means they performed in the top 10% of schools statewide, or commendable, which means they are not in the top 10%, but none of those schools have underperforming student groups.

St. Charles District 303

The district has 11,612 students and 15 schools: two high schools, two middle schools and 11 elementary schools.

Four were listed as exemplary and 11 as commendable.

The four exemplary schools are Corron, Ferson Creek, Norton Creek and Wasco elementary.

The 11 commendable are both St. Charles East and St. Charles North high schools; Thompson and Wredling middle schools and Anderson, Bell-Graham, Munhall, Wild Rose, Davis, Richmond and Lincoln elementary schools.

Highlights include 73% proficiency in science, 55% proficiency in math, 59% efficiency in language arts, 41% of eighth graders passed algebra 1, 91% of ninth graders on track and a 92% graduation rate.

The district spends $19,000 per student on average with total district expenditures at almost $224.4 million.

The average student-teacher ratio is 17 to one.

It has 904 teachers – with 61% with a master’s degree or higher – at an average pay of $75,357.

More information is available online at www.illinoisreportcard.com.

Batavia District 101

The district has more than 5,169 students and eight schools: one high school, one middle school and six elementary schools.

HC Storm Elementary School was listed as exemplary. The rest were listed as commendable: Batavia High School, Sam Rotolo Middle School and Grace McWayne, Hoover Wood, JB Nelson and Louise White elementary schools.

Achievement highlights include a 67% proficiency in science, 44% proficiency in math and language arts,14% of eighth graders passing algebra 1, 97% of ninth graders on track and a 95% graduation rate.

Batavia spends on average $19,000 per student with total district spending at more than $111 million.

The average teacher-student ratio is 17 to one.

The district has 360 teachers – 68% who have a master’s degree or higher – at an average salary of $84,450.

More information is available online at www.illinoisreportcard.com.

Geneva District 304

The district has 5,048 students and 10 schools: one high school, two middle schools and seven elementary schools.

The exemplary schools are Geneva High School and four elementary schools – Fabyan, Harrison, Heartland and Williamsburg.

Commendable schools are Geneva Middle School North and South, Mill Creek and Western Avenue.

Highlights are 73% proficiency in science, 42% proficiency in math, 47% proficiency in language arts, 23% eighth grade passed algebra 1, 97% ninth graders on track and a 97% graduation rate.

Geneva spends about $18,000 per student with total district expenditures at almost $109 million.

The average teacher-student ratio is 16 to one.

The district has 402 teachers with 75% who have a master’s degree or higher at an average salary of $78,663.

More information is available online at www.illinoisreportcard.

Kaneland District 302

The district has 3,983 students and six schools: one high school, one middle school and five elementary schools.

All were listed as commendable: Kaneland High School, Harter Middle School and Blackberry Creek, John Shields, John Stewart and McDole elementary schools.

Highlights are 61% are proficient in science, 29% in math and 33% in language arts, 89% of ninth graders are on track and a 90% graduation rate.

The average cost of educating each student is $18,000 with total district expenditures at almost $85 million.

The teacher-student ratio is 14 to one.

The district has 314 teachers – 64% have a master’s degrees or higher – and the average pay is $73,397.

More information is available online at www.illinoisreportcard.com.