By Olivia Allen, Moline Dispatch and Rock Island Argus, Ill. The Tribune Content Agency
While most still lag behind state averages, many Illinois Quad-Cities school districts are showing growth in English Language Arts, math and science proficiency rates - along with improvements in attendance, discipline and other areas.
Released annually by the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Report Cards provide comprehensive information on public schools and districts statewide.
These reports cover a range of metrics - including academic progress, student demographics, equity, accountability and more - from the 2023-24 school year, using scores from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness and other standardized tests, as well as in-house district data.
Here's a breakdown of key data points and other 2024 Illinois Report Card highlights at Quad-Cities school districts:
East Moline
Six schools, including one middle school and one early learning center.
Attendance rate: 92%, slightly above the state's average.
Chronic absenteeism: 29% (state average: 26%) - a nearly 16% decrease from 2022-23.
Student discipline incidents: 280 total across 143 students, a decrease of one incident report compared to 2022-23.
ELA proficiency: 19% (state average: 39%) - an 11% increase from 2022-23.
Math proficiency: 14% (state average: 28%) - a roughly 13% increase from 2022-23.
Science proficiency: 35% (state average: 53%) - a roughly 10% decrease from 2022-23.
While district proficiency rates still lag behind state averages, East Moline Superintendent Kristin Humphries noted continued growth in ELA and math. Particularly given the district's high English learners population, which he said has grown from ISBE's data this fall.
"I always try to keep that in mind when looking at our achievement scores," Humphries said. "While (ELA growth) wasn't as much as we want, it was growth, and we're on a trajectory where there's been growth each year."
As the district's EL rates keep growing, he said 2024 proficiency data tells him "(they're) on a good path."
"We want to push that (growth) up even harder," Humphries said.
To help boost East Moline students' foundational ELA skills, Humphries said the district has worked to "get back to the basics" in recent years, implementing systematic phonics instruction and offering differentiated reading blocks to students.
He said the decrease in science proficiency was a surprise, noting East Moline schools' partnership with John Deere Inspire, a program that supports science, technology, engineering and math education programs like Project Lead the Way and the FIRST Lego League and Robotics Competitions.
"It's just awesome watching what's going on in our classrooms with our elementary PLTW curriculum. Our kids are engaged, and we're teaching some really good stuff," Humphries said. "We've only had that in place for a few years, but I (thought) we'd see some of that reflected in our state science assessment."
He plans to "dig into" the district's 2024 science proficiency rates with other East Moline school leaders.
Another reality for East Moline schools is its 12% student mobility rate - nearly 46% above the state's average.
A school's student mobility rate is the percentage of students who experienced at least one transfer in or out of the school between the first school day of October and the last school day of the year, not including graduates. This can be caused by several factors, such as a family's financial or work constraints; school choice or student discipline.
"That's (tough) on the children," Humphries said. "The best thing you can do for children is keep them in a consistent place, with their teachers, in a school community who knows and cares about them ... I'm proud of the way our teachers take our students in."
Humphries said attendance has been "a big push" across Quad-Cities school districts, with help from regional partners like United Way.
"We're very cognizant of whether our kids are in school ... We regularly check in on them, (seeing) what some of those barriers are," he said of East Moline schools' attendance growth.
If a student has already missed three school days early in the year, Humphries said, for example, district counselors will "check in" via school administrators and family members.
If kids aren't in school, they miss out on learning, plain and simple.
"And they don't get that great teaching our teachers can provide," Humphries added.
He said teacher support and professional development will be another key focus moving forward, noting how the district has hired many new teachers over the last five years.
This year, each East Moline school started hosting monthly "coaching cycles" for new teachers and instructional coaches to develop classroom strategies and receive extra instructional support.
Humphries said other district leaders, like principals, attend some of these meetings also.
"We're trying to get into classrooms more, and give our teachers more support in those strategies we know will help kids," he said. "We believe that with this (focus), and the addition of phonics instruction and differentiated reading blocks, we've got the right things in place."
Moline-Coal Valley
Fourteen schools, including two middle schools, one high school and one early learning center.
Graduation rate: 88%, just above state averages - a 1% decrease from the 2022-23 school year.
Student discipline incidents: 893 total across 505 students - a 19% decrease compared to total incidents reported in 2022-23.
Moline-Coal Valley officials did not return a request for comment by deadline Thursday.
Rock Island-Milan
Thirteen schools, including two junior high schools, one high school and one early learning center.
Graduation rate: Just over 82% (state 88%) - up about 7% from the 2022-23 school year.
Student discipline incidents: 1,465 total incidents across 787 students - down nearly 6% compared to total incidents reported in 2022-23.
In a news release Wednesday, Rock Island-Milan leaders said the district's progress on the 2024 Report Card reflects recent investments toward curricular resources, improved data systems and a focus on student wrap-around services.
"Our (school board) teachers, staff, families and school community are proud of the accomplishments of our scholars and our school district," said Superintendent Sharon Williams. "We realize we have work to do to ensure that all scholars reach their highest potential and will use these positive results as a springboard to further success."
To reach this success, Rock Island-Milan leaders will focus on improving math proficiency and keeping freshmen on-track to graduate throughout the upcoming school year.
According to the news release, district leaders plan to engage parents, families and community partners as it continues efforts to improve equity, student outcomes and other strategic priorities.
Attendance rate: 90% (state: 92%) - up almost 1% from the 2022-23 school year.
Chronic absenteeism: 39% (state: 26%) - down just over 4% from 2022-23.
Student discipline incidents: 97 total incidents across 86 students - a 29% drop in total incidents compared to 2022-23.
United Township Superintendent Jay Morrow was glad to see graduation rates continue above 90%, one of the district's goals for over a decade.
He said 2024 is the "12th or 13th year" UT's graduation rates have floated above this point, but the district must keep working hard to keep students engaged.
"We were happy with our (percentage of) freshmen on track to graduate ... we've struggled with that on and off over the years," Morrow said.
He credits some of this growth to United Township's "RADAR" program. Part of the district's Multi-Tiered Systems of Support framework, RADAR is an intensive support class for freshmen and sophomores - typically focused on math or ELA subjects - who are struggling academically or sometimes behaviorally.
"So those students are paired up with a teacher to really focus on those (proficiency areas)," Morrow said.
But to him, ISBE's measurement of high school proficiency, SAT or ACT exam scores, taken during students' junior year of high school, might not be the most effective.
"I'd argue our actual (proficiency) numbers are higher," than 2024 report card data, Morrow said. "I do know that (Illinois) sets the proficiency cut scores (much higher) than other states."
Looking at other 2024 report card data, he was proud to see drops in disciplinary incidents compared to past years. Morrow said United Township's recent padding of classroom cell phone policies likely supplied some of this, but he also notes a "reestablishing" of pre-pandemic norms and expectations.
"I think all schools nationwide dealt with some post-pandemic trauma," reflecting both academic and behavioral delays, he said. "I think there was a delay here ... so it's our job to kind of re-establish what's acceptable behavior and what isn't."
These conversations include United Township parents, too, Morrow added.
"All of our educators are doing a wonderful job; They're working really hard - especially on chronic absenteeism," he said. "We've got to work to (develop) resiliency in our students, because (resilient) students build resilient adults and vice versa."
To explore each district's 2024 Illinois Report card individually, visit www.illinoisreportcard.com.