Below is a screenshot of School District 214’s Covid dashboard as of January 6, 2022. You may wonder how this compares to before winter break. You may wonder how this count breaks down between students and teachers, considering that teacher absences require finding substitute teachers. When asked about this, a district staff member told a… Continue reading District 214’s Deficient Covid Dashboard Trails its Neighbors – Why?
Test Scores, Achievement Gaps, and District FOIA Policy: Concerning New Information
This article addresses three related areas of concern: the drop in test scores across the district, the wide achievement gaps across demographic groups, and the district’s policy that keeps more information inaccessible. Test scores In early December, the state released the 2020 version of the Illinois Report Card, the website which collects and makes available… Continue reading Test Scores, Achievement Gaps, and District FOIA Policy: Concerning New Information
New FOIA data: Fights in schools have exploded in District schools
On December 19, 2021, the Chicago Tribune reported on violent student behavior in schools, and quoted, among others, Assistant Superintendent Marni Johnson: At Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214, officials have seen “an uptick in disruptive behavior and fighting” since the start of the new school year, said Marni Johnson, an assistant superintendent for… Continue reading New FOIA data: Fights in schools have exploded in District schools
Bought and Paid For: an update on campaign finances
This is a speech prepared for the July 29 board meeting. It’s July, and that means the final campaign funding reports have now been filed with the State Board of Elections. I’ve done the analysis and posted the information at the website d214parents.com. Here’s what I learned. First, the Supporters of District 214, that is,… Continue reading Bought and Paid For: an update on campaign finances
Alert: De-tracking is Underway at D214
Bottom line on top: District 214 is engaged in a process of removing the “tracks” — that is, advanced, regular, or lower-level instruction, from its (non-math/math-heavy) academic courses, such as English, social science, and biology. They are doing this out of the public eye and without any public school board authorization. This will impact families… Continue reading Alert: De-tracking is Underway at D214
Legislative Alert: HB 2789, IDPH power-grab
Bottom line on top: please file witness slips and e-mail your State Senators about this bill before it comes to a vote in the Senate. A new bill, HB 2789, has just been passed by the State House, and is up for consideration in the Senate, having flown so much under the radar that there… Continue reading Legislative Alert: HB 2789, IDPH power-grab
Why livestreaming matters – and how to make it happen
TL;DR: We URGENTLY need parents to commit to attending the April 29 board meeting and speak in favor of livestreaming board meetings. Here’s why: In order to increase transparency, accountability, and parent/community involvement, the school board should begin to livestream its meetings, and upload the recordings onto its website afterwards. That seems like an obvious… Continue reading Why livestreaming matters – and how to make it happen