The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board will ask administrators additional questions tonight to explore the purpose and effects of the district’s 60 percent racial guideline.
The guideline — which mandates that no school can have more than 60 percent of its pupils from any racial group — has been used to integrate Evanston’s schools since the 1960s.
The board voted May 5th to postpone until next year its decision on whether to continue using the guideline until next year.
The district will begin to investigate the purpose of the guideline by researching the number of pupils bussed from their neighborhoods to schools farther away in order to maintain racial balance. The district also will study minority pupil achievement, demographic balance in schools and school enrollment numbers.
Board member Bob Eder said he wants to expand research on minority achievement to include profiles of schools where minority students achievement is above standards. He hopes this will give the district an idea of how to improve minority achievement in Evanston.
The board will also vote on whether to accept the recommendation from the report card committee to revise report cards for elementary- and middle-school pupils.
Elementary-school pupils currently are given a number assessment from one to four in each subject. At the last meeting, several board members expressed concern that a grade of two, indicating that a pupil meets standards with “support,” allows pupils to pass classes when they need more help.
“Some people felt the wording was not indicative of how the child was doing,” said board member Mary Erickson.
Eder said administrators will recommend that parents of pupils receiving a two will have to sign off on an academic intervention plan, which allows the district to provide extra support.
The administration also will have to redefine what a letter grade of D will mean for middle-school pupils, board member Bob Eder said.
“The issue revolves around whether that kind of grade meets standards or not,” he said.
The board will meet at 8 p.m. at the Joseph E. Hill Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave.
The meeting is open to the public.
