Evanston public schools have improved classroom diversity and academic achievement but still hope to further raise test scores for low-income and minority students and balance budget deficits, school district superintendents said at a joint State of the Schools address Thursday night.
Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Superintendent Hardy Ray Murphy and District 202 Superintendent Allan Alson spoke to an audience of about 30 people at Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave.
The two-hour meeting, hosted by the PTA Council, began shortly after 7:30 p.m. in the ETHS auditorium.
Murphy was first to address the audience. He began by praising the achievements of the two districts and attributing their success to the teachers.
“High achievement is the forefront of everything we do,” he said. “Our primary tool is our curriculum.”
Murphy commended district programs for boosting reading and math as well as providing support for struggling students. He singled out two-way immersion bilingual education, a program he called “groundbreaking.”
“It’s a testimony to the fact that this great community of ours embraces diversity,” he said.
District schools are placing emphasis on reading through guided reading groups, reading independently and with partners, and writing in journals, Murphy said.
Murphy said he also wanted to clear up any misconceptions about statewide assessments.
“We are not over-testing our children with standardized tests,” he said, adding that students currently take only one statewide test, the Illinois State Achievement Test, each year.
Though he conceded the district has faced “tough times” financially, Murphy concluded by highlighting specific awards and achievements earned at each school and discussing technology advancements within the district. Teachers now can create their own Web pages where they can post homework assignments. Online registration also is being developed.
“When I say District 65 is where things are happening, it’s because we are making cutting-edge decisions,” he said. “We have a wonderful school system.”
Alson began his portion of the address by calling ETHS “one of the great public high schools in the United States.”
“Every school district must have a framework from which it operates,” he said. “There have to be goals. There have to be standards for which students aim to achieve.”
He listed four district goals he said built a strong framework for K-12 students: a challenging academic program, diversity, extracurricular activities, and counseling and tutoring.
Alson said a diverse student body enhances a school.
“It’s one thing to be together,” he said. “It’s another to learn from each other. It really is about helping students learn how to learn. They really need to understand different perspectives. We need to find ways to foster that.”
Alson said a number of construction efforts will take place on campus soon. The theater, outdoor track and cafeteria will be rebuilt, and a nature center will open next September.
Alson also addressed some “points of concern.” Though students in all racial categories at ETHS test above national averages for the ACT, Alson said an “achievement gap” still exists among low-income and minority students.
“Our single greatest challenge is the achievement gap between white and Asian students and students of color,” he said. “We have a dual obligation to make sure excellence and equity co-exist.”
For the first time, ETHS is among the 80 percent of Illinois school districts that are running deficit budgets. Unless new funding is found, this will cause the school to face drastic expenditure cuts in the next few years. Alson said between $2 million and $2.25 million will be cut from school budgets each year for 2005-06 and 2006-07.
“We must continue to have the highest possible standards for our students,” he said. “No social institution is perfect.”
