The Evanston Township High School auditorium was packed Monday night as parents, students and teachers gathered for an open forum on the school’s controversial mixed-level classes.
The special meeting of the District 202 Board of Education was the latest in a string of meetings and forums focused on the elimination of honors English for seniors. Those students are now part of mixed classes for those testing in the 40th to 94th percentiles.
Superintendent Eric Witherspoon reiterated that by mixing students with a range of academic backgrounds, the administration hopes to increase rigor and expectations for low-achieving students.
“We know there are many students in this school capable of higher academic work,” Witherspoon said. “When we challenge them to meet expectations, we have many examples of students reaching higher academic achievement.”
Many parents raised questions and concerns about the curriculum changes throughout the evening.
Parents asked the board how teacher effectiveness and curriculum success would be measured. Assistant Superintendent Laura Cooper said that evaluating and implementing changes would take time.
“The process of change for humanities and senior English we anticipate to be a multi-year process,” she said. “We’re going to look at a number of indicators including grades and test score data.”
Cooper also said that the district’s goal of producing high-achieving students would only be achieved by redefining and refining expectations.
“Excellence is a moving target,” she said.
Like several parents and community members, ETHS math teacher Richard Kaplan spoke about the importance of mixed-level classes for facilitating higher achievement in minority students.
“Let’s have hope, just like we did with electing our new president, that we can get this diversity thing,” Kaplan said. “We want diversity to work in the school.”
Though several students talked about their frustration with mixed-level classes, some came wanting to take action.
Senior Zoe Goodman asked the school board what students could do to effect change in the curriculum.
“I know as a student I almost feel like the change is being forced upon us,” Goodman said. “We feel like we don’t have much of a say.”
ETHS freshman Rachel Rosenson echoed Goodman, saying that students should be involved in discussions about the classes.
“I don’t see why students don’t have the opportunity to think of a new way to do things,” Rosenson said. “Plan A or Plan B isn’t going to solve this, so students should get together and try to solve the issue.”
After several students had either complained or posed questions, senior Ariel Burton stood up and called on them to take the initiative themselves.
“Rigor does not begin or end in the classroom, and there is only so much teachers can do,” she said. “It is the child’s individual responsibility to take their education into their own hands.”
Burton’s statement was met with applause from the audience, which grew much louder as she defended the mixed classes.
“I despise the notion that mixing classes somehow brings down the standard,” she said. “If your kids are bored, then they have to point themselves in the right direction.”
