Success story: Stratford Middle School

Stratford Middle

Town: Bloomingdale

No. of subgroups for which it's held accountable: Four

Success story: The school posted solid scores across the board and made the grade for the second time in a row this year -- enough to pull itself off the state's improvement list. That success comes despite higher standards and the fact that the school now includes more subgroups than before.

How it got there: Carol Stream Elementary District 93, of which Stratford is a part, introduced a new language arts curriculum focusing on small instructional groups and extensive staff development. The district also put a new emphasis on data monitoring, testing students three times a year in reading and math and adjusting instruction if necessary.

What it plans for next year: Continuing to focus on working with educators on teaching language arts and math, and using test data to adjust instruction when needed.

Quote: "It's an excellent achievement and speaks for the district and its desire to help all students succeed." -- Sharon Frys, assistant superintendent for instructional and student services in District 93