Wheeling Twp. schools will follow test law
The Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 board Thursday faced the same problem many districts in the state already have encountered: to give the test or not?
Last year, the U.S. Department of Education ruled that a test given to English-language learners in Illinois didn't measure up to requirements of No Child Left Behind laws.
Instead of finding a replacement for the English-learner's IMAGE test, the state decided to give all students its standard test. It will allow some accommodations, such as extended time to take the test and use of audio recordings.
For District 21, the loss of the IMAGE test means 10 of its 12 schools potentially could miss No Child Left Behind standards this year, according to board members. Last year, 10 of 12 met the standards.
On Thursday, the board took a final vote and decided 6-1 to give the standard test to all; however, board members stressed they weren't happy.
"This is indeed a very difficult situation," board member Rich Rosen said.
Arlen Gould, the one board member who said the district should take a stand by not giving the test, said the schools will fail either way.
Years ago, the district started rejecting Title I funds, which are tied to No Child Left Behind, so Gould said there are no repercussions to having students not take the test.
"I'm just so opposed to putting our kids through this," Gould said, pointing out that students who are just beginning to learn English will lose their morale if they're forced to take a test they are not yet qualified for.
He said the district can find another test for students that they could take later in the year.
However, other board members said they didn't want District 21 to be the trial case for keeping students from being tested.
Carol Stream Elementary District 93 decided recently not to give the test to English-language learners this spring, making it the first in the state to refuse mandated exams.
"Let them react on DuPage," District 21 board President Bill Harrison said Thursday.
Board members also were worried that residents wouldn't understand the real issue behind not testing.
Staci Allan said it's not about making different rules. The students are learning English, she said, but they should be tested on what they've learned so far.
"We're not saying we don't want to do the best we can to make them great English speakers," she said.
Besides District 93, others in the area -- such as Northwest Suburban High School District 214 and Naperville Unit District 203 -- have discussed not letting their English learners take the test. So far, however, District 93 is the only one to keep its students from sitting for the exam.