U-46 grads: High schools need improvement

A sizable percentage of Elgin Area School District U-46 graduates had a less-than-ideal high school experience, according to a recent survey.

Of the 640 graduates questioned by Rosemont-based assessment group ECRA last spring, 40 percent said they did not feel prepared for higher education or were neutral on the subject.

Just less than half of the respondents moved on to a 4-year college right after high school. Another third moved on to a community college.

When asked to grade their overall experience and the quality of the education they received, they gave U-46 high schools, on average, a "B-minus."

Though solid faculty members, curriculum and school facilities were listed as positive factors, graduates did not necessarily feel challenged in high school, the survey reported. They also expressed a need for improvement in discipline and overcrowding and felt there should be a better use of technology in the classroom.

Asked to rank the quality of their teachers, 70 percent of those responding gave teachers an "A" or a "B." Slightly more than half of survey takers gave high school guidance counselors that grade; just 43 percent favorably graded administrators.

Of the quality of subjects taught, performance arts and social studies received the most positive reviews from graduates. English, math, and special education came in next, followed by science and physical education. The quality of foreign language programs and English as a Second Language fared the worst.

According to the group's report, an attempt was made to reach nearly 60,000 students who graduated between 2003 and 2007, either through a postcard mailing or online through the social networking site MySpace.com.

Of the 640 survey respondents, 228 were Bartlett High School graduates. Elgin, Larkin and Streamwood high schools each saw between 116 and 165 graduates respond.

According to the report, U-46's results closely mirror national data.

Hoping to improve on some of its scores, the district plans to incorporate the survey's findings into professional development and planning sessions for high school staff members, district spokesman Tony Sanders said. The survey may be taken on an annual basis.