Wauconda High has best-ever ACT score

Wearing pink T-shirts that read “Bulldogs care” to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, members of the Wauconda Elementary District 118 school board were tickled pink as they reviewed academic accomplishments.

Among the data, Wauconda High School students earned a composite score of 21.6 on the ACT in 2011, the school’s best performance since the state began requiring all juniors to take the test in 2002.

Superintendent Daniel Coles shared in a report presented at Thursday’s committee of the whole meeting that the score is a full percentage point higher than the state average in 2011 and half-point higher than the national average.

The board also reviewed the district’s student assessment results, which detailed scores from the Illinois Standards Achievement Test, Prairie State Achievement Examination and Advanced Placement data for third through eighth grade and high school students during the 2010-11 year.

“Some scores are up and some scores are down. We see that year to year,” Coles said. “What is most important is the trend data has shown the last six or seven years, all ISAT and PSAE meet or exceed standards are higher than the state average.”

This was evident in all 17 tests administered, which includes third through eighth grade reading and math, fourth and seventh grade science and 11th grade reading, math and science.

Coles said the district attributes success to students’ hard work, instruction and guidance provided by teachers and support staff, the board’s support of curricular initiatives, administration’s leadership and the “Show Them What You Know” campaign last spring. But he added there still are areas in need of attention.

“To that end, building principals and their staff use these state scores as well as other assessment data as a basis for their school improvement activities,” he said. Wauconda resident Cliff Babbey voiced concern to the board about why students’ PSAE scores in reading, writing and math dropped from last year. He questioned if the district is preparing its graduates for college.

Board president John Armstrong said there is no data that shows Wauconda students are struggling in college, or dropping out because they are not prepared.

“It is a jump to me to say, based on PSAE, students are going to struggle in college,” Armstrong said. “Our average on the ACT is above the national average. So it sounds like for the most part our kids are well enough prepared to go on to college.”

The school report cards will be posted on the district website by Oct. 31. A notice will appear in building newsletters when the information is available. Print copies also will be available upon request.