District 87 officials say ACT scores part of a 'never-ending process'

Glenbard High School District 87 officials are not exactly satisfied with a report that says their students' ACT scores exceeded the state average.

But that doesn't mean they're exactly unhappy, either.

Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services Hector Garcia said Monday that while outpacing the state average is good news, the results are a small part of the school's overall mission.

"It's a never-ending process," he said. "We are continuously looking at how much more we can support the kids who are struggling and help those who are already doing well go further."

Figures released by the company that conducts the college-readiness test show the district's average composite score was 21.9, above the state average of 20.7 on a 36-point scale. The scores relate to members of the Class of 2010 who took the test as juniors.

The results come in the middle of a transition for the district to what school officials have said is a more challenging and aligned curriculum throughout its four schools. The new model eliminates some honors classes and introduces students to advanced placement courses at a younger age.

The model has come under fire from a vocal group of parents who say the move, while good in theory, actually hinders better-performing students by removing the honors options.

But Garcia defended it Monday, saying it follows a national trend.

"That's what we are doing: we are aligning ourselves with a more rigorous common core curriculum," he said. "We feel very, very positive about the direction of saying, 'Let's challenge ourselves and help all kids get to the next level.'"

Glenbard's ACT scores have been stagnant the past four years. This year's 21.9 matches the 2007 average and comes after two years at 22.1.

"While we put value in these scores and they are very important to us, we like to take a look at several indicators of student achievement," Garcia said.

All Illinois high school graduates must take the ACT, which tests their skills in English, math, reading and science.