Each year, SchoolSearch, Inc., an independent educational research firm, provides data on school districts for relocating families seeking information about public schools. They are the group that publishes the annual Bright Red Apple Award and others. One of the services they provide on an annual basis is a student-performance ranking of every school district in the State of Illinois.

It was a year of “ninth” this year, as District 101 was ranked 9th in the State in overall student performance of the 718 districts that educate elementary students. This follows a similar ranking of ninth last year and marks the ninth consecutive year that we have ranked in the top fifteen performing districts in the State.

This data confirms the strong relative performance of our students compared with some of the other highest-performing students across Chicagoland and the State. Most exciting is our students’ sustained jump in achievement realized in each of the past three years. After several years (2002-2005) of approximately 92% of our students meeting Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards, we have now realized four consecutive years of a jump in overall student performance, with 97.1% of students meeting or exceeding standards in 2009, the highest student performance rate in any year to date. This follows 2008 results of 96.8% and 2007 results of 95.7% of students meeting or exceeding standards. Results for the past eleven years of student performance are summarized below:

Year	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Students (%) Meeting or Exceeding Standards	89.4%	92.0%	93.0%	92.1%	92.3%	92.2%	92.8%	96.3%	95.7%	96.8%	97.1%

Over the past several years, District 101’s per pupil expenditures (PPE) have compared quite favorably with those of other districts placing at the top of the SchoolSearch list. This year, District 101 spent $8,787 per pupil. Comparatively, our PPE was less than all but two of the districts in the top ten statewide (both from Clinton County). The average per pupil expenditure for the other top ten performing districts on this list was $12,544; significantly, District 101 expenditures average 30.1% less than the average district on this list. This is another example of the fiscal responsibility that the Board of Education continues to show, while ensuring that each of our students is receiving an outstanding education.

For complete student-performance and financial information, please review the District 101 School Report Card, which can be accessed, in full, in the Important Issues section of this front page.                 

If you have not yet done so, please check out the "Important Topics" section of the front page of this website for access to timely information for our parents, families, and community. One of these recently-added topics is the 2010-11 School Calendar which was ratified by the Board of Education at their February meeting. You will find detailed information about the entire calendar, with the exception of Late Arrival dates, which will be set following LTHS's release of their own late-start dates. 

Dear Parents and Community Members-

This is just a reminder that this Saturday, February 13, the biannual Western Springs Foundation for Educational Excellence (WSFEE) Dinner Dance will be held at the Oakbrook Hills Marriott. Tickets are still available for this always-fun event. Please consider supporting the WSFEE this Saturday!

Brian Barnhart
Superintendent

Dear Parents and Students-

This is just a reminder, given the forecast for significant amounts of snow beginning tonight and continuing for approximately 36 hours, that we will utilize the front page of the District Website (see above in red) as our first communication regarding school delays/cancellations. Additionally, we will utilize our Emergency Call/Email System and local broadcast media to keep parents abreast of any changes outside the normal school day schedule.

Be safe and have a great week!

Brian Barnhart
Superintendent