The Illinois State Board of Education is developing a new accountability system that is scheduled for implementation in the 2026-2027 school year.
Members of the Board of Education learned from Jennifer Kenney, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, that the changes will place a stronger emphasis on student achievement while removing several factors currently used in state designations.
Kenney shared the changes are, “right siding the proficiency standards.” A process she was part of having signed on to assist the state in its review and development of new cut scores. Her involvement came when she was first made aware of the state’s intent to lower the cut scores on the various state assessments.
“When I first heard they were going to lower cut scores it threw me off a bit, were we going to be dumbing down the test, what are we doing in Illinois” she said. What Kenney found through her involvement was a movement to align the scores to student proficiency.
Her working group focused on sixth, seventh and eighth grade math, and she said they spent a lot of time looking at test scores, common core standards and what it means to be proficient.
“Instead of just lowering them we looked at what our tests were and what the proficiency cut scores were, and then we went from there and had great discussions on how that applies to students, what a cut score really is, is a student really on track and are they where they are supposed to be,” Kenney said, noting it was a great process.
The changes seek to provide students with a clearer understanding of their proficiency level, and Kenney provided a few examples of high school students from across the state who were enrolled in Advanced Placement and dual credit courses and who registered grade point averages of 3.75 or higher, but were labeled as not proficient based on the state testing scores.
“There are some students that really stand out and when we look at our students, you can handpick these students and know they are proficient, but the state says they are not,” she shared with the Board.
Based on the work that has been completed the cut scores for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness—English/language arts [ELA] and math— for third to eighth grade have been lowered, while the cut scores have increased on the Illinois Science Assessment given to fifth and eighth graders.
Cut scores for science went up 13 points from 799 to 812. The state’s cut scores for both ELA and math were 750 and based on the changes those scores are now between 745 and 735 in ELA and 745 and 732 in math. The biggest adjustment is in the lower grade levels.
The cut scores on the ACT have been set for grades 9, 10 and 11. For freshmen those scores are 14 in ELA and science and 17 in math, and 15 ELA, 18 math and 16 science for sophomores. As for juniors the cut score for proficiency in ELA is 18 and 19 in the areas of math and science, and at those levels a student is projected to be successful in college level studies, Kenney said.
The changes will be reflected in the testing data released by the state board in mid to late October.
“We are eager to share the latest state accountability results with you. Although we remain in a moratorium and cannot officially release the data, the results are promising,” said Kenney, who has been reviewing the testing data that will be released as part of the district’s state report card.
Kenney further shared the state is redesigning the school report card and that will be reflected in the information presented in fall 2026. Again, it will have a better focus on proficiency and student growth.
In other business from the Sept. 3 meeting:
- The Board accepted a $500 grant from the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement Foundation. The grant is for seventh grade English/language arts teacher Brenna Noffsinger to purchase a variety of novels for her classroom.
- Board members accepted the resignations of Megan Blanton, one-on-one aide at the Early Childhood Center and Lisa Johnson, intermediate school health aide.
- Employed were Carmen Kinder, reading interventionist at the Elementary School; Melanie Hawkins, health aide for the Elementary and Intermediate Schools, and Katherine Cash, cafeteria worker at the Early Childhood Center.
- The transfer of Katie Ludes to District EL Coordinator and Interventionist was approved.
- The retirement of Tina Vignocchi was amended from Dec. 31 to June 30, 2026.
- Middle School Athletic Director Rodney Monbrum recommended and the Board approved coaching assignments for Chris Figge and J.R. Rivera, middle school assistant wrestling coaches and Kathryn Drey, sixth grade volleyball coach. Additionally, the following volunteer assistant wrestling coaches were approved—Adam Rodriguez, Dean Christensen, Ryan Webster, Evan Rivera, Vince Piatak, Zach Finch, Johnny Housman, Bill Gill and Lance Evans.
- High School Athletic Director Brad Boresi recommended and the Board approved Girls Golf Coaches Tim Gabehart, Cade Mueller and Dave Sinkular.
- Tracy Schmitz was approved as a mentor teacher.
- The Board approved partnership donations as presented.
- Student enrollment at the end of August was 2,079.
- High School Athletic Director Brad Boresi reported 254 students are enrolled in a fall sport—football, soccer, volleyball, boys and girls golf, tennis, cheer and dance—and 58 students are involved in Marching Band this season. Superintendent Chris Spencer pointed out this is nearly half of all students enrolled at the high school.
- Board members were introduced to the district’s new certified staff.
The next monthly meeting of the Board of Education will be held Wednesday, Oct. 1 and a study session meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 17. Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. in the Board Room of the District Administration Center.