District Facts | A New Path Forward with Newell and Ford

District Facts

SAT DATA Rich Township High School District 227

Academic Performance:

The Truth Behind the Numbers

Rich Township collects some of the highest property taxes in Cook County, about $30,000 per student. Despite this, the district has the lowest SAT scores in Cook County. On average, this is the 13th percentile in the United States, falling 250 points below what you’d expect for a school district with this level of funding.

In 2024, only 9.8% of Rich Township students met or exceeded expectations in English Language Arts (ELA), compared to the state average of 31.1%. In Math, 3.7% of our students achieved meets or exceeds, compared to the state average of 26.1%

District are Goals: Unrealistic and Misleading

The November 2024 edition of the Rich Township District newsletter states the goal that by 2026, 86% of students will achieve “expected or higher growth” in math and ELA. However, with only 3.7% in math and 9.8% in ELA currently meeting or exceeding SAT standards, this goal is both unrealistic and concerning. The district’s failure to define what ‘expected or higher growth’ means masks the severity of the issue, leaving parents and taxpayers in the dark about how such progress will be achieved. Vague promises attempting to hide that our students are falling far behind and taxpayers continue to pay for it.

How will our students go from 3.7% in math to 86% in one year? We need accountability, not empty promises.

Inflated Graduation Rates, Concealing the Real Problem: The district’s state measured passing and on track graduation rate and is inflated by policies like awarding an automatic 50% for incomplete assignments, hiding the reality that state SAT test scores show us. Students are not learning at the level they should be. There is an urgent need for a root cause analysis of the curriculum.

Lack of essential resources like tutoring programs: Despite poor academic performance, there are little to no ongoing or sustainable resources in place to help struggling learners. In response to the new Illinois Report Card Data, the district offered middle quarter tutoring at the end of last year.

Lack of audible bells in schools: This creates confusion, increases tardiness, and fosters a chaotic environment. It also encourages cell phone use as students check the time, leading to distractions and security concerns. Teachers must constantly monitor the clock and manage transitions, further disrupting classroom focus. Bells provide essential structure for efficient and safe student movement throughout the school day.

Misaligned Priorities

Stagnant Academic Performance

For the past five years, Rich Township has seen no significant improvement in SAT scores. Nearby schools, consistently outperform us, yet there’s been little action to address these disparities. Yet there is a focus on International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement programs--pathways designed for college readiness that don’t address core academic gaps or focus on strengthening foundational education or addressing root causes.

Lack of Clear Vision

The district has yet to articulate a sustainable vision for improving academic outcomes. Instead of using transparent terms like “meets” or “exceeds” standards—outlined by the Illinois Report Card—they rely on vague language like “greater than expected growth” to describe performance, masking the real issues.

Curriculum Overhaul with Teacher Input

It’s time for a curriculum overhaul that includes teacher input. Empowering teachers to provide input not only ensures practical solutions but also builds buy-in and a positive culture within the schools.

Chronic Absenteeism: 48% of students in Rich Township are chronically absent, meaning they miss 10% or more of the school year. Research shows that high absenteeism often stems from unmet mental health, social, and educational needs. We must invest in mental health resources, early intervention programs, and partnerships with community organizations to support students and families.

Our Vision

Establish School Board Committees for Collaboration:

Form committees focused on finance, communication, curriculum, and school culture, including diverse stakeholders. Meetings will occur regularly, be publicly announced, and remain open to ensure transparency and community involvement.

Expand Dual Credit Opportunities:

Increase access to dual credit programs, allowing students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree, reducing family financial burdens and boosting post-secondary enrollment rates.

Enhance Student Success Through Extracurriculars:

Partner with youth community sports teams to provide free tutoring before practice and access to facilities, promoting academic success, reducing childcare costs, increasing extracurricular participation, and supporting athletic development.

Encourage Volunteerism and Community Engagement:

Offer structured community service opportunities to strengthen ties between students, local businesses, and residents while meeting college admission requirements and fostering civic responsibility.

The Peterson Rule-Prioritize Local Vendors:

Adopt a weighted proposal process favoring local vendors who provide internships and apprenticeships for students, ensuring transparency by advertising bids through local channels.

Planned Day 1 Initiatives

Conduct a forensic audit of all financials by a third party to determine unnecessary spending with transparency of the audit results and all financial transactions. We plan to create a finance committee that includes community members in our path forward.
Work with the teachers’ union and provide more resources for teachers so they can provide academic support for those students that need it.
Work with the feeder schools and align their curriculum with the high school curriculum. Currently, there is no articulation plan in place with the surrounding middle schools.
Require administration to present/support/implement evidence-based practices that have proven to be successful for students. It will be required for administrators to present these practices to teachers and monitor their implementation. Administrators must be required to move away from utilizing vendors and implement evidence-based practices.
Reduce the number of vendors and use those resources for School Resource Officers and Truancy programs. Additionally, utilize those resources to create activities/programs that interest students that connect them to the building. Research has demonstrated that when students feel connected to the building, attendance rates increase.
Create a plan that the district will provide after-school tutoring, by teachers, throughout the school year 6 days a week.

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