Adult Transition Program Pilot approved

For many years, High School District 211 has emphasized and committed substantial resources towards transition services for students with cognitive disabilities. The emphasis on transition and improving functional skill development for post-secondary opportunities is now a primary mission and focus of the most recently-updated federal special education regulations.

The District’s special education department recommended that High School District 211 create a separate and distinct pilot program called the Adult Transition Program (ATP). This program would offer students who have completed four years of high school and have met all of the District 211 graduation requirements a community-based transition program highly-focused on integrated vocational and life skills that more closely resembles the adult experience after high school.

Following a presentation at it's December 12, 2008 meeting, the Board of Education approved the Adult Transition Program as a pilot for a period of two years; ATP-North will be located on the Palatine High School campus, while ATP-South will be located on the Hoffman Estates High School campus.

Additional information on the Adult Transition Program pilot is available at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/adult_trans_program.pdf. The presentation can be viewed at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/Adult_Trans_Presentation_ppt.pdf.

Energy Management Program Recognition – $3.4 million in energy savings for District 211

Since November, 2004, High School District 211 has participated in a district-wide energy management approach with Energy Education, Inc. (EEI), an energy conservation and management consulting firm. District 211 Energy Manager Reece Thome has coordinated the implementation of EEI’s program with much success as the District has reduced its energy consumption by 20% during the 47-month period, and by doing so, avoided approximately $3.4 million in energy costs. The EEI program agreement provided for a 48-month training/consulting period, which ended in September, 2008.

At the December 12 Board of Education meeting, EEI awarded High School District 211 its “Energy Excellence Award.” In a news release, Energy Education, Inc., CEO Dr. William Spears said “I am extremely pleased to present High School District 211 with our Energy Excellence Award. The district joins a very committed group of organizations across the country working hard to achieve energy savings so the dollars saved can be redirected to educational needs.”

Additional information on District 211’s energy management program is available at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/Energy_Management_Program_Recognition.pdf. A copy of the news release can be viewed at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/Energy_Award_Release.pdf.

It also was announced that District 211 was informed it will be receiving a check from ComEd in the amount of $162,565.94 for the District’s participation in a voluntary program to reduce electric consumption during “declared” times of peak demand use.

Adoption of 2008 Tax Levy & Tax Abatement

Following a public hearing at its December 12 meeting, the Board of Education approved the proposed 2008 tax levy as presented. The 2008 tax levy is $188,227,285, excluding the Debt Service Fund, and it reflects an increase of 4.6% over the 2007 tax levy.

The Board also adopted a resolution to authorize and direct the County Clerk to abate a portion of the taxes levied for the year 2008 ($5.0 million) to pay debt service on $50,470,000 of school bonds (series 2006).

In an effort to preserve the maximum operating levy as limited by the Property Tax Extension Limitation Act, a debt service abatement lessens the overall tax increase while maximizing the aggregate extension per the Tax Cap. Utilizing reserve in the Working Cash Fund, last year’s $9.0 million transfer from Working Cash to the Debt Service Fund provided for three consecutive property tax abatements of $3.0 million to levy year 2007, 2008, and 2009.

Since the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2007 established a higher property tax extension limitation per the Tax Cap (4.1%, plus new property) and Working Cash Fund balances remain healthy, the Board approved the increased abatement amount for 2008 from $3.0 million to $5.0 million. The additional $2.0 million of abatement will not adversely affect the future balance of the Working Cash Fund and will again decrease the net impact of the overall levy to taxpayers. This results in a net levy extension increase of 3.3% for 2008.

Additional information on the 2008 tax levy is available at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/proposed_08_levy.pdf.

 

Enhancement of Incoming Freshman Summer School Initiative

At its November 20, 2008 meeting, the Board of Education approved waiving tuition and transportation fees for the Incoming Freshman Academy English and Incoming Freshman Academy Mathematics three-week summer school programs, beginning in 2009.

Background Information

At the September 23, 2004 meeting, the Board was presented information regarding the development of a six-week required summer program that was titled the Incoming Freshman Academy. The goal of the Academy was to improve skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Students were selected for the program based on their scores on the Explore test that is given as the incoming freshman placement examination on the first Saturday in December each year. Students whose placement scores indicate they are at-risk of not meeting the reading and mathematics state standards, as measure by the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE), were required to attend this program.

Based upon the positive data and academic growth shown by students in the Incoming Freshman Academy, the Board approved two additional six-week required summer school programs for freshman and sophomore students for the Summer of 2006 – the Sophomore Academy and the English as a Second Language Summer Academy. Then, at its December 7, 2006 meeting, the Board also approved two three-week required summer school programs: Sophomore Academy English and Sophomore Academy Mathematics. The goal of each was to improve skill development for students not predicted to meet state standards in the respective disciplines.

 

In 2008, 810 incoming freshman students were invited to attend the three-week Incoming Freshman Academy Reading program and 57 were invited to attend the three-week Incoming Freshman Mathematics program; only 516, or 64% of the students, attended the reading program and 26, or 46%, attended the mathematics program. Since a high percentage of District 211 invited students are not taking advantage of the summer school three-week academy programs, the Board of Education approved waiving the tuition and transportation fees for the Incoming Freshman Academy English and Incoming Freshman Academy Mathematics three-week summer school programs beginning in 2009 as a possible incentive to increase student participation.

It is anticipated that the number of students who would qualify for the Summer Reading or Mathematics Invitational programs in 2009 would be similar to the 2008 totals. Therefore, based upon the 2008 numbers, the total projected increase for the program costs would be $59,525.

This modification of the existing programs completes an installation of a required summer program for every incoming freshman who is significantly deficient in academic skills defined as essential to success in all high school course curricula.

Additional information on the Incoming Freshman Summer School Initiative is available at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/Enhancement_Incoming_Freshmen_Summer_School_Initiative.pdf

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Morning Work Sessions (Student Late Start Days)

The Board of Education has provided schools with opportunities to hold morning work sessions (late start school days for students) on multiple dates throughout the past three school years. The vision that has guided these work sessions has stemmed from the three questions that must be addressed if District 211 is to achieve its educational mission:

1.) What should our students know?
2.) How will we be able to tell if they know it?
3.) What will we do if they do not know it?

Many innovative programs and practices now in place had a genesis in these work sessions. While each school has specific educational needs, the universal focus for all schools, and all faculty, on specific educational objectives would guide morning work sessions. These include:

1.) Necessity of Literacy;
2.) Data provides real-time basis from which teaching can be accelerated;
3.) Removing roadblocks to learning; and
4.) Implementation of Literacy Practices

At its September 25, 2008 meeting, the Board authorized the Superintendent to approve morning work sessions, each 90 minutes in length, on Tuesdays, October 28, 2008; November 18, 2008; December 9, 2008; February 3 and 17, 2009; March 10, 2009; April 7, 2009; and May 19, 2009. On these days, classes at Fremd, Hoffman Estates, and Schaumburg High Schools will begin at 9:10 a.m., while classes at Conant and Palatine High Schools will start at 9:55 a.m.

For additional information on morning work sessions for staff, please visit: http://www.d211.org/pdf/Work_Session_Summary.pdf.