A 'Hard Path' For This Elmhurst Grade?

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst school officials on Tuesday presented test scores for elementary and middle school students.

But they did not point out that second grade was below all the others in reading.

It was left to board member Courtenae Trautmann to note the issue. She said she was worried about second graders across Elmhurst School District 205.

"What's happening in second grade?" she asked during a board meeting. "You guys are like 'I know somebody is going to bring it up.' We are losing these kids."

In the MAP test this fall, 70 percent of second-graders met the average or above in reading. That was below every other grade that took a MAP test – from kindergarten through eighth grade.

All but one of the other classes were 80 percent or above. Third grade was at 78 percent.

Associate Superintendent Scott Grens responded to Trautmann.

"As you stated, we anticipated that question," Grens said. "We talked about that with our school teams... We're absolutely following up to make sure we're learning about it and planning accordingly."

Officials noted second grade is when students transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn."

Trautmann said she appreciated the focus on second grade.

"That is exactly the turning point I worry about – learning to read, reading to learn," she said. "You lose them there. It's a hard path or mountain for them to travel."