D-219 Spending Per Student Highest On North Shore: IL Report Card

SKOKIE, IL — State education officials have released the first Illinois school report cards since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show Niles Township High School District 219, which includes Niles North High School and Niles West High School, spends the most money per student of any public high school district on Chicago's North Shore.

The school-level assessments follow last month's release of preliminary statewide data, which showed declining enrollment and academic proficiency.

According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education, 16.6 percent fewer students met grade-level English standards and 17.8 percent fewer students met math standards in 2021 as compared to 2019, the last time the school report cards were completed.

In Niles Township High School District 219, the percentage of juniors who met or exceeded English language standards on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT, fell by only 2 percentage points since the last report card.

However, when it came to math, only 40 percent of District 219 11th graders met the standards, down 7 points compared to standardized test results from 2019.

Carmen Ayala, state education superintendent, praised teachers and administrators across the state for their dedication to Illinois students in a statement announcing the new report cards.

“Assessment data gives local communities more insight into the impact of the pandemic on their students and what they need to recover," Ayala said.

“We are confident that the full return to safe, in-person learning and the significant state and federal investment in our schools will provide the conditions for all our students to thrive in the coming years," she added. "Every school district has had a unique experience during the pandemic, with different strengths and challenges."

Since 2017, the percentage of Niles Township High School District 219 students who do not meet standards has risen from 44 to 56 percent in English and 48 to 61 percent in math, according to the data from the state education board.

There are 4,593 students enrolled in the district's schools, up by 43 since 2017.

In 2021, just over one in five came from low-income families, compared to nearly one in three in 2017, according to data from the Illinois State Board of Education.

During that period, the number of teachers has risen by 15, bringing the district's total to 347.

The average salary for District 219 teachers has risen by 6.8 percent to $121,251 — the second-highest on Chicago's North Shore after New Trier High School.

Niles North and Niles West high schools employ 49 administrators, who have an average salary of $136,190, according to the report card.

For students who started high school in 2017, District 219's four-year graduation rate was 91.7 percent, compared to a rate of 93.1 percent at Evanston Township High School and 95.8 percent at Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South high schools.

According to the state data, Niles Township High School District 219 is funded at 183 percent of its adequacy level. The district spends $28,379 per student, nearly twice the state average of $14,747 and more than any other North Shore high school district in operating expenses.

The federal government has allocated more than $7 billion to Illinois schools this year to address the academic and emotional effects of the pandemic on the state's students.

Related: $19 Million From $1.9 Trillion Bill Headed To Skokie Area Schools

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the report card data showed some improvements in college and career preparation coursework but also indicated the "tremendous challenges" presented by the coronavirus pandemic. In a statement last month, the governor said his administration has been working with school administrators to make sure the money is distributed properly to address learning disruptions.

“As we move forward, helping our children process this experience and restoring their learning must sit at the heart of every action," Pritzker said. "Together, with our incredible educators at the forefront, we are revitalizing our classrooms, student by student, for the betterment of all of Illinois."

Complete 2020-21 Illinois Report Cards: Niles Township High School District 219 — Niles North High School — Niles West High School

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