Rep. Jehan Gordon (D-Peoria) is lauding a new law changing the way that the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) issues report cards for schools throughout the state.
“This spring we passed a landmark education bill that focused on teacher performance. This bill will ensure that the information received from the new evaluation system is put togethr in a way that accessible to everyone, including school leaders, parents and taxpayers,” Gordon said. “The data in the revised report card will allow us to know our strengths, as well as areas that need attention in an easy to use and comprehensive format.”
House Bill 605 requires ISBE to prepare a report for the state, school districts and individual schools by October 31 of each year, beginning next year. Current report cards include information about student performance, attendance rates, and graduation rates. The new report cards will include information about student outcomes, student progress and school environment. These report cards will be officially presented at a school board meeting, posted on the website and published in the local paper.
“This new, interactive report card will provide a more comprehensive view of what is happening in our schools,” Gordon said. “From student performance to economic factors that affect student learning, elected officials, educators, and parents will be able to see a complete picture of what is happening in our schools.”
Gordon sits on the Elementary and Secondary Education committee. She also sat on the committee that was charged with developing the recently enacted education reforms. For more information about this bill, please contact Gordon’s Constituent Services Office at (309) 681-1992 or repjgordon@gmail.com.
