Just weeks after Morton High School walked away with a first-place win for its marching band, the school has another reason to celebrate.
The district learned last week it had the highest Prairie State Achievement Exam scores in the Tri-County area in 2009.
Principal Dennis Johnson said he is very pleased, and while he knows test scores are not the only factor that determine success at the school, it is on that the Illinois State Board of Education judges them.
“I’m pleased with the teaching staff, the students and the parents in the community. Obviously, we want to be known for our academics,” Johnson said.
The PSAE is given to all Illinois students in the 11th grade to measure their achievement relative to the Illinois Learning Standards for reading, math, science and writing.
The PSAE has three components — the ACT portion with four multiple-choice tests in English, math, reading and science and a 30-minute writing test; the ISBE-developed science assessment; and an assessment that tests for skills in math and reading that could be applied to the workplace.
Johnson said Morton’s scores have been fairly high over the last several years, even though the standards set by No Child Left Behind keep getting higher and more difficult to attain.
“It’s becoming harder for schools to show large improvements. Our scores were a little higher two years ago, actually,” Johnson said.
“We and Dunlap have typically done well, and last year they were ahead. It’s nice to be on top again,” he added with a laugh.
Johnson said one of the reasons for Morton’s success rate is not making the PSAE a sole target and setting joint expectations, rather than offering incentives for students to perform well.
“Rather than take time off and drill them with test preps or give them things, we make some of the practice questions or subjects part of the regular curriculum,” Johnson said.
“We tell them it will open doors for them personally and also it reflects on us as a school. We constantly recognize our kids whenever they do well, too,” the principal added.
Morton also cracked the top 30 this year in the Chicago Sun Times’ list of top Illinois high schools.
Johnson said the school has been hit hard with a steady stream of teacher retirements over the last several years, so he is especially impressed with how the large amount of new staff stepped up to the plate.
“They have come in and fit into the system rather well by working with our kids and helping us keep and improve our rates,” Johnson said.
In addition to the high ranking of the high school, Morton elementary schools also proved to be outstanding.
Lincoln Elementary ranked second in the Tri-County area on the Illinois State Achievement Test, beat out only by Washington Gifted School in Peoria.
Overall, Morton elementary schools ranked fourth in the region.
Superintendent Roger Kilpatrick said the elementary staff members use a systematic approach and assessment for learning, which helps determine early on students who potentially will not meet standards.
“It allows us to work with those students under individualized programs, even before we get to the test. The goal is really to help those students achieve to whatever their potential is,” Kilpatrick said.
Morton, Ill. —
