DATA ANALYZED BY 204 CHOICE CAMPAIGN MEMBERS AFTER FOIA REQUEST SUBMITTED On December 8, 2020, Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204 received a request for records in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1, at seq. (“FOIA”). The request was for a comparison of total first semester “D” and “F” grades among High School and Middle School students within District 204 versus the comparable time-period in 2019, pre-Covid school closures. The FOIA request was completed and sent on December 21, 2020 by Louis Lee Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources and Freedom of Information Act Officer.
The chart below provides the detail from the FOIA request. An analysis of the data finds that total failing grades are up an average of 108% among the students at the District 204 High Schools of Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, and Metea Valley – schools usually known for their high academic standards of performance. Among the 7 District 204 Middle Schools, total failing grades are up a dramatic average of 166% during the remote learning period. According to the 204 Choice Campaign group that supported the parent who submitted the FOIA request and analyzed the data, these numbers suggest a failure to support the academic needs of students.
Many parents have voiced their concern and support the 204Choice.com Campaign. The goal of the 204Choice.com Campaign is a choice to return to in-person learning full-time while preserving the option of parents to choose remote. The Campaign maintains a Facebook Group of 1,500+ supporters and hosted a Reopen the 204 Schools Rally at the District 204 Offices on December 13th, where speakers including former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Paul Vallas, called on the Superintendent and District 204 School Board to reopen the schools to in-person learning.
“Our kids have suffered mentally, socially and academically under the District 204 policy of remote learning. It’s time for the schools to reopen to those who want the opportunity to return to in-person learning full time. The dramatic increase in failing grades at our schools is just one more reason to reopen the schools immediately,” according to a 204 Choice Campaign member.
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