District 300 has received notification from the State Superintendent that Dundee-Crown High School is one of several dozen schools across the state now considered "high priority" in needing further improvements.

Schools were placed on the list for a variety of reasons.  In Dundee-Crown's case, the state rated DCHS's overall performance as persistently low achieving on standardized tests for the past three years (averaged).

The news comes just as Dundee-Crown has built tremendous momentum and has already begun making noteworthy strides through its long-term restructuring plan.  Dundee-Crown and District 300 leaders were fully aware of the school's opportunities for improvement, and progress has already been made through research-based strategies and best practices.

"Now more than ever, we will need our community, staff, and students to pull together to take DCHS where it needs to go," Superintendent Ken Arndt said.  "We are certainly proud of the school's progress.  But we must do whatever is within our means to take DCHS to even higher levels of achievement."

Here are some highlights of the real improvements that have already been made at DCHS over the last couple of years, and which will serve as a foundation for further progress:

• Twice as many AP (Advanced Placement) scholars
• 6.9 percent increase in students "meeting or exceeding" state standards in reading
• 2.8 percent increase in students "meeting or exceeding" state standards in math
• 29 percent decrease in retention of freshman, as part of the Freshman Academy
• 46 percent decrease in freshman behavioral referrals
• Hispanics: 10.3 percent increase in reading scores and a 7.4 percent increase in math (from previous cohort)
• Low income students: 7.7 percent increase in reading and a 7.6 percent increase in math (from previous cohort)

DCHS will look at restructuring the delivery of its special education programming, to allow more students with special needs to access the general education curriculum and classrooms.  This special education restructuring will include greater opportunities for students to be supported in the general education classroom using the co-teaching model. 

School leaders will continue to make literacy a primary focus.  They will also focus on better allocating physical space and finding ways to expand opportunities for students to receive intervention support.  Division heads will work to effectively evaluate teachers and foster an environment of accountability.

Additionally, D300 leaders will discuss with LEAD, the union of teachers and other certified staff, initiatives to increase incentives for staff achievement through state and federal grants.

Superintendent Arndt is at DCHS all day today (Friday, Dec. 18) to take input from staff on how to build on the school's current progress in order to make the necessary improvements.  Arndt and others from D300 will participate in a state webinar today on aggressively pursuing Race to the Top federal funding for high priority schools.  A letter will be sent from the school to DCHS parents, as well, about DCHS being on the "high priority" list.

"If there is anything positive to be taken from this news," Arndt said, "it is that there might ultimately be additional support available for DCHS through Race to the Top."