D128 School Community Members:
Diversity and representation in our courses are crucial because they ensure equitable access to challenging educational opportunities for students from various backgrounds, fostering a more inclusive learning environment and preparing all students for success. This belief is rooted in our DARING Mission. To that end, initiatives are underway in D128 and across Illinois regarding how students are enrolled in courses.
Three upcoming changes to our course enrollment process have led to discussions across our school community. I appreciate the level of engagement from our community, and I want to address these changes and clarify their impact to ensure that all of our stakeholders are well informed about the district’s initiatives.
Accelerated Placement, Equal Opportunity Schools, and Heterogenous Classes are three separate initiatives that will be starting in the 2024-25 school year. Although different programs, the goal of each is to increase all students’ access to appropriately rigorous coursework. Advanced, honors, and college prep courses will continue to exist in D128, and any student interested in more advanced coursework is encouraged to enroll.
.jpg?mask=128)
The graphic above illustrates how the three district initiatives work in concert to ensure that all students receive a rigorous learning experience to ensure that they graduate proficient and/or advanced in all Illinois learning standards. Details about each initiative can be found below.
Accelerated Placement Public Act 101-0654
The first change is the Accelerated Placement Act which requires all Illinois high schools to place students who score proficient or advanced in standardized tests to the next most rigorous course the following year. This placement process applies universally to all students in grade levels 9-12.
The Accelerated Placement Act is intended to expand access to opportunities for advanced learning. Illinois mandated that all school districts develop an Accelerated Placement Policy by 2023 with implementation for the 2024-2025 academic year.
One of the D128 Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan goals required an audit and revision of the course recommendation placement process with an outcome of adopting an Accelerated Placement Policy.
Students will be placed into courses according to the following criteria:
College Prep
Students who meet or exceed standards and are currently enrolled in a college prep section will be enrolled in an honors section for that subject the next year.
Honors
Honors Students who meet or exceed standards and are currently enrolled in an honors section will be enrolled in an advanced placement or dual credit section (if offered) for that subject the next year.
Advanced Placement/Dual Credit
Students who meet or exceed standards and are currently enrolled in an advanced placement or dual credit section will remain enrolled in an advanced placement or dual credit section for that subject the next year.
As always, for the purposes of student wellbeing, parents/guardians may decline the accelerated placement of their student.
Heterogeneous Classes
The second change is our district’s transition away from placing students with slight learning gaps in remedial courses that segregate them to including them in heterogeneous college prep classes in which all students receive grade-level instruction. This transition does not impact or detract from our honors or AP programs in any way.
In alignment with ISBE 70/30 regulations, which require that students be placed in heterogeneous classes, D128 will begin to phase out striving learner sections beginning with the Class of 2028. In the 2024-25 school year, 9th-grade course options include:
- English 9 or English 9 Honors
- Biology or Biology Honors
- Algebra 1 or Geometry Honors
UPDATED 04/05/24:
9th Grade Social Studies Offerings
LHS: World History, World History Honors, AP World History, Geography, Geography Honors, AP Human Geography
VHHS: World History, AP World History, Geography, AP Human Geography
Note: Beginning in 2016-17, VHHS evolved its curricular offerings by replacing its 9th-grade Honors courses with AP courses. LHS, with a larger student population, has maintained 9th-grade Honors and AP offerings.
Equal Opportunity Schools
The third change to note is that D128 has partnered with Equal Opportunity Schools to increase enrollment by students of color and low-income students in more advanced courses. Diversity in these courses promotes equitable access to challenging educational opportunities for students from various backgrounds, fostering a more inclusive learning environment and preparing all students for greater postsecondary success. This work is aligned with and complements the statewide Accelerated Placement Act being implemented this school year.
At the March Board of Education Committee Meetings, D128 Director of Equity and Inclusion, Larry Varn, provided the board and community with a presentation addressing Accelerated Placement and Heterogenous Classes in detail. Visit this link to view the slide presentation shared at the March 11, 2024, Board of Education Program and Personnel Committee. Visit this link to view the video of the March 11 presentation to the D128 Board.
The Accelerated Placement Act, heterogeneous classes, and EOS initiatives will enhance the breadth and depth of the overall learning experience of all students. If you have additional questions, please share them on the form at this link. We will add questions and their answers to our FAQ which we will post on our website shortly.
Denise Herrmann, Ed.D.
Superintendent