Late Start & In-Service Dates for 2007-2008 School Year

For the past two years, the Board of Education has approved late start days for each school in order to provide staff with common time to work collaboratively and interdepartmentally; align curriculum with Illinois State Standards; develop/implement interventions to identified sub-groups; implement reading and test-taking strategies; and continue to explore best practices to meet the needs of District 211’s diverse student body. In addition, three schools required juniors who were predicted not to meet state standards on the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE) to attend school at the normal start time for tutoring.

For the 2007-2008 school year, District 211 schools proposed nine late start dates to create common, local, formative assessments based on Critical Learning Standards (CLS) and Course objectives; analyze school improvement data as well as assessment data based on the CLS to develop remediation and intervention plans for increased student achievement; create opportunities for State testing review and practice for students; and allow student-initiated academic opportunities. The State also allows boards of education to establish up to five shortened days for staff in-service, where students must be in attendance for at least three hours (traditionally, District 211 students have attended class for 4.5 hours on in-service days).

At its May 10 meeting, the Board approved late start dates for September 11, 2007; October 23, 2007; November 13, 2007; December 11, 2007; February 12 and 26, 2008; March 11, 2008; and April 8 and 29, 2008. Furthermore, the Board approved September 19, 2007; October 10, 2007; February 15, 2008; May 23, 2008; and May 30, 2008 as shortened days for in-service training of certified staff.

A complete copy of the late start proposal for 2007-2008 is available at: http://www.d211.org/pdf/late_start_07-08.pdf.