DeKalb CUSD 428 notes several points of progress as the Illinois State Board of Education releases this year's Illinois Report Card (IRC), a detailed look at student performance data from the 2024-2025 school year, which was release on October 30. IRC testing took place in the spring of 2025. Complete Illinois Report Card data can be found here.
Notable points include:
- The graduation rate for all students is 80.2%, representing a 3.1% increase from the previous year. Black and Hispanic student graduation rates also improved to 78% (up from 69.6%) and 81.7% (up from 75.2%), respectively.
- Chronic absenteeism declined for the fourth straight year, in line with state trends.
- Four schools received their highest index score in the past four years (Jefferson, Cortland, Brooks, and DeKalb High School).
- DeKalb High School’s overall index score has increased by 36% since the 2021-2022 school year.
- Brooks and Tyler Elementary had double-digit index score growth 40% and 25%, respectively, from the previous year.
Based on this year’s summative designation percentiles (which adjust each year), Jefferson Elementary was less than three points away from achieving Exemplary status.
These are all important indicators of a student’s ability to succeed in their academic progress, and the District is encouraged by the steady improvements seen in several key areas. When looking at the complex and comprehensive data provided in the state report cards, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) points out that Illinois' proficiency benchmarks in English Language Arts (ELA) and math were previously more difficult to meet than those in almost any other state in the nation, according to the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP), the only standardized exam administered nationwide, resulting in many students being mislabeled as being less academically successful than they actually were.
ISBE Sets New Performance Levels and Proficiency Benchmarks in 2025
In an effort to correct this misalignment, ISBE adopted new performance levels and proficiency benchmarks to refine assessment performance levels. ISBE’s release of the 2025 Illinois Report Card stated, “Following an 18-month, educator-led and expert-validated process, Illinois adopted new, research-informed, and right-sized assessment performance levels to give students, families, and educators better data on academic achievement and college readiness. Prior performance levels mislabeled many students, often indicating that students were less academically successful and prepared for college than they actually were. The new benchmarks for proficiency align across English language arts, math, and science assessments and grade levels and reflect real college- and career-readiness expectations. As a result, the 2025 proficiency rates set a new baseline and cannot be compared to prior years.”
The changes to the proficiency thresholds in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) contributed to an increase in ELA and math at most schools. The changes in proficiency thresholds (right-sizing) increased the threshold for science proficiency, and DeKalb and most of the state saw decreases in proficiency. Find D428’s annual Report Card here.
“We are encouraged not only by the state’s hard work to ensure students are being more accurately assessed, which will continue into next year, but also by the steady progress we are seeing in multiple areas in our schools,” said Superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez, Ed.D., “We know our students are learning and growing in their educational skills, but it is critical that we remain strategically focused on improving student outcomes for all students. In education, we recognize that benchmarks and assessment measures will continue to fluctuate; however, we must never let up in our efforts to reach every child and ensure they have the resources and support necessary to become successful learners. I’m incredibly proud of our educators who day in and day out, put in the hard work and effort to ensure our students continue to grow.”
Illinois Report Card assessment results are a snapshot of student progress at a particular moment in time. When combined with additional assessment data taken throughout the year, DeKalb CUSD 428 can be responsive to data trends and make real-time adjustments to address identified learning needs. As a result, the District expects to continue to see gains that reflect its investments in a holistic approach to programming and staff that supports the diverse academic and social-emotional learning needs of our students with curriculum such as play-based learning for grades K-2nd, STEM-based Project Lead the Way for grades 3rd-5th, and the ongoing development of multidisciplinary units in grades 3rd-5th, with focus on oracy development and cross-cultural competence. Additionally, structural changes to the middle school schedule this year have allowed for more targeted and rigorous instruction, particularly in math. We look forward to seeing the benefits of this change reflected in next year’s scores.
Summative Designations
One component of the School Report Card is the annual summative designation. Illinois is required by federal accountability law to assign each school a descriptor of how well it is meeting the needs of its students. This designation is based on several indicators of academic performance, including ELA, Math, and Science growth and proficiency, English learner progress at the elementary and middle school levels, and the 5-essentials climate survey. The high school level also includes elements such as 9th-graders on track to graduate and overall graduation rates.
Six schools remained the same, one school moved up, and three schools shifted down. This means that in those cases, our school improvement efforts did not yield the results we had hoped for within the prescribed timeline for one or more student groups within those schools that were identified as needing additional support. The additional funding and targeted comprehensive designations provide the District with enhanced learning opportunities, expanding our ability to take a more holistic approach. Targeted and comprehensive schools receive additional funding and resources to promote student achievement. These resources are designed to support the success of all students, with a particular focus on our Black students, who have historically faced systemic disadvantages in public education. Equity gaps persist, not only in DeKalb but also throughout the state and the nation. The District is committed to identifying and aggressively addressing equity in all areas of our educational methods so that all students gain the skills and knowledge they need and deserve to live fulfilling lives.
School Designations Summary:
- DeKalb High School - Commendable (no change)
- Clinton Rosette Middle School - Targeted (2024 Commendable)
- Huntley Middle School - Targeted ( 2024 Commendable)
- Brooks Elementary - Targeted (2024 Comprehensive)
- Cortland Elementary - Commendable (no change)
- Founders - Targeted (no change)
- Jefferson Elementary - Commendable (no change)
- Lincoln - Targeted (no change)
- Littlejohn Elementary - Commendable (no change)
- Malta Elementary - Comprehensive (2024 Targeted)
- Tyler Elementary - Comprehensive (no change)
*Statewide, no school is exiting its designation status this year. Any school currently receiving support will remain in support status, regardless of changes in its designation.
*ISBE will have a new designation system for the 2026 school year. 2025 will be the last year that schools are measured in the current way. Within the current measuring system, only a set number of schools can achieve exemplary status. Additionally, commendable accounts for 70% of Illinois schools. Changing the system will enable greater support for continuous improvement.
Additional points from the 2025 Illinois Report Card include:
- Reported enrollment remains consistent at 6,584; however, as is typical, enrollment fluctuates throughout the year, and we experienced an increase after the IRC reporting date. Our current enrollment is just over 6,700 students.
- The percentage of low-income students decreased slightly to 65.9%, compared to 67.5% in the previous year. Prior to the pandemic, the district was at 60% or below.
- Students with Individualized Education Plan (IEP) increased to 18.5%, up from 17.2%.
- Students who qualify as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act remain flat at 3%.
- In line with the state trend of more diverse student enrollment, the number of D428 English learners increased to 19%, up from 17.6% last year.