Proposed CPS Budget Adds Teaching Positions, Reduces Budget for 20% of Schools

According to a budget recently proposed by the school district, while the overall CPS budget will not substantially change, additional funds will be allocated to providing instructors in high-need schools.Teaching positions will be added especially to support English language learners and special education classrooms.

The proposal, which was released by the CPS administration, comes as the district continues to grapple with declining enrollment and a persistent budget deficit. School budgets will grow per student; however, due to declining enrollment rates, approximately 20% of CPS schools can expect to see a reduction in their budgets this fall.

With the expiration date for federal pandemic relief funding coming up in 2024, the long-term financial trends of CPS schools are unclear, but the new school year’s budget represents a shift away from enrollment-based funding. Although enrollment is still a factor, other needs are being weighted more heavily, such as student demographics and special programming requirements.

Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

AP Course Decisions

For high school students, taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes can offer numerous benefits such as gaining college credit, improving academic skills, and strengthening college applications. However, it can be challenging to decide how many AP classes to take. 

AP classes are designed to provide college-level coursework to high school students. These courses offer students an opportunity to explore challenging subjects in greater depth and prepare them for college-level academic rigor. However, the workload of AP courses is typically higher than that of regular high school courses. Students should consider their academic ability based on their performance in previous academic years, including their grades, course difficulty, and study habits. Students must also factor in their workload, including from extracurricular activities.

Another factor to consider is a student's future goals. If a student is planning to attend a highly competitive college or pursue a career in a challenging field, taking multiple AP courses can demonstrate their academic readiness and preparedness. Even so, colleges take other factors into account, and there is no guaranteed number of AP courses that will substitute for a well-rounded and individual background.

Counselors, researchers, and consultants agree that it’s far more important to select a schedule that will be manageable to a student based on their workload, academic level, and future goals, rather than loading their schedule with as many AP courses as possible.

Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Overview of the Digital SAT

In the near future, students will only be able to take the SAT via a digital format. Last November, a select portion of SAT students were offered the chance to test out this format by taking the digital SAT. Among this group, 80% of students found the new test taking process to be less stressful than the paper version which was previously the standard. The College Board began offering the digital SAT to international students in March of 2023 and plans to fully implement it in March of 2024 for class of 2025 juniors (current sophomores).

The digital SAT boasts a number of benefits. Among these, the digital interface allows the test to adapt to each student. With an adaptive test model, each section independently adapts to the student’s level of ability, making the resulting score more reliable. Additional benefits include shortening the test-taking time period from 3 hours to 2 hours and making scores available to students just days after they take the exam. The digital SAT will also offer a range of online tools students may use at their disposal. These tools include an on-screen timer, elimination tools which allow students to cross out incorrect answers, and the ability to flag questions for review so that students can go back to check them.

The content of the test will remain essentially the same with minor format changes. For the math section, students will have 44 questions to complete in 70 minutes. Students will have access to a graphic calculator on the screen during this portion of the test. During the reading and writing section, students will have 64 minutes to answer 54 questions regarding reading comprehension and grammar. The digital SAT will make reading questions shorter and reinstitute sentence completion questions. Each section of the test will still be worth 800 points and students will continue to have access to a reference sheet for formulas. Altogether, the digital SAT looks to streamline the test taking process while adapting to the changing landscape of technology based assessments.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

College Enrollment Still Down from Pre-Pandemic Levels

Rates of college enrollment, which decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Across the country, the rate of undergraduate enrollment dropped 8 percent between 2019 and 2022, marking the steepest decline on record, and while admissions rates are increasing slightly, they have yet to return to 2018 levels.

Despite predictions that the decline was only temporary, it appears that many of those who opted out of college at the beginning of the pandemic have decided not to return to school. While those who don’t attend college typically have a lower average earning potential, many are questioning the benefits of attending colleges and universities when tuition prices continue to rise and rates of student debt are at an all-time high.

Fewer graduates from college could lead to shortages in certain fields, such as healthcare and engineering, while the market for computer science skills has steadily increased. Additionally, many young people are pursuing education outside of the traditional four-year degree; trade schools and apprenticeship programs, for example, are on the rise. The pandemic, which threw a wrench in the plans of many, may have caused a lasting shift in the way young people consider their future.

Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Selective Enrollment High School Cut Off Scores Rise

High School Entrance Exam scores are on the rise for 8th-grade students applying to Selective Enrollment High Schools. CPS recently released their Selective Enrollment cut-off scores for the 2023-2024 school year which details an increase in average point totals and minimum scores required for eligibility. This increase will affect applicants of all Tiers across the board.

According to the information provided by CPS, Tier 4 students must achieve a perfect 900 points to place into Walter Payton College Prep or Northside College Prep. This cut-off score remains stagnant for Payton while it has increased by 4 points at Northside in the last year. Similarly, Whitney Young has seen an increase across the board from Tier 1 to Tier 4 students. Tier 1 students must score a minimum of 834 points to be eligible which is up dramatically from 816.5 the year prior. Tier 4 students must score a minimum of 893, up 9 points from last year’s cut-off of 884. Other Selective Enrollment high schools such as Jones College Prep and Lane Tech College Prep have also seen surges in cutoff scores, though their Tier 4 eligibility requirement leaves a small margin for error.

Tier 4 cut-off scores have soared the most rapidly at King Jr. College Prep, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, South Shore International College Prep, and Brooks College Prep with some schools seeing as much as a 21% increase. Previously requiring 529 points for eligibility at Lindblom, the school now demands a score of 643, a 114-point difference. King’s requirement was raised from 501.5 to 600, followed by Southshore which now requires 613 points as opposed to last year’s 529. Lastly, Brooks’ Tier 4 cutoff has increased 46 points this testing season with a new standard of 718 points required. Because of the increasing demand for applicants to achieve higher scores, students who score under 600 points on the High School Admissions Test will not be permitted on the waitlist, making it more difficult than ever for students to test into the school of their choice.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Technology in the Classroom

As technology continues to explode, educators are doing their best to utilize the expanding field to benefit their students in the classroom. Whether it’s implementing personal computers for students, engaging in coding instruction, or using app-based progress tracking, nearly 90% of teachers claim that utilizing research regarding the integration of technology in their teaching strategies has enriched their student’s educational experience. However, research has found that educators lack a common definition for “technology integration” regarding student achievement thus leading to large discrepancies in the education system.

According to a research study that took place between 2010 and 2021 many educators use technology integration as a means by which to enhance their student’s overall education through the use of enrichment tools. For other educators, utilizing technological advancements simply means allowing their students the opportunity to use new tools without implementing proper scaffolds to help them benefit from them in the long term. There is also inconsistency amongst educators concerning the degree to which technology should be used and the ethicality of such changes. This poses a serious problem for students because educators must have a common understanding of the functions of technology-based learning in order to effectively teach in accordance with changing standards.

Research suggests that to combat this discrepancy, teachers must first be trained to understand the value of technology in the changing world before using it for instructional purposes. Professional development programs are necessary to implement this paradigm shift so that educators have a common lens through which to apply these changes. This includes training teachers to learn what tools add value to their classrooms while averting buzzword-heavy trends that do not support student needs. With a more definitive standard for how technology should be integrated in the classroom, educators will be able to make choices for their students that are grounded in evidence-based research rather than speculation. This will lead to a more constructive use of funds as well as a cohesive experience for students from year to year.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266
 
Sources:

https://www.edweek.org/technology/what-weve-learned-about-technology-and-learning-in-the-last-3-years/2023/03
https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2022/09/benefits-integrating-technology-todays-k-12-classrooms-perfcon
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/11/education/screens-classroom-tool-temptation.html

Homelessness in the Chicago Public School System

A growing number of students in Chicago are currently struggling with having a permanent and stable home. As of December 2022, 13,000 CPS students identified as homeless, according to CPS’s “Students in Temporary Living Situations” program. However, according to the Chicago Coalition of Homelessness, due to some students not wanting to identify themselves and others being homeless but living in other students’ homes, this number is actually closer to 16,000. Notably, many students in these types of situations don’t qualify for public aid.

There have been many attempts to curtail this rise, to varying degrees of success. Tonti Elementary set up a “Care Closet” to have a place to keep donations from the community and charity organizations for students in need, and provides incoming students with free uniforms and a backpack stuffed with school supplies. 

The American Rescue Plan of 2021 raised the child tax credit to $3600 per child from $2000. Governor Pritzker also made a proposal in February of 2023 to raise the budget for homelessness prevention, increasing the funding that goes into Illinois’s Evidence-Based Funding program that awards funds to schools based on priority of need. The Chicago Teacher’s Union stated that the increases were insufficient, and stated that at least double the proposed amount would be necessary to make the changes necessary. The state budget should be finalized by May of 2023 when the spring legislative session closes.

Nate Hall, Director of Technology & Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Low Reading and Math Proficiency in CPS Schools

While CPS reported a record-breaking graduation rate in 2022, reading and math proficiency rates for students are a cause for concern, with only one fifth of high schoolers completing the subjects to a grade-level standard. These low proficiency rates have significant implications for students' future success, as they may struggle to keep up with coursework in higher grades or pursue advanced education or career opportunities.

According to 2022 data from the Illinois Department of Education, 55 schools reported zero students that were proficient in either math or reading. The causes of low proficiency rates in the Chicago Public School system are complex, but many attribute the decline to negative effects of the pandemic, including school closures and remote learning. However, proficiency numbers are only slightly lower than they were in 2019, so pandemic consequences only represent part of the picture. Other factors, such as growing levels of homelessness among CPS students, are also important to understand.

Efforts to improve proficiency rates in the Chicago Public School system are ongoing, with educators and administrators working to implement targeted interventions and programs aimed at supporting struggling students and improving academic outcomes. However, addressing the root causes of low proficiency rates will require a sustained and coordinated effort from stakeholders across the district and the broader community, including policymakers, community organizations, and families.

Anna Jordan, Tutoring Coordinator
anna@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

The Classical Learning Test Replacing SAT/ACT in Florida?

The SAT and ACT may soon be replaced by the Classical Learning Test in the state of Florida. Primarily used by home-school and private-school students, the CLT is a standardized test steeped in “traditional” education values. School board officials from the state claim the new test contains more challenging material than the SAT and is fitter to uphold the democratic principles of America. As Governor Ron DeSantis searches for alternatives to the College Board’s standardized tests, individuals from the Department of Education are pushing for the implementation of the CLT.

Created in 2015 as a way to disengage from modern education standards, the CLT diverges from the SAT and ACT in ideology. While the College Board recognizes critical race theory as a foundational tenet of education, the CLT takes a conservative approach to this topic with regard to religious values. Chad Pecknold, a member of the CLT’s establishing board stated that it is “an alternative to the College Board that orients people to the perennial truths of the great classical and Christian tradition.” Other Florida Education officials claim that the SAT has “censored” ideals of the Christian faith and thus claim that an alternative test must be implemented.

Currently, the SAT and ACT are the only standardized tests recognized by collegiate institutions in Florida. However, if new legislation is passed the CLT will be available to all eleventh and twelfth-grade students who wish to forgo taking a College Board exam. As of now, Governor DeSantis has not confirmed the state’s switch. Still, Florida education officials are pushing for the addition of the new test, making it likely that the CLT will be recognized as a legal college entrance exam alternative in the coming years.

Kayley Horton, Tutoring Coordinator
kayley@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266

Sources:

https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-sat-college-board-alternative-classical-christian-desantis-western-thought-2023-2
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/02/19/florida-weighs-classical-and-christian-alternative-to-sat-college-entrance-exam/
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2023/02/17/desantis-classical-learning-test-college-board-ap-sat/

ACT vs. SAT : Do Colleges Prefer One Over the Other?

The short answer to the question above is no. As of 2023, all colleges that consider standardized test scores as part of their admissions processes will take SAT or ACT scores at an equal value. 

This myth has persisted primarily because of the fact that a lot of states mandate that their high schoolers take either the SAT or ACT during the school day. CPS students take the SAT at their schools in April. Just north in Wisconsin, the ACT is mandated, so it varies state to state. Additionally, about half of incoming college freshmen attend colleges that are within 100 miles of their hometowns. As a result, colleges tend to receive a majority of test scores from the test that their state mandates that students take in high school (i.e. the SAT for Illinois students). Not all states mandate the SAT or ACT, but each state often leans one way or the other.

All of that being said, these state mandates and local tendencies do not affect how colleges consider either test, and students should just take whichever test they feel most confident. Students may also take both tests, but should consider the extra preparation time, stress, and testing fees that would be involved.

Check out our article ‘What's the Difference Between the SAT and the ACT?’ from November, 2022 to see which test is right for you!

Nate Hall, Director of Technology & Tutoring Coordinator
nate@testprepchicago.com
(312) 848-1266