Preface

Table of Contents

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This Audit of Educational Effectiveness for the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 was commissioned by the Board of Education of the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 and the Superintendent as a means of improving the quality of teaching and learning in the school district.

Since November 2001, SchoolMatch has collected and analyzed data from each regular elementary, middle and high school in Elmwood Park CUSD 401. The Audit program was initiated in a similar fashion to that which has assisted hundreds of school systems throughout the country. The SchoolMatch site team conducted an on-site visitation to the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 on January 14-15, 2002.

SchoolMatch evaluators commend school system personnel in attendance during the on-site visit of the SchoolMatch team of consultants for the assistance given, information provided, and the many courtesies extended. It was a pleasure to work with courteous and congenial school personnel, and school district colleagues. In particular, the team extends thanks for their time during the site visit to Superintendent Frank McKinzie, Assistant superintendents Sharon Kaczmarek and William Woody, board members Susan Capraro, David Preston, Judy Dean, and Linda Sassone and building administrators: Jim Jennings, Peter Binder, Paula Hlavacek, Bob Ross, Susan Ponzio, Peter Herbert and Donna Kutrubis and teachers Anne Owen, Sue Laurence, Meg Walsh, Char Uney and Barb Wheeler.

In addition, the site team is grateful for the assistance and input received from: Thomas Zelek, Dennis Layne, board member Joseph Viverito and office staff members Nancy Lasselle and Mary Bruscato.

The team also thanks those who attended meetings and who met with team members during school visits: Mary Soto, Doreen Horist, Kathy Kozyra, Cindy Kelly, Carm Jasiak, Alice Balundis, Lodean Fisher, Bina Conte, Mary Trzebny, Terry Christenson, Denise Wurtz, Robin Remele, Debra Ranallo, Catherine Spilotros,

The members of the audit team who visited the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 were especially pleased to have a chance to visit students and teachers in the classroom. The students are vivid reminders of how this study might assist the school district and the community to create enhanced educational opportunities for Elmwood Park’s students.

In the mid-1980s, Dr. M. Donald Thomas initiated the "Audit of Educational Effectiveness" process using carefully designed levels of effectiveness and the SchoolMatch databases. Dr. Thomas, Superintendent Emeritus of the Salt Lake City Public Schools, has achieved national recognition as a widely respected school administrator, state education reformer, researcher, author and speaker.

A few years ago, SchoolMatch assumed the responsibility of working directly with school systems to continue this important process. This educational effectiveness audit compares the Elmwood Park CUSD 401 to similar student and staff population demographics nationwide.

Using a variety of data sources, including SchoolMatch records, data available from the U.S. and state departments of education, professional judgment and research techniques (data analysis, interviewing, polling, and others), our auditors examined a wide range of performance indicators in the Elmwood Park CUSD 401. These indicators range from test scores to student and staff attendance to public support for the school system (without which no school system can succeed). In each case, the results have been compared against those of the best of similar student and staff demographic populations nationwide.

In initiating the Audit for the Elmwood Park CUSD 401, SchoolMatch involved three on-site visitation consultants, its databases, editorial consultants, and support staff. The consultants include:

• Dr. Sherry A. Lahr, Associate Professor of Education at Ashland University, former superintendent and administrator in four school districts, former regional director for curriculum technology integration for a major national curriculum software developer, and the first and only female president of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. In 1998, she was named Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Columbus, where she serves as Scholarship Committee Chair. Dr. Lahr earned her doctorate from the University of Tennessee.

• Dr. James C. Manley, Superintendent of the fast growing Pine-Richland (PA) School District, is the senior Superintendent in the Pittsburgh,PA, area (since 1981). He is the former Superintendent of the Northgate (PA) School District, former Assistant Superintendent in the Northgate School District, and former Coordinator of Pupil Services in the North Allegheny School District (PA). In 1998, he served as Superintendent of Record for nine school districts on the north side of Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh Public Schools, when that group initiated Audits of Educational Effectiveness for its collective 76,131 students. Dr. Manley was named "Citizen of the Year" by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and has made presentations to the American Association of School Administrators and over 30 school systems throughout the country. He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh.

• Dr. C. Daniel Raisch, Associate Dean, College of Education, University of Dayton and former superintendent of two school districts, former president of the Dayton Area Superintendents Association and Western Ohio Superintendent and Principal Roundtable, former chair of several evaluation teams for the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. He earned his Ph.D. in educational administration from Miami (OH) University.

• Martine L. Stephens, M.A., Senior Editor and Audit Coordinator at SchoolMatch, Assistant Professor in the English Department and Writing Resource Center at Ohio Wesleyan University and former Instructor in English for the Osaka (Japan) International University for Women/Summer Institute at Ohio Dominican College. She is completing work on a Ph.D. in English at The Ohio State University.