MAP Results
The Byron School District piloted MAP testing in Spring 2007 as a result of a recommendation from the District Assessment Committee. Prior to the usage of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), the District relied on state assessment results to provide them with data related to student learning. Since that successful pilot in 2007, the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) have been used to assess individual student growth in Language Usage, Reading, and Mathematics. MAP data is used at each of our schools to help inform our teachers and our parents about the individual growth of our students during the course of an academic year. That data is used by our staff to help them meet the needs of the individual learners in their classrooms.  Low student growth, as measured by the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), will be below 40%. Typical student growth will be between 40% - 59.9%; high student growth will be between 60% - 69.9%. . View Graphs

District Performance on State Assessments
Byron’s average student performance on all state assessments has shown measurable improvement from 2005-2010. View Graph

ISAT Performance – Mary Morgan Elementary School and Byron Middle School
The Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) is administered to all students in grades 3-8. Students at Mary Morgan Elementary School and Byron Middle School had 94% of their students meet or exceed state standards in 2010. That accomplishment earned them #5 and #6 score rankings among Rock River Valley schools (Rockford Register Star). View Graphs

PLAN & EXPLORE Performance
To better prepare our young people for the ACT, the Byron School District introduced the pre-ACT practice tests known as EXPLORE and PLAN during the 2008-2009 school year.  EXPLORE is administered to our grade 8 students at Byron Middle School. The results of the EXPLORE are also used by Byron High School staff to appropriately place students in their grade 9 classes. During the 2010-2011 school year, the PLAN will be administered to grade 9 students at Byron High School. Grade 10 students, who had previously participated in the PLAN, will be administered a retired version of the ACT in Spring 2011. That change in practice testing sequence will give our students an opportunity to have practiced an actual ACT examination.

ACT Performance
The following series of graphs illustrates Byron High School’s average ACT scores for the past 13 years. The ACT is the most frequently requested test by colleges and universities as part of their application process. Students take the ACT during their junior and senior year. It is a required part of the PSAE that is administered to all juniors in public high schools throughout Illinois. View Graph

The ACT tests provide a composite score for all tests combined and subtest scores for English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science.  The highest achieving open-entry public high school in Illinois in 2010 was New Trier High School in Northfield with an average composite score of 27.2. Byron High School juniors achieved a composite score of 21.5 in 2010. That composite score was better than 79% of all schools in Illinois. The average ACT composite score in Illinois is 20.5.
Byron student scores are regionally competitive and have typically outperformed their peers at neighboring high schools. View Graph Students who take a high school curriculum that is more rigorous are more likely to obtain higher ACT scores. View Graphs

Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE) Performance
The Illinois State Board of Education requires students to take a two day assessment in the Spring of their junior year. On Day 1 the students take an ACT test. On Day 2, an assessment called Work Keys is administered for reading and mathematics along with a state generated science test. Day 1 and Day 2 test scores are combined to generate PSAE scores. View Graph

Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
The Byron School District expanded its number of Advanced Placement classes from one to five during the 2008-2009 school year.  Sixty-one Advanced Placement exams were taken by participating students during the 2009-2010 school year. Thirty percent of those students scored a 3 or better on those exams. One of our improvement goals is to see a substantial increase in the number of students who participate in Advanced Placement coursework and score at higher levels on the AP exams. Students who achieve a score of 3 or better will usually receive college credit for successfully completing an Advanced Placement (AP) course.  High schools that have higher percentages of student participation and high rates of student success on AP exams have higher ACT scores.

Graduation Rate
The following graph shows Byron High School’s consistently high graduation rates. View Graph

Senior Exit Survey Results  - Class of 2009 v Class of 2010
The Byron High School administration collects information about our graduates through LifeTrack Services, Inc.  Specific questions are asked regarding our graduates future goals and different aspects of student life at Byron High School. A review of the Senior Exit Surveys that were administered to the Class of 2009 and the Class of 2010 indicates that an average of 92% of BHS grads plan to enter college. The number of students choosing a 2 year college, rather than a 4 year college, increased by 10% as measured by the Class of 2010 exit surveys. View Graphs

Senior exit data indicated that there was a 13% improvement from 2009 to 2010 in how students perceived their ability to receive school support in setting goals for their future. There was also a 10% decrease in 2010 in the number of students who reported having experienced significant harassment from other students.  Class of 2010 graduates who reported that they had a positive learning experience at Byron High School exceeded 90%.  There was a 15% increase in the perceived level of safety at Byron High School from the Class of 2009 to the Class of 2010. Approximately 81% of graduating students rated their teachers as “excellent” or “good” when asked if their teachers held them to high academic standards and demanded quality work. View Graphs